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

[OneMoreYear]

Warning: rant.

OK, I'm all done now. I'm done with with the expectation that I can easily flip the class hyflex whenever a student needs it. Colleagues, if all you [generic you] have to do is to set up a virtual session on the LMS and hit the start button, more power to you. But I am teaching an in-person lab. This lab is in-person for accreditation purposes. We had special dispensation during COVID for adaptation. The online version was not the same thing.  I'm tired of the assumption that I can do this and that I should do this.  Just because students want this does not mean it's a good idea.

And grad students, complaining to the chair (not me) of the department that you may have to take an evening class or a class on Friday afternoon takes some chutzpah. Be glad I am not any of your advisors.

This concludes my rant for today. I usually do love teaching, but this semester needs to end.

[onehappyunicorn]

Mid-term portfolios are due today for one of my drawing classes. I have been stressing the importance of taking care of your work this entire semester, including multiple demos on how to protect your drawings.
Student emails me late last night to let me know they spilled water on a bunch of their pieces so they won't have the required number and they hope that doesn't affect their grade...

[fosca]

Two of my classes have exams this week. So far I'm up to 3 emails of students who think they have COVID, and one who "ate bad sushi". All looking for make ups for the exam. No make-ups per the policy- that's why I drop one exam score. The one claiming bad sushi has offered to wear a diaper if needed if I don't allow a delay. She missed the first exam entirely so she doesn't have a score to drop. While I find her story fishy (pun intended), I'll let her take it tomorrow morning just in case it's for real.

I think I need to rethink the exam make-up policy in some way. Students regard a dropped exam as a freebie, rather than as a safety net. Maybe have the comprehensive final count for the missed exam?  Other ideas?

When I gave a lot of quizzes instead of a couple of big tests, I not only dropped a lowest quiz but I allowed students to take a make-up quiz on the last day of the semester for any/all quizzes they missed.  However, the scheduled quizzes were multiple-choice; the makeups were short answer, and the students were aware of this.  A few students did well on the makeups; many did not.  But they had their make-up quiz.

I allow any student who want to to take a "second chance" exam replacing one of the first two exams during the final exam period. This also serves as the make-up exam for any missed exams. This works well because I don't have to figure out who has a legitimate excuse, or proctor make-ups at other times, and only need one other version of the exam.

[EdnaMode]

Stu: Hey Dr. Mode, how do I attach a handle to a basket? I forgot.

Me: Stu, we learned that two weeks ago. If you look on Canvas there is a handout that explains exactly how to attach handles to baskets so maybe you want to review that.

Stu: You need to show me again, I'm a visual learner.

Me: The learning style theory has been debunked, and also, there are pictures in the handout. Read it and it will show you exactly what to do.

Stu: But I can't learn by reading. You need to show me.

Me: I did a demo this morning in lecture that included attaching handles (he skipped lecture), and there is the handout for you to read. It's up to you to figure it out and at least make an attempt at attaching the handle. You did it last week, it's the same thing this week with the additional steps we went over this morning.

Stu: **grumbles** and starts looking for the handout.

This particular student seems to have reached the pinnacle of learned helplessness. Most of his time in lab he has a hand in the air to ask a question, and I know it frustrates him, but typically my answers are along the lines of, "Well, what does it say in the instructions? or "What is the due date according to Canvas?"

[Langue_doc]

Stu: But I can't learn by reading. You need to show me.

I'm at a loss for words. If Stu can't read, what on earth is Stu doing in college?

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Stu: But I can't learn by reading. You need to show me.

I'm at a loss for words. If Stu can't read, what on earth is Stu doing in college?

Good God! Yep, sounds like my place. Our institution takes everyone. If you have the money, then you're accepted. I wonder if some of our students are illiterate.

[the_geneticist]

I had to teach a lab due to a sick TA.  Wow, the students are so damn helpless.  "This question says to watch the video posted on [class website].  Should we watch it?"
Well, only if you want to have a snowball's chance of getting it right.
"The directions say to divide A by B.  So, if I have [Number] for A and [Number] for B, I just divide them?"
Yep.
"What do you mean by 'what is a skill you learned in lab last week that was helpful completing the lab this week?' "
My apologies, perhaps you did not learn any new skills.
Gah!!!

[EdnaMode]

Stu: But I can't learn by reading. You need to show me.

I'm at a loss for words. If Stu can't read, what on earth is Stu doing in college?

Good God! Yep, sounds like my place. Our institution takes everyone. If you have the money, then you're accepted. I wonder if some of our students are illiterate.

I get the feeling Stu can read just fine, he just chooses not to. And I refuse to spoon feed. And apparently, that makes me mean 😪  But if Stu wants to be an engineer, he'll have to read, and *gasp* do math, and perhaps both at the same time.

[the_geneticist]

Stu: But I can't learn by reading. You need to show me.

I'm at a loss for words. If Stu can't read, what on earth is Stu doing in college?

Good God! Yep, sounds like my place. Our institution takes everyone. If you have the money, then you're accepted. I wonder if some of our students are illiterate.

I get the feeling Stu can read just fine, he just chooses not to. And I refuse to spoon feed. And apparently, that makes me mean 😪  But if Stu wants to be an engineer, he'll have to read, and *gasp* do math, and perhaps both at the same time.

Wait - stu who refuses to read thinks they want to be an engineer?!?
Seriously, we make children switch from "learning to read" to "reading to learn" at about age 6 or 7.

[EdnaMode]

Stu: But I can't learn by reading. You need to show me.

I'm at a loss for words. If Stu can't read, what on earth is Stu doing in college?

Good God! Yep, sounds like my place. Our institution takes everyone. If you have the money, then you're accepted. I wonder if some of our students are illiterate.

I get the feeling Stu can read just fine, he just chooses not to. And I refuse to spoon feed. And apparently, that makes me mean 😪  But if Stu wants to be an engineer, he'll have to read, and *gasp* do math, and perhaps both at the same time.

Wait - stu who refuses to read thinks they want to be an engineer?!?
Seriously, we make children switch from "learning to read" to "reading to learn" at about age 6 or 7.

Yes indeed. Stu is a first year engineering student. He is also in a class with a colleague who told me Stu asked if he could turn in work he "forgot to do" back in week two so he could improve his grade. The answer was no, of course. And knowing my colleague, it was probably said in a "are you *bleeping* kidding me?" tone. It's not easy to earn A's in a lot of these first year courses, but honestly, it's rather hard to fail them, but students do all the time.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Stu: But I can't learn by reading. You need to show me.

I'm at a loss for words. If Stu can't read, what on earth is Stu doing in college?

Good God! Yep, sounds like my place. Our institution takes everyone. If you have the money, then you're accepted. I wonder if some of our students are illiterate.

I get the feeling Stu can read just fine, he just chooses not to. And I refuse to spoon feed. And apparently, that makes me mean 😪  But if Stu wants to be an engineer, he'll have to read, and *gasp* do math, and perhaps both at the same time.

Wait - stu who refuses to read thinks they want to be an engineer?!?
Seriously, we make children switch from "learning to read" to "reading to learn" at about age 6 or 7.

Yes indeed. Stu is a first year engineering student. He is also in a class with a colleague who told me Stu asked if he could turn in work he "forgot to do" back in week two so he could improve his grade. The answer was no, of course. And knowing my colleague, it was probably said in a "are you *bleeping* kidding me?" tone. It's not easy to earn A's in a lot of these first year courses, but honestly, it's rather hard to fail them, but students do all the time.

Stu sounds entitled.

[Anon1787]

Two of my classes have exams this week. So far I'm up to 3 emails of students who think they have COVID, and one who "ate bad sushi". All looking for make ups for the exam. No make-ups per the policy- that's why I drop one exam score. The one claiming bad sushi has offered to wear a diaper if needed if I don't allow a delay. She missed the first exam entirely so she doesn't have a score to drop. While I find her story fishy (pun intended), I'll let her take it tomorrow morning just in case it's for real.

I think I need to rethink the exam make-up policy in some way. Students regard a dropped exam as a freebie, rather than as a safety net. Maybe have the comprehensive final count for the missed exam?  Other ideas?

My university's rules wouldn't permit your current policy as we are required to offer make up exams for documented excuses.

[ciao_yall]

Stu: But I can't learn by reading. You need to show me.

I'm at a loss for words. If Stu can't read, what on earth is Stu doing in college?

Good God! Yep, sounds like my place. Our institution takes everyone. If you have the money, then you're accepted. I wonder if some of our students are illiterate.

I get the feeling Stu can read just fine, he just chooses not to. And I refuse to spoon feed. And apparently, that makes me mean 😪  But if Stu wants to be an engineer, he'll have to read, and *gasp* do math, and perhaps both at the same time.

Wait - stu who refuses to read thinks they want to be an engineer?!?
Seriously, we make children switch from "learning to read" to "reading to learn" at about age 6 or 7.

Yes indeed. Stu is a first year engineering student. He is also in a class with a colleague who told me Stu asked if he could turn in work he "forgot to do" back in week two so he could improve his grade. The answer was no, of course. And knowing my colleague, it was probably said in a "are you *bleeping* kidding me?" tone. It's not easy to earn A's in a lot of these first year courses, but honestly, it's rather hard to fail them, but students do all the time.

Stu sounds entitled.

Reminds me of one of mine when I first taught.

Stu: I know everything. If I just tell you, will that get me an A?
Me:  You do need to show me you read the book and write the paper.
Stu: I have ADD! I can't read a bookkkkkkkkkk!
Me:  So there is a lot of material in the book. Let's figure out how you can access it and then show me you learned it.
Stu: BUT I ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHINGGGGGGGGG IN ITTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He switched from Business to Motorcycle Repair, IIRC.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Mid-term portfolios are due today for one of my drawing classes. I have been stressing the importance of taking care of your work this entire semester, including multiple demos on how to protect your drawings.
Student emails me late last night to let me know they spilled water on a bunch of their pieces so they won't have the required number and they hope that doesn't affect their grade...

Does stu want participation points? I recently had a student get upset with me because I don't give credit on tests when they write 'I don't know' as an answer. Seriously.

[Zeus Bird]

Two of my classes have exams this week. So far I'm up to 3 emails of students who think they have COVID, and one who "ate bad sushi". All looking for make ups for the exam. No make-ups per the policy- that's why I drop one exam score. The one claiming bad sushi has offered to wear a diaper if needed if I don't allow a delay. She missed the first exam entirely so she doesn't have a score to drop. While I find her story fishy (pun intended), I'll let her take it tomorrow morning just in case it's for real.

I think I need to rethink the exam make-up policy in some way. Students regard a dropped exam as a freebie, rather than as a safety net. Maybe have the comprehensive final count for the missed exam?  Other ideas?

My university's rules wouldn't permit your current policy as we are required to offer make up exams for documented excuses.

I allow makeups for COVID, but also tell students at the start of the semester that I will use our uni's designated COVID reporting form to report the status of the student.  That helps keeps everyone safe and provides a disincentive for students to fabricate COVID diagnoses.