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

[the_geneticist]

Public university.  Not the state standard-bearer(s), but still university.  The small private schools I taught at in the past fell off this cliff long before, which is why I don't teach for them anymore.  So I try to fight the good fight without being fired.  We'll see.

Can you change to teaching mid to upper division courses? The students who run to put off all work until the last minute typically don't make it into those.

[fosca]

Can you change to teaching mid to upper division courses? The students who run to put off all work until the last minute typically don't make it into those.

Unfortunately no; I was hired specifically to teach the 101-level Gen Ed course for my discipline. I used to like teaching it because I could teach students how college works and how to succeed at the same time (like not to put everything off until the last minute) I taught my subject.  I guess I'm still doing that: complain about the course and it will get easier, and whine about the instructor and they'll be removed.  Which isn't what college was like in the past, but hey, things change.

[OneMoreYear]

It's the first day of classes, and I haven't even taught a class yet, though all syllabi are posted on the LMS. I'm already getting emails stating: I know the class policy is [reasonable class policy approved by my chair] but [can you give me what I want anyway?].

This does not bode well.

[the_geneticist]

It's the first day of classes, and I haven't even taught a class yet, though all syllabi are posted on the LMS. I'm already getting emails stating: I know the class policy is [reasonable class policy approved by my chair] but [can you give me what I want anyway?].

This does not bode well.

My condolences.  At least you have a good chair!

[downer]

Drop/Add week. Student sees syllabus and emails to say they will be away for their grannies' birthday so will miss the midterm, and can I give them the midterm early. I reply saying I can't guarantee that, and they should consider switching to a different section.

Student is still in the class. Maybe the other sections are full. I applaud the student's early action, but wish they would go elsewhere.

[RatGuy]

Drop/Add week. Student sees syllabus and emails to say they will be away for their grannies' birthday so will miss the midterm, and can I give them the midterm early. I reply saying I can't guarantee that, and they should consider switching to a different section.

Student is still in the class. Maybe the other sections are full. I applaud the student's early action, but wish they would go elsewhere.

I told one student who was going to miss the midterm for a sorority sister's wedding to email me a week in advance and we could schedule an alternative exam. I told her that it would be different from the exam the rest of the class will take. Let's see what happens.

I'm glad add/drop is over, but I'm still getting "I know I added after the first five class meetings, but it's not fair that I be quizzed on this material today!" emails.

[arcturus]

We are in week 2. I have 1 clear cut plagiarism case (copied from a website) and a combo plagiarism/facilitating misconduct case (one student copied from another student). All are first-year students. Welcome to college!

ETA: Also, 20% of the students did not even attempt the assignment. This does not bode well for the DFW rates for this class...

[the_geneticist]

Drop/Add week. Student sees syllabus and emails to say they will be away for their grannies' birthday so will miss the midterm, and can I give them the midterm early. I reply saying I can't guarantee that, and they should consider switching to a different section.

Student is still in the class. Maybe the other sections are full. I applaud the student's early action, but wish they would go elsewhere.

I'd rather they ask and ask early rather than just not show up to take the exam.  Asking me earlier means I'm more flexible/less grumpy since my calendar isn't full.

[Caracal]

Drop/Add week. Student sees syllabus and emails to say they will be away for their grannies' birthday so will miss the midterm, and can I give them the midterm early. I reply saying I can't guarantee that, and they should consider switching to a different section.

Student is still in the class. Maybe the other sections are full. I applaud the student's early action, but wish they would go elsewhere.

What will you do if a student emails you the day of the midterm and says they woke up feeling really sick? Or that their car broke down on the side of the road on the way to class?

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Two students, who never showed up to lab (for 2 weeks), emailed me and seemed rather surprised that they were dropped for non-attendance.

Of course they want to make up the work.

[AmLitHist]

Two students, who never showed up to lab (for 2 weeks), emailed me and seemed rather surprised that they were dropped for non-attendance.

Of course they want to make up the work.

Remind them that people in hell want ice water and electric fans. /s

(Sorry, it's already been that kind of morning.) 

Here, I've been wrangling with a guy who missed 3 major assignments last week--essentially, an entire week of an 8-week accelerated class. He says he lives in Peru (the nation, not one of the American cities with that name) and his internet was out all week.

First, that sucks, but it's an online accelerated class--you're clearly required to have reliable internet access. Second and more interestingly, if you live in Peru, (a) why are you taking an online English class at my not-especially-famous CC just out of the blue (b) in an accelerated session (c) while your official college record shows your permanent and home addresses (one and the same) as being in a suburb of our city, which is over 3400 miles from Peru?

Inquiring (and aggravated minds) want to know.

[arcturus]

Two students, who never showed up to lab (for 2 weeks), emailed me and seemed rather surprised that they were dropped for non-attendance.

Of course they want to make up the work.

Remind them that people in hell want ice water and electric fans. /s

(Sorry, it's already been that kind of morning.) 

Here, I've been wrangling with a guy who missed 3 major assignments last week--essentially, an entire week of an 8-week accelerated class. He says he lives in Peru (the nation, not one of the American cities with that name) and his internet was out all week.

First, that sucks, but it's an online accelerated class--you're clearly required to have reliable internet access. Second and more interestingly, if you live in Peru, (a) why are you taking an online English class at my not-especially-famous CC just out of the blue (b) in an accelerated session (c) while your official college record shows your permanent and home addresses (one and the same) as being in a suburb of our city, which is over 3400 miles from Peru?

Inquiring (and aggravated minds) want to know.

I can think of several logical explanations for your "Peruvian" student, AmLitHist. Most probable is that Stu wanted to travel ("experience the world!") and parents wanted him to go to college ("further your education!"). The compromise they reached is that Stu enrolls in an accelerated 8-weeks course while Stu is traveling, leaving more time for travel while still furthering Stu's education. Not a great choice, particularly if Stu is planning to travel in remote locations...

[downer]

Drop/Add week. Student sees syllabus and emails to say they will be away for their grannies' birthday so will miss the midterm, and can I give them the midterm early. I reply saying I can't guarantee that, and they should consider switching to a different section.

Student is still in the class. Maybe the other sections are full. I applaud the student's early action, but wish they would go elsewhere.

What will you do if a student emails you the day of the midterm and says they woke up feeling really sick? Or that their car broke down on the side of the road on the way to class?

We will see if that happens. I may be a hard ass. Could depend on how sympathetic I feel to the class after a few weeks.

[RatGuy]

Second and more interestingly, if you live in Peru, (a) why are you taking an online English class at my not-especially-famous CC just out of the blue (b) in an accelerated session (c) while your official college record shows your permanent and home addresses (one and the same) as being in a suburb of our city, which is over 3400 miles from Peru?
Inquiring (and aggravated minds) want to know.

I believe I just saw an article headline about the malicious reasons ghost students are taking online courses at American CCs. I didn't read it because it seemed like academic clickbait, but now I think I'll go down that rabbit hole.

[ciao_yall]

Second and more interestingly, if you live in Peru, (a) why are you taking an online English class at my not-especially-famous CC just out of the blue (b) in an accelerated session (c) while your official college record shows your permanent and home addresses (one and the same) as being in a suburb of our city, which is over 3400 miles from Peru?
Inquiring (and aggravated minds) want to know.

I believe I just saw an article headline about the malicious reasons ghost students are taking online courses at American CCs. I didn't read it because it seemed like academic clickbait, but now I think I'll go down that rabbit hole.

Financial aid fraud has been a big reason for a while.