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

[teach_write_research]

But make the scaffold steps as simple to grade as as well-integrated as possible.
<snip>
So, don't go crazy with scaffolding, some students just blew it off because they'd seen how small the point-stakes were, and were already behind, just 2 weeks into the semester.

M.

So much this! Usually a few scaffolded assignments have served me well for getting students to the final project/paper. There's an uptick in students not doing those. Some seem to be just avoiding it while others have taken accommodations for flexible deadlines to an extreme. I'm planning to do some sort of written out agreement with everyone to spell out the purpose and consequences.

[Caracal]

But make the scaffold steps as simple to grade as as well-integrated as possible.
<snip>https://thefora.org/Themes/default/images/bbc/list.gif
So, don't go crazy with scaffolding, some students just blew it off because they'd seen how small the point-stakes were, and were already behind, just 2 weeks into the semester.

M.

So much this! Usually a few scaffolded assignments have served me well for getting students to the final project/paper. There's an uptick in students not doing those. Some seem to be just avoiding it while others have taken accommodations for flexible deadlines to an extreme. I'm planning to do some sort of written out agreement with everyone to spell out the purpose and consequences.

To some extent, you can just let the natural consequences unfold. If students don't do the scaffolded assignments they don't get your feedback, they do everything at the last minute and it is usually reflected in their grade. Some students might be doing this strategically. My institution doesn't give + or - grades and I have students who seem to have calculated that they aren't willing to put in the work that would give them a chance to get an A, but have also figured out that they can skip some low stakes assignments, do a poor but not completely awful job on the major assignment and get a low B.

Whether this matters really depends on the class. If it's important for the class as a whole for students to do these sorts of assignments, you just need to make them worth enough that skipping them isn't going to be a good idea for anybody. If it isn't something that is going to mess up the functioning of the class, you can let students make their own choices.

[mamselle]

OK, I guess my suspicious mind sees the scaffolding work as doing the student's job for them.

If I have to set up the dates, grade the submitted chunks, return the commented materials, and go over them, that's four times more work than my teachers ever did for me.

And since I was severely burned by a flaky-puff cheerleader who made me sit down twice with her for an hour each time, go over her paper, show her the errors and incomplete areas, and then have her turn the whole thing in without any corrections--and THEN go to the chair of the department to complain that I hadn't helped her, and have him believe her, but not me...well, let's just say I'm even less of a fan than I was to begin with.

I usually like working with students, going over their stuff, etc.

But that was something of an inoculatory experience.

M.

[OneMoreYear]

Dear graduate students,

Yes, professors in different courses will have different expectations for assignments. My assignment instructions for this course are appropriately detailed. No, I am not giving you an exact template. Yes, you must actually think in this course. Further, if you are "confused" about the instructions, the appropriate thing to do is to read the instructions, then contact me with your questions.  It is not a helpful strategy to complain to each other about how you are all so confused without actually talking to me.

And yes, this is a 3 credit doctoral-level course, It's a full semester squished into 5.5 weeks. So, you will spend a significant number of hours per week on this course. If you were not prepared to do so, you should have dropped already.

[kaysixteen]

How are such students accepted into a doctoral program?  And, once in it, how do they stay there?

[reverist]

How are such students accepted into a doctoral program?  And, once in it, how do they stay there?

And if this is a fully funded program, why didn't I apply there? Ha

[OneMoreYear]

How are such students accepted into a doctoral program?  And, once in it, how do they stay there?

And if this is a fully funded program, why didn't I apply there? Ha

Not fully funded. We have some fabulous students who could be admitted and be successful in any competitive doctoral program and other students who would definitely not be competitive and require more support. I hold the line regarding expectations when I can; it's a balance. And sometimes I vent here.

[Harlow2]

How are such students accepted into a doctoral program?  And, once in it, how do they stay there?

And if this is a fully funded program, why didn't I apply there? Ha

Not fully funded. We have some fabulous students who could be admitted and be successful in any competitive doctoral program and other students who would definitely not be competitive and require more support. I hold the line regarding expectations when I can; it's a balance. And sometimes I vent here.

Sounds a bit (a lot) like my place.  It's  rewarding to watch some of the weaker students develop over time, so I try to keep an open mind when I'm not frustrated.

[OneMoreYear]

Ugh. Banging my head, but it's my fault.
I had the worst teaching day I think I've ever had. It felt the lecture going off the rails and could not save it. I could see I was losing them, and could not think on my feet quick enough to switch to an activity or something else that would bring it back. I called a class break (3 hour class, so we take 2 breaks anyway), then re-started with something entirely different that did not depend on the material I skipped, and said we'd get back to the part that wasn't working next class. I don't think I've just ditched a lecture part way through before. I hope it was the right choice not to power through.
I'm so burnt-out this semester.

[mamselle]

But that's good.

You read the class and you made a change to reflect your reading of them.

You can figure out a different way to cover the rest of the material, or elide past it, or have them do it as a flipped assignment, or something--but you did pivot when you saw the way things were going.

That's the main thing.

You did right.

M.

[the_geneticist]

Grades are in!  Cue the "please round/bump/boost/adjust my grade" emails +/- a tale of sadness.  The thing is, the vast majority of you passed this course!  You did great!  Call it done and go do something to relax.

[darkstarrynight]

Dear graduate students,

Yes, professors in different courses will have different expectations for assignments. My assignment instructions for this course are appropriately detailed. No, I am not giving you an exact template. Yes, you must actually think in this course. Further, if you are "confused" about the instructions, the appropriate thing to do is to read the instructions, then contact me with your questions.  It is not a helpful strategy to complain to each other about how you are all so confused without actually talking to me.

And yes, this is a 3 credit doctoral-level course, It's a full semester squished into 5.5 weeks. So, you will spend a significant number of hours per week on this course. If you were not prepared to do so, you should have dropped already.

I empathize with you.

[little bongo]

Ugh. Banging my head, but it's my fault.
I had the worst teaching day I think I've ever had. It felt the lecture going off the rails and could not save it. I could see I was losing them, and could not think on my feet quick enough to switch to an activity or something else that would bring it back. I called a class break (3 hour class, so we take 2 breaks anyway), then re-started with something entirely different that did not depend on the material I skipped, and said we'd get back to the part that wasn't working next class. I don't think I've just ditched a lecture part way through before. I hope it was the right choice not to power through.
I'm so burnt-out this semester.

Agree with Mamselle's assessment, as well as considering that there may well be merit in occasionally admitting to our students that yes, the stress is getting to us as well. Sometimes it can be advantageous for students to see us as people. It also sounds as if you're an extremely dedicated and skillful teacher if that description was indeed your all-time worst teaching day.

As for MY all-time worst... well, no, to share that with anyone, I'd have to get to know them for a while, and they'd have to buy the first round.

[OneMoreYear]

Ugh. Banging my head, but it's my fault.
I had the worst teaching day I think I've ever had. It felt the lecture going off the rails and could not save it. I could see I was losing them, and could not think on my feet quick enough to switch to an activity or something else that would bring it back. I called a class break (3 hour class, so we take 2 breaks anyway), then re-started with something entirely different that did not depend on the material I skipped, and said we'd get back to the part that wasn't working next class. I don't think I've just ditched a lecture part way through before. I hope it was the right choice not to power through.
I'm so burnt-out this semester.

Agree with Mamselle's assessment, as well as considering that there may well be merit in occasionally admitting to our students that yes, the stress is getting to us as well. Sometimes it can be advantageous for students to see us as people. It also sounds as if you're an extremely dedicated and skillful teacher if that description was indeed your all-time worst teaching day.

As for MY all-time worst... well, no, to share that with anyone, I'd have to get to know them for a while, and they'd have to buy the first round.

Thanks. I think it was the worst teaching day regarding material delivery. And, some hyperbole b/c I'm so burnt. The actual worst teaching day involving students trying to get me fired . . . well first round's on me.

[OneMoreYear]

A double post, about a week later.

It's not really despair, but I've discovered my students have an interesting sense of time.

I asked for a 5 minute recorded presentation, as we are having a virtual poster session. Presentation lengths submitted so far range from 3.5 minutes to 9.5 minutes. Perhaps the class average time will be 5 minutes?