Favorite student emails

[Caracal]

Just to choose one example, according to the College Board, 43 per cent of students who sat the AP English Language and Composition exam got scores of 1 or 2: https://twitter.com/AP_Trevor/status/1417503061036216324

Of those who sat the AP Comparative Government exam, 28 per cent got scores of 1 or 2: https://twitter.com/AP_Trevor/status/1416435025755746307

Of those who sat the AP US History exam, 52 per cent scored a 1 or 2: https://twitter.com/AP_Trevor/status/1415737930094718979

So, yes, lots of students who do not score well take the exam. The College Board does not require a student to have a minimum, or even any, course grade to take the exam. I took several exams 20 years ago without having taken a single AP course, because my school didn't offer AP courses. Now that is less common, but still possible.

I would say, from the College Board's perspective, low-scoring students are probably good (so long as there are high-scoring students also) because:
1 They pay money (which helps pay for the scoring).
2.They provide a better spread of scores (i.e., if 80 per cent of students scored 4 or 5, it would call into question the validity of the exam).
3. They add to the total number of people taking the exam (an exam that has 500,000 people sitting it seems more legitimate than one with 250,000 students, even if half of them fail).

Yeah, and I looked, exams are definitely open to any high school student. I doubt the teacher can really tell a student they can't take the one offered at school, but it probably isn't worth even fighting about that. Go take it on Saturday somewhere else.

[downer]

Student who is failing requests a Zoom meeting to discuss her situation. I reply asking what info she is seeking. She replies she wants to know how to do better. I reply: do the work, look at the grading rubric to see where you can improve, look at other students' work for examples of strong work. She thanks me. Zoom meeting averted.

[the_geneticist]

Registration for next term is underway.  I've had several emails that go like this:

stu: Help!  I can't register for [baskets 101]!  What do I do?  Can you add me?
me: You need to register for a lecture & a linked discussion.  There are seats in section [Y].
stu: There are no seats!  I'm never going to graduate!
me: There are seats in section [Y].  Register for section [Y]
stu: I can't!  See screenshot.
me: You tried to register for lecture section [Z].  Register for section [Y]

[marshwiggle]

Registration for next term is underway.  I've had several emails that go like this:

stu: Help!  I can't register for [baskets 101]!  What do I do?  Can you add me?
me: You need to register for a lecture & a linked discussion.  There are seats in section [Y].
stu: There are no seats!  I'm never going to graduate!
me: There are seats in section [Y].  Register for section [Y]
stu: I can't!  See screenshot.
me: You tried to register for lecture section [Z].  Register for section [Y]

This is very familiar. (Starts at 1:52.)

[mamselle]

You mean, because he shouldn't leave the room?

Or because he shouldn't start singing...?

M.

[the_geneticist]

I contacted all students who were absent from their presentations last week.  Got this one:

I received an email that said to contact you in regards to being absent from the [Basketweaving 101] presentation in Week [X]. Is there something I need to do?
Baffled student

Yep.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Stu emailed me and said it would be 'such a shame' to receive a B since stu has an 88% in the course.

I'm currently biting my tongue.

[Wahoo Redux]

Is there anything I could do to make up for missing almost all the classes, please? I can't stress it enough! I have a 4.0 GPA and I really don't want to lose my GPA. I know it was fully my responsibility, but I really hope on your understanding. I am scared of the class, I don't even know how to explain it. I will do anything. Thank you!

How about just showing up.

I am letting hu do the work for, at best, a C since I do not have a stated attendance policy and hu missed the quizzes worth 20%. 

We have had a ton of these this year all over.  Something seems to have changed at our school in the wake of COVID.

[Puget]

Is there anything I could do to make up for missing almost all the classes, please? I can't stress it enough! I have a 4.0 GPA and I really don't want to lose my GPA. I know it was fully my responsibility, but I really hope on your understanding. I am scared of the class, I don't even know how to explain it. I will do anything. Thank you!

How about just showing up.

I am letting hu do the work for, at best, a C since I do not have a stated attendance policy and hu missed the quizzes worth 20%. 

We have had a ton of these this year all over.  Something seems to have changed at our school in the wake of COVID.

People with social anxiety were able to engage in avoidance for a year and half, which is the worst possible thing for social anxiety. Reentry has been tough for these students.

[Hegemony]

I do feel for the students who have social anxiety and who otherwise do their work diligently and well. That's one reason I never grade for attendance. If they can learn it without showing up, more power to them — they're playing on the hard setting.

[Montreal_tc]

He isn't my student this semester, but a colleague forwarded me the following email exchange with one of my advisees:

Dear Stu,

As you know, you have been behind in the capstone basketweaving course since early in the semester.

I am letting you know that at this time, your basket is not acceptable. You will need to make major improvements on your basket so it meets the required standards and gives you the possibility to pass the course. As you also know, you have zeros for several preliminary basket drafts that calculate into your grade.

Here are the major areas of deficiencies:
(8 highly detailed explanations of what is wrong and very specific bulletpointed instructions on exactly how to fix said deficiencies)

You have until (specific date) to submit a revised basket. That will give me one day to grade it and meet the Registrar's grade submission deadline.
- Revisit the basketweaving project manual for directions.
- Follow the basket template precisely.
- Cite well.
- Fix your references section and make sure only you only include references that were used to make your basket.

Please let me know that you received this message and if you have any questions.

Best regards,
(My [60ish, married, and PhD holding] Colleague)



Response from the student in question:

Good day Miss,

Do you have any time to meet to get a better explanation of the changes to be made to the paper?

Stu



Email to me from said colleague, forwarding the exchange:

Was I not clear on what needed to be done????

[mamselle]

Stu is buying time.

M.

[fishbrains]

Stu emailed me and said it would be 'such a shame' to receive a B since stu has an 88% in the course.

I'm currently biting my tongue.

Response: Perhaps, but the "B" would correspond directly to the course policies as outlined in the syllabus. Have a great break!

[cathwen]

A student emailed me asking if she could submit a project that was due in *October* (and had a generous extension-with-mild-penalty date as well).  She claimed that an allergy caused her not to be able to see, and that she is petitioning all her professors to let her submit work she says she was unable to do at that time.

BUT...she managed to do everything else—quizzes, discussion postings—during that time frame, both of which required eyesight.  Color me suspicious.  The zero on that project is resulting in a grade of B rather than A.

I responded that the only work I am accepting at this point is the final exam.  And I expressed wishes for continued health and eyesight.

I did not go on to say this:  If she had contacted me at the time, I might have granted some leniency.  But now?  Nope. 

[the_geneticist]

A student emailed me asking if she could submit a project that was due in *October* (and had a generous extension-with-mild-penalty date as well).  She claimed that an allergy caused her not to be able to see, and that she is petitioning all her professors to let her submit work she says she was unable to do at that time.

BUT...she managed to do everything else—quizzes, discussion postings—during that time frame, both of which required eyesight.  Color me suspicious.  The zero on that project is resulting in a grade of B rather than A.

I responded that the only work I am accepting at this point is the final exam.  And I expressed wishes for continued health and eyesight.

I did not go on to say this:  If she had contacted me at the time, I might have granted some leniency.  But now?  Nope.

I'd contact their academic advisor.  If the student had a major health crisis (doubtful for this particular case), then they could always ask for late withdrawals or change to Pass/Fail or other support.  At my university, lying about a health crisis/a death in the family/other big thing is a way to get academic sanctions.  Kick this one up the chain of command.

Dear Stu,
I'm sorry to hear about your health issues.  The only work I'm accepting at this point is the final exam.  However, I have contacted [Advisor X] to let them know about your health concerns from October.  I know this is not your only course and they can help you coordinate with all of your instructors.
Best,
Dr. Geneticist