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

[Parasaurolophus]

I have the now infamous shark question!
The question is: "Describe the location of the pericardial cavity."
If you google this exact question- the first hit says that the pericardial cavity is just anterior to the liver. COMPLETE WITH SHARK DIAGRAM!

So does this mean that student Google "research" has now jumped the shark?

Lol!

For my part, this is not from a student, although im some ways it may as well be.

My book is apparently being printed by Taylor & Francis. They shipped my comped copies in two batches--one via FedEx, the other via a carrier unknown. Batch 1 had a FedEx tracking number. It arrived. Batch 2 has a tracking number that doesn't seem to work for any of the usual carriers. The email for B1 specified it was with FedEx; B2 gave the number but no carrier.

So I emailed customer support to ask which carrier they used for B2 and explained that I had a tracking number with no associated carrier (and gave them the number). Customer support replied with an apology and the same tracking number, still without any carrier information. I responded by explaining, again, that I have the number but don't know where to plug it in to check the shipment's status. They then replied to say it was with 'Canada mail'. I pointed out that the tracking number is not a valid Canada Post tracking number.

The customer service rep then replied with another apology, and said that she'd told the print shop to print and send a new batch.

Now, I certainly don't mind getting extra comped copies. But what the hell?!

[the_geneticist]

Two students decided to skip their discussion class today to "better prepare for their exam tomorrow".
I hope it's worth the zero on the discussion assignment.

[the_geneticist]

Sorry for the double-post, but it's been a while since the last.

What part of "presentations are in-person, during your registered class section" makes it sound like attendance is optional?

[FishProf]

Today, my senior level seminar class had 'cocktail-party talks' about their semester long research projects.  They had a proposal submission deadline of Feb 23rd.  Today, 8 of the 19 showed up not having been approved for a topic yet.  So I sent them away to go get a proposal together, and the prepared students gave their talks and gave each other feedback.

After the class, and irate gang of four came to complain that:
1) There wasn't an announcement that the proposals were due (it was in the syllabus);
2) There weren't instructions on how to submit (sample proposal in same place as syllabus) and I told them repeatedly to email me;
3) I should 've contacted them when I didn't get their proposals (did I mention these are seniors?); and
4) It wasn't fair that they now had zeros for the days work.

When I asked them how everybody else in the class managed to figure this out, they had no idea.

I am so glad Spring Break starts today.

[Liquidambar]

My just-after-lunch freshman seminar has been really disengaged all semester.  I can't get a proper discussion going, and I can never figure out if it's because they didn't do the reading or because they're shy.

To figure out what would help them learn, I handed out an anonymous mid-semester survey to complete and bring back.  (Originally I'd planned to give class time for this, but the content I'd planned ran long.  You know, the supposed learning that's the point of class.)  Only one student brought it back.  Yay for anonymity.  I gave them another day to do it.  Nope, no more surveys returned.

All I can say is I tried.

Oh, while I'm complaining about this class...  They made draft slides for an upcoming presentation, and we did peer feedback on the slides.  Since attendance was low that day, I also went around and gave feedback on everyone's slides.  One student's topic didn't meet the parameters of the assignment.  When I told her this, she wanted permission to use the topic anyway since she'd already made slides.  Argh!

[Cheerful]

One student's topic didn't meet the parameters of the assignment.  When I told her this, she wanted permission to use the topic anyway since she'd already made slides.  Argh!

"But I spent so much time on this.  Effort should count!"  I posted a similar experience in the student emails thread earlier in the semester:

Student:  "The assignment directions say to do ABC but can I do XYZ instead?"

Answer?: "Sure, just do whatever, there is no purpose to the assignment as written."

[Langue_doc]

One student's topic didn't meet the parameters of the assignment.  When I told her this, she wanted permission to use the topic anyway since she'd already made slides.  Argh!

"But I spent so much time on this.  Effort should count!"  I posted a similar experience in the student emails thread earlier in the semester:

Student:  "The assignment directions say to do ABC but can I do XYZ instead?"

Answer?: "Sure, just do whatever, there is no purpose to the assignment as written."

We're just glorified babysitters.

[FishProf]

It is time again for mid-term failure warnings.   That lovely time of the semester where I have to tell the administration which students are in danger of failing, so they can notify the students, so the students can send me outraged emails.  How will I know if they are in danger of failing?  I'll look at the online gradebook, of course.  The very thing my students have access to at all times. 

I hate doing this, as it feels paternalistic.  When I was ~20, I didn't need the school to tell me how I was doing in class.  I knew.  After all, I was the one doing, or not doing, the work....

[marshwiggle]

It is time again for mid-term failure warnings.   That lovely time of the semester where I have to tell the administration which students are in danger of failing, so they can notify the students, so the students can send me outraged emails.  How will I know if they are in danger of failing?  I'll look at the online gradebook, of course.  The very thing my students have access to at all times. 

I hate doing this, as it feels paternalistic.  When I was ~20, I didn't need the school to tell me how I was doing in class.  I knew.  After all, I was the one doing, or not doing, the work....

I think this goes with previous discussions of people asking about whether something is "really" like the prof said, despite it being in the syllabus, email, announced in class, etc. They have been raised to think that all the boundaries in the world are made of rubber, and can be bent and reshaped as needed, so there are no consequences to any actions that are inevitable.

[FishProf]

They have been raised to think that all the boundaries in the world are made of rubber, and can be bent and reshaped as needed, so there are no consequences to any actions* that are inevitable.

* or inactions.

It is, perhaps, the most important lesson I give to Smolt. "You cannot choose your consequences, you can only choose your actions and you GET the consequences that go with them."

[marshwiggle]

They have been raised to think that all the boundaries in the world are made of rubber, and can be bent and reshaped as needed, so there are no consequences to any actions* that are inevitable.

* or inactions.

It is, perhaps, the most important lesson I give to Smolt. "You cannot choose your consequences, you can only choose your actions and you GET the consequences that go with them."

I love that. If my kids weren't all out of the house now I'd adopt that one. ( I did tell them "you can have almost anything you want; the question is what you're willing to give up to get it." That served some of that purpose.)

[FishProf]

Another in the same vein, regarding working out as a metaphor for achievement.

"Everyone want to BE strong, very few want to GET strong."

[apl68]

Another in the same vein, regarding working out as a metaphor for achievement.

"Everyone want to BE strong, very few want to GET strong."

From what I've been hearing here, a lot of you all's students seem unable to make the connection between their desired outcomes and the fact that effort needs to be expended on their part to reach these outcomes.  They're thinking just doesn't seem to join up.

[the_geneticist]

It's presentation week and I'm suddenly getting students who want to come and meet with me.
"The guidelines say to do [ABC].  I can't figure out how to do [ABC].  Can I do [XYZ] instead?"
"Can you teach me how to do [thing you were supposed to learn in lab two weeks ago]?"
"My team is confused.  Can we do [tiny piece of project] instead of [entire project]?"

Nope.

I am especially not sympathetic to any students that left class early.  The best time to ask questions was when your TA and all team members were all in the same room at the same time.  You know, in class.

They should be able to figure out what score they will earn, but I know there will be students *shocked and dismayed* that not following the instructions means you will lose points.

[FishProf]

From what I've been hearing here, a lot of you all's students seem unable to make the connection between their desired outcomes and the fact that effort needs to be expended on their part to reach these outcomes.  They're thinking just doesn't seem to join up.

Yup.  And it isn't restricted to my students, I'm seeing this all over the place.