Topic: Bang Your Head on Your Desk - the thread of teaching despair!

[Puget]

Ages ago, when I started teaching, I had a review session, the last meeting before the final exam. The idea was to have the kids ask questions from the material over the semester. I got floored right away: Could you go over Lecture 1, please? Went on in this vein, with the more significant interspersal of questions such as: What's really important in Lecture 1, you know, like, for an exam?

Well, I did this only once or twice, and then stopped.

I have explicitly explained that they need to ask SPECIFIC questions at the review.  "Can you go over X" is not a specific question. 

Is THIS on the test?  Strictly verboten.

I just did a review session yesterday where I had told them in advance that I would only answer specific questions and class would end early if they stopped asking questions. They managed to keep it up for a solid hour of the 90 min. block, so that was pretty good. However, I estimate 25% of the students there asked 75% or more of the questions. The rest sat there waiting to benefit from the superior preparation of their colleagues. Still others didn't come at all since I said it was optional. One guess as to who will do best on the exam tomorrow.

[Morden]

This morning I see a young stranger peering at my over the top of his mask.  Had he made a mistake?  No, he sits through class.  As he stands up to leave I ask, "Excuse me, but are you in this class?"

Ha! This reminded me of the (pre-COVID) time when a young man with very full and long beard showed up for the final exam; when I had last seen him, he had been clean shaven.

[the_geneticist]

Dear TAs,
When I say "the only thing the students are allowed during the exam are [things]" and when I walk into the room and see several students with other items out while taking the exam, yes I am going to "look upset".  At you.  Because you should have noticed. 


PS This class has a prerequisite of calculus.  It is entirely reasonable to ask them to do elementary level math without a calculator (like "what is 400-40").

[onthefringe]

Is THIS on the test?

fringehusband insists you can shut down this behavior for an entire semester by cackling and saying "well, it is NOW" the first time someone asks a question in that format.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Is THIS on the test?

fringehusband insists you can shut down this behavior for an entire semester by cackling and saying "well, it is NOW" the first time someone asks a question in that format.

Yep. Or you could say, 'Hmm. Now, that's a good idea. Thanks for reminding me to put it on the test.' They hate that.

[paddington_bear]

I have 6 advisees this semester. (To give you an indication of the enrollment condition Paddington U is in, when I started - and for about 8 to 10 years after that - I would have about 15-20 advisees.) Half of my advisees have a D or are failing 2 or more classes. Maybe part of that could still be attributed to the pandemic or whatever, but.......that's not good.

[FishProf]

Yep. Or you could say, 'Hmm. Now, that's a good idea. Thanks for reminding me to put it on the test.' They hate that.

This belongs in a Sith Mind Tricks Thread. 

I like it!

[lightning]

Student from last year in an online asynchronous class who was failing the course: "I think it's unfair that I have to learn in a format that isn't like a REAL classroom. I do better in a REAL class, not online."

Same student from last year who is now in one of my synchronous all-in-person classes, but hasn't shown up consistently: "Sorry I have not been showing up to class. Do you have any make-up assignments or extra credit, so I don't fail the class?"

[mamselle]

Student from last year in an online asynchronous class who was failing the course: "I think it's unfair that I have to learn in a format that isn't like a REAL classroom. I do better in a REAL class, not online."

Same student from last year who is now in one of my synchronous all-in-person classes, but hasn't shown up consistently: "Sorry I have not been showing up to class. Do you have any make-up assignments or extra credit, so I don't fail the class?"

Maybe mail them both back to him and ask for clarification? As in, "Ok, in what format DO you learn?"

Maybe not...

M.

[apl68]

Student from last year in an online asynchronous class who was failing the course: "I think it's unfair that I have to learn in a format that isn't like a REAL classroom. I do better in a REAL class, not online."

Same student from last year who is now in one of my synchronous all-in-person classes, but hasn't shown up consistently: "Sorry I have not been showing up to class. Do you have any make-up assignments or extra credit, so I don't fail the class?"

Maybe mail them both back to him and ask for clarification? As in, "Ok, in what format DO you learn?"

Maybe not...

M.

Hybrid class!

Or, as a last resort if all else fails, old-fashioned mail correspondence course.

[ergative]

Is THIS on the test?

fringehusband insists you can shut down this behavior for an entire semester by cackling and saying "well, it is NOW" the first time someone asks a question in that format.

I tried that once. The students roasted me in the evals for thinking I was being funny.

[lightning]

Student from last year in an online asynchronous class who was failing the course: "I think it's unfair that I have to learn in a format that isn't like a REAL classroom. I do better in a REAL class, not online."

Same student from last year who is now in one of my synchronous all-in-person classes, but hasn't shown up consistently: "Sorry I have not been showing up to class. Do you have any make-up assignments or extra credit, so I don't fail the class?"

Maybe mail them both back to him and ask for clarification? As in, "Ok, in what format DO you learn?"

Maybe not...

M.

Hybrid class!

Or, as a last resort if all else fails, old-fashioned mail correspondence course.

I'm afraid to do either of what the both of you suggest because it might eventually entail letting him Zoom in--although thanks for raising the options.

However, that mail correspondence course sounds intriguing.

[mamselle]

Yes, but (sorry to toss water on your parade) wasn't there a discussion awhile ago (Old forum, definitely, might have been Octo, who'd taught some, I think) that mail correspondence courses can't be used for college credit and there was some scandal about a school that was trying to do that, which was brought down with a 'THUMP' at one point?

Might have been about contact hours, or lecture time available, or something along those lines, but it was based on the difference between reading for oneself and having access to lectures, spoken responses, etc.

Too bad it can't be searched for now...but I'm sure I remember that conversation.

M.

[the_geneticist]

Student from last year in an online asynchronous class who was failing the course: "I think it's unfair that I have to learn in a format that isn't like a REAL classroom. I do better in a REAL class, not online."

Same student from last year who is now in one of my synchronous all-in-person classes, but hasn't shown up consistently: "Sorry I have not been showing up to class. Do you have any make-up assignments or extra credit, so I don't fail the class?"

What's sad is this might be the student "doing better" in person than online.  Self-motivated, organized students do well in either format.  Disorganized students who at least go to class do better in person.  Students who don't bother to show up at all will do poorly no matter what the format.

[Puget]

Stu: I want to discuss my test with you, but your office hours don't work for me.
Me: OK, please send me a list of your available times and we'll find one that works.
Stu: Sends my list of times that *includes one of my office hours*.
Me: bangs head on desk, suggests Stu use the office hour time.