So it begins... the fall semester thread

[Wahoo Redux]

I have been busted back down to PT by fizzling enrollment and vision-less administrators.  And I cannot log onto the required electronic textbook and the publisher cannot figure out why and IT cannot help me until the publisher can get me into the book.  My attitude is pretty bad this semester.

[mamselle]

Yikes, sorry about the PT shift.

Re: the book, I had something like that happen when I was hired at the last minute to teach a class. I think it was either the bookstore or the textbook rep who had a temporary sign-in that let me get into the file somehow until IT sorted all my log-ins out.

But still, sorry you're dealing with all that.

M. 

[Wahoo Redux]

Thanks, M.  Compared to a lot of things life ain't that bad, but I appreciate the sympathy.

[FishProf]

I started posting things to my course shells for the Fall.

Item 1:  A list of the Books.
Item 2:  Instructions for turning off the Bb auto-announcement feature. (When I course copy, it sends ~ 100 announcements, none needed)
Item 3: An announcement to DISREGARD EVERYTHING IN THE COURSE SHELL FOR THE TIME BEING!  I will post a new announcement when you can start paying attention again.

Wait 36 hours.  Do a course copy.

Go in and turn off things students don't need.

Oh wait, what this?  An email from a student saying she thinks the syllabus due dates are wrong.

No shit Sherlock.  You are reading the CLEARLY LABELLED Summer Syllabus.

When I reply that the Fall syllabus has not been posted yet, she replies "But I got this"  with a screen shot of the whole syllabus attached.

The first line of the Syllabus?

Syllabus for [Online Baskets] SUMMER 2021.

Yeah, that's right, the one from over a year ago, when I last taught this class.

It's not going to be a long semester; it already is.

[apl68]

Sorry to hear that things have gotten off to a bad start, Wahoo.

[Wahoo Redux]

Sorry to hear that things have gotten off to a bad start, Wahoo.

Thanks.  I do have to remind myself that these are first world problems, but I appreciate the empathy.  :)

[mythbuster]

FishProf,
  I feel your pain. I have had to explain to multiple students this semester how to read their course schedule. I'm also getting emails from students that are extremely stream of consciousness. To the point that I don't even understand the question. Which of course leads to the four email back and forth just to get that information.

[downer]

I'm teaching at a couple of schools this semester, which is one less than the 3 schools it has been for the last several years. It's complicated. One day I will be on campus at one school doing Zoom classes for the other school. I don't know how that will go. Since the second school has also just adopted a new LMS and seems to be trying to train faculty in it in the week before the semester starts (when most faculty are adjuncts) I am expecting it to be a total disaster with the IT totally overwhelmed and bad at helping students. So I have set those online classes up with all the resources of an asynchronous class, and am not requiring attendance in the Zoom meetings. I'm half hoping that no students turn up to class, and then I won't have to do any Zooming. I've also reduced the workload for the online classes by about 30%. So I'm curious about how it will all unfold.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Ugh.

I already have a student who uses ZERO punctuation in emails and uses a demanding tone. I know it's easy to misinterpret tone through email (zero facial cues, unlike a direct interaction). It's just annoying and I am trying to keep my cool and not lose my mind. Did I mention that we just started?

[downer]

Ugh.

I already have a student who uses ZERO punctuation in emails and uses a demanding tone. I know it's easy to misinterpret tone through email (zero facial cues, unlike a direct interaction). It's just annoying and I am trying to keep my cool and not lose my mind. Did I mention that we just started?

How about a line in the syllabus saying: "Ungrammatical emails will be deleted."?

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Ugh.

I already have a student who uses ZERO punctuation in emails and uses a demanding tone. I know it's easy to misinterpret tone through email (zero facial cues, unlike a direct interaction). It's just annoying and I am trying to keep my cool and not lose my mind. Did I mention that we just started?

How about a line in the syllabus saying: "Ungrammatical emails will be deleted."?

Ha! Ha! Ha! They would have my head. Also, it would be highly frowned upon considering our campus culture.

[downer]

Ugh.

I already have a student who uses ZERO punctuation in emails and uses a demanding tone. I know it's easy to misinterpret tone through email (zero facial cues, unlike a direct interaction). It's just annoying and I am trying to keep my cool and not lose my mind. Did I mention that we just started?

How about a line in the syllabus saying: "Ungrammatical emails will be deleted."?

Ha! Ha! Ha! They would have my head. Also, it would be highly frowned upon considering our campus culture.

Then how about a standard reply: "totally yes no good luck"?

[the_geneticist]

And I have students that don't understand that class sizes have limits.  No, we can't "squeeze you in" or "find you a spot".  Register for one of the open seats in another section!  I'm especially talking to the students who are waiting when there are open seats in another section on the same day, at the same time, in the same building, just in a different room.

[jimbogumbo]

For the first time since 1958 I am not bound by the start of a school year in any way. It is glorious!

[Puget]

And I have students that don't understand that class sizes have limits.  No, we can't "squeeze you in" or "find you a spot".  Register for one of the open seats in another section!  I'm especially talking to the students who are waiting when there are open seats in another section on the same day, at the same time, in the same building, just in a different room.

Seen on twitter just now:

"Can you add me to your class?"

I cannot add you here or there
I cannot add you anywhere
It does not matter what you say
The class is full, there is no way

There is no seat that I can add
Yes, I know this makes you sad
All I've got is this poem
[groan groan groan groan groan g]