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

[the_geneticist]

It's presentations week.  The TAs are responsible for watching, scoring & giving feedback.

One my TAs emailed to say he had missed our meeting last week and wanted to come by to chat (note: we did not have a meeting last week.  I just asked for an email check-in). 
Whatever, TA wants to chat, I'm happy to chat.

He then asked "is there a rubric?"
Yes.
There. Is. A. Rubric.

The rubric has been posted on the class website since Day 1.  It is printed in the lab manual.  Part of the first week of lab was having students read through the rubric & answer questions about it to get them thinking about their presentation on day 1 of the class.

I know I can't bang his head on the table, but can I at least smack him with the rubric?

[fishbrains]

Maybe bounce a Rubik's Cube off his head and see if he knows the difference between the two.

[FishProf]

I want a Rubric's cube!

If they can solve it, they can calculate their own grade!

[mythbuster]

OOH! Rubrics cube- I'm envisioning squares with random scoring categories and other with point values. Scramble it up and see what you get. Might be better than the old toss the papers down the stairs method of grading.

[Langue_doc]

Wait till he expects you to write him a glowing LOR and then you can bang his head on the table or wherever.

[the_geneticist]

He is also "sad he didn't get to really teach" this quarter.
??
When pressed, he said he was disappointed that the students came to lab prepared & didn't need him to lecture.

IT'S A LAB CLASS.

Now I want the Rubric's Cube to also smack him with!

[Sea_Ice]

He is also "sad he didn't get to really teach" this quarter.
??
When pressed, he said he was disappointed that the students came to lab prepared & didn't need him to lecture.

IT'S A LAB CLASS.

Now I want the Rubric's Cube to also smack him with!

Change his teaching assignment for next semester to a class that normally has unmotivated students.  Maybe that's where he will really do best - and someone else (maybe someone who needs a morale boost?) can have the prepared and motivated ones.

[the_geneticist]

He is also "sad he didn't get to really teach" this quarter.
??
When pressed, he said he was disappointed that the students came to lab prepared & didn't need him to lecture.

IT'S A LAB CLASS.

Now I want the Rubric's Cube to also smack him with!

Change his teaching assignment for next semester to a class that normally has unmotivated students.  Maybe that's where he will really do best - and someone else (maybe someone who needs a morale boost?) can have the prepared and motivated ones.

He wants to do a non-majors discussion.
I think it will be rather eye-opening.


What he really wants is a group of seemingly unprepared, but attentive and grateful students

[Chemystery]

He wants to do a non-majors discussion.
I think it will be rather eye-opening.

Is that likely to happen?  I know my graduate institution did not move anyone to being a discussion TA if they weren't doing a decent job as a lab TA. 

What he really wants is a group of seemingly unprepared, but attentive and grateful students

Me too.  Not the unprepared part, but I'd happily take attentive and grateful.  Can I make a wish list?  I could have some amazing discussions if I could have prepared, attentive and grateful.

[Sea_Ice]

He is also "sad he didn't get to really teach" this quarter.
??
When pressed, he said he was disappointed that the students came to lab prepared & didn't need him to lecture.

IT'S A LAB CLASS.

Now I want the Rubric's Cube to also smack him with!

Change his teaching assignment for next semester to a class that normally has unmotivated students.  Maybe that's where he will really do best - and someone else (maybe someone who needs a morale boost?) can have the prepared and motivated ones.

He wants to do a non-majors discussion.
I think it will be rather eye-opening.


What he really wants is a group of seemingly unprepared, but attentive and grateful students

Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahah!!!  Ah, youthful vigor and excellent intentions, multiplied by ignorance and idealism... 

[mythbuster]

Oh Boy! It would be VERY eye opening for this TA to have to deal with non-majors. Especially in science. That's a whole different ball game- one that I happily avoid as much as possible.

[fosca]

Someone has watched too many "Dead Poets Society"-type movies, I suspect.

[apl68]

From what I've seen here, even outside of lab courses there's no longer much opportunity to be a "sage on the stage" in most academic settings.

[the_geneticist]

From what I've seen here, even outside of lab courses there's no longer much opportunity to be a "sage on the stage" in most academic settings.

The "Sage on the Stage" is exactly his wish!

I've recommended him for a non-majors discussion course that is sometimes difficult to find TAs for.  He's confident enough that I don't think the experience will crush his spirit, but I think it will knock him for a bit of a loop. . .

[Parasaurolophus]

They're bringing burner phones into exams.