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

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

In my online Astronomy class, so many students are calling the course 'Astrology' in the discussion posts. Argh!!!!!!!

[fishbrains]

In my online Astronomy class, so many students are calling the course 'Astrology' in the discussion posts. Argh!!!!!!!

For some reason, this reminds me of the old joke: "My teachers always said I should be an astronaut because all I did was take up space in school."

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

In my online Astronomy class, so many students are calling the course 'Astrology' in the discussion posts. Argh!!!!!!!

For some reason, this reminds me of the old joke: "My teachers always said I should be an astronaut because all I did was take up space in school."

Ha!

[kaysixteen]

Yes, but not everyone gets to be an astronaut when they grow up-- some people pilot the space shuttle, and others sell toy space shuttles in the gift shop.

[fosca]

I have so many students who misspell "psychology" as "phycology", which is the study of algae and thus in spellcheck.

[marshwiggle]

I have so many students who misspell "psychology" as "phycology", which is the study of algae and thus in spellcheck.

Who knows that kind of cognitive and behavioral issues those algae have?

[FishProf]

They have bi-chromal personality disorder...

[Parasaurolophus]

One of my classes was cancelled the last due weeks due to weather stuff. I found out, today, that only four students had watched any of the lectures I posted online.

Sigh.

[fishbrains]

So, all of my students showed up on time tonight, stayed focused, completed the work early, and then stayed and talked to each other and offered a lot of support for a couple of students who were having a hard time with life and their other classes.

I mean, what the f*ck am I supposed to do with that?

[fosca]

Buy a lottery ticket?

[fishbrains]

Hmmm . . .

[apl68]

There's taking advantage of one's luck, and then there's pushing it....

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

The Registrar continues to reinstate a student who has NEVER been in class. Why? No idea. The student has also become belligerent with me through email. A different student just contacted me today, mentioned some personal things that stu was dealing with, and wanted to know how to make up work for the last six weeks that stu missed. Argh!!!!

[fishbrains]

Okay, I'm curious. Belligerent about what?

Is this one of those "I'm six weeks behind in five different courses, I've done zero work, I'm just now contacting my professors, and I refuse to recognize that maybe 6 hours of work per course per week multiplied by 6 weeks means I'm 180 hours behind overall. Oh yeah, and I'll be out of town over Spring Break and maybe a few days after and won't be able to do classwork then. Why won't you work with me so I can pass?" kind of emailers?

These used to be kind of fun, but now life's just too short.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Okay, I'm curious. Belligerent about what?

Is this one of those "I'm six weeks behind in five different courses, I've done zero work, I'm just now contacting my professors, and I refuse to recognize that maybe 6 hours of work per course per week multiplied by 6 weeks means I'm 180 hours behind overall. Oh yeah, and I'll be out of town over Spring Break and maybe a few days after and won't be able to do classwork then. Why won't you work with me so I can pass?" kind of emailers?

These used to be kind of fun, but now life's just too short.

Yep. Basically this. The funny thing is that the student emailed me to say that stu 'would understand' if I wouldn't let them back into the course. After I said 'no', the student started spouting, 'but I've been doing the work from home and I only missed one assignment. Stu was also getting pretty nasty. Blah blah blah.' And to that I say bullshit because the student missed a test, 3 quizzes and 3 homeworks.

Yes, life is too short to deal with the bullshit. These students are adults and need to learn to take responsibility for their actions. If life is screwing you over such that you cannot come to class for 6 or 7 weeks, then maybe you should take a break, figure out your life and then re enroll in classes.