The Venting Thread

[downer]

I've been recycling my rubrics on Canvas for a couple of years. I'd forgotton what a total pain in the ass it is to create a new one on Canvas. And while some schools seem to enable to possibility of importing a rubric from Excel (albeit in what looks like an excrutiating and risky procedure), my school does not have that functionality.

May there a 1000 year curse on the families of all those responsible.

[fishbrains]

I remember this television interview with a police officer who said that one of the hardest parts of the job was knowing/thinking that most people you interact with are lying to you--that this sense of personal dishonesty in others carries over into all of their relationships.

I'm starting to develop a troubled appreciation of this effect through all the students that are using AI now in their essay writing.

[downer]

I've increasingly been feeling that I'm engaging in thought about the topics I teach for my own benefit. Whether my students learn or fake learning is not something I can let bother me -- though I have the usual measures to discourage cheating. It makes teaching more solipsistic.

[smallcleanrat]

Context:
My parents are very anti-psychiatry (and anti-Western medicine in general) and have always been resistant to the idea of me taking medications to manage my mental health.

When I had to move back in with them after a severe bipolar episode, they made me go off all my meds cold turkey and refused to let me try therapy. This drastically set back my recovery. I was in my 20s, but hadn't yet learned to establish boundaries with them and assert my right to make my own decisions without their approval. It didn't help that they threatened to throw me out on the street if I didn't comply.

Once I moved out, I kept my folks on a need-to-know basis when it came to my healthcare (and I decided they didn't need to know much). This infuriated them, and they demanded access to all my medical records. It turned into a huge fight when I refused, but I stood my ground and eventually they had to accept that they couldn't control my medical decisions anymore.


Recently, my SO informed me that my Dad went behind my back to talk to him, asking SO questions about my health and what kinds of meds I was on. Dad's opinion is that I can't be trusted to make my own decisions because the medication must be affecting my judgment, and that, as my husband, SO needs to "take charge", "be the man", and "ask the tough questions." Essentially saying SO needs to get me to stop taking my meds.

This makes me so angry. Dad came just short of saying I was incompetent to be in charge of my own medical decisions because I'm just a hysterical woman. I'm angry he went behind my back to try to get information about me. I'm angry he's still banging on about how meds are evil, when they saved my life.

I don't really care if his intentions are to do what he thinks is best for me. This behavior is still insulting and intrusive.

[clean]

Recently, my SO informed me that my Dad went behind my back to talk to him, asking SO questions about my health and what kinds of meds I was on. Dad's opinion is that I can't be trusted to make my own decisions because the medication must be affecting my judgment, and that, as my husband, SO needs to "take charge", "be the man", and "ask the tough questions." Essentially saying SO needs to get me to stop taking my meds.

Sounds like hubby needs a lesson in boundaries and a list of 'safe, approved topics to discuss with my parents'.

[clean]

Im having problems with Qualtrics. I have stumped our own helpers and been directed to Qualtrics Support.  I initiated a call. The initial wait time was TWO Minutes.  It has been 85 minutes so far.   

[Parasaurolophus]

It's been almost a month (and one follow-up prompt), and the editor to whom I sent my book proposal still hasn't even confirmed receiving it. I would have liked to publish it there, so I gave them the first crack at it (they also discourage simultaneous submission elsewhere). But whatever, I'll get started on sending it out to a few others simultaneously. I'm not going to let it moulder while I wait for my prompts to work--if they couldn't be bothered in November, the odds that they'll be bothered in December are pretty slim.

[Langue_doc]

First vent:
I have a medical appointment tomorrow. The first reminder was on Thanksgiving Day, via email. Then a flurry of reminders via text. I used to get reminders via phone on weekends, but put a stop to that by complanining to the physician and also by responding to the surveys. If the office isn't available after hours and on weekends/holidays, why would they expect the patients to be available during these hours to respond to their texts/emails/voicemail? Time for another complaint to the physician--I like the physician and have a good relationship with him, but he needs to know how annoying this is, especially when I don't have any history of no-shows or late appointments.

Physician's office, I am not your employee, nor am I on call 24 hours a day/7 days a week! Get reliable tech support so that you aren't harassing patients on holidays and during weekends.

Second vent: I'm still getting emails reminding me that Giving Tuesday has been extended for my convenience. The 450% matching gift is now 300%. Cyber Monday doesn't seem to be restricted to Monday either. Aaargh!

[paddington_bear]

I've increasingly been feeling that I'm engaging in thought about the topics I teach for my own benefit. Whether my students learn or fake learning is not something I can let bother me -- though I have the usual measures to discourage cheating. It makes teaching more solipsistic.

Yes! A few weeks ago I realized that my university is paying me to learn about things I'm interested in (since clearly most of my students aren't).   Unfortunately, the price I have to pay is the teaching/grading/service.  :)

[FishProf]

Why are students so lazy/stingy with information?

ex 1:  Can you open the quizzes from last week b/c I forgot to take them? (Which quizzes, what class?)

ex. 2:  I tell students to email me to identify if they are doing a Poster, a Presentation, or a Paper.  Yesterday, I posted the presentation schedule.  Today I get an email demanding to know why [Stu] wasn't on list.
me:  Did you email me to tell me you were presenting?
[Stu]: I've met with you about the presentation and emailed you the pdf.  You should know.

ex 3: For an online, asynchronous class.
[Stu] When is the final exam?  I can't find it on Blackboard.
Me: See the syllabus

They are sooooo helpless.  It isn't charming.

[apl68]

ex 3: For an online, asynchronous class.
[Stu] When is the final exam?  I can't find it on Blackboard.
Me: See the syllabus

I thought about saying something smart alecky about how I'd never seen a final exam contained in the syllabus before.  Then it occurred to me that with many students the syllabus would probably be a pretty safe place to hide the answer key for the final.

[FishProf]

I thought about saying something smart alecky about how I'd never seen a final exam contained in the syllabus before.  Then it occurred to me that with many students the syllabus would probably be a pretty safe place to hide the answer key for the final.

It would be the perfect place.  They don't think there is ANYTHING useful in there.

[mythbuster]

I have found in the last few years that our students are just befuddled by the fact that Final exam week is NOT the normal, usual schedule of classes. And these are NOT freshpeeps- they have been here many semesters and so have been through this drill before.
  Many seem amazed when I show them the university wide schedule for exams!

[FishProf]

I find many of my colleagues don't understand that either.  Every semester I get some student claiming their professor is giving their final in MY spot.

This is not well-received and the complains are usually very swiftly resolved.

If you want you final early, schedule your class accordingly.

[apl68]

I wonder what it's going to be like when the students who were in ninth grade and younger during COVID start hitting the colleges?