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

[polly_mer]

This student is, unfortunately, one of those students who really does not know what is going on (I have had numerous conversations with stu) and I feel bad for the student, but MAN oh MAN, does this student make me want to bang my head- and not in a good way.

I've got one of those too. A recent interaction:

Me: So if f(x) = -8x + 1, what is f(2)?

Student: 5?

This is not a developmental class. This is college algebra.

- 15,  right?

And I'm in the arts...

M.

This is an elementary school problem.  Everyone who has passed the seventh grade ought to be able to do it and even lower grades should be able to do it if x is replaced by a blank and students are told to put 2 in the blank.

This is not advanced math in any sense of the term.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

This student is, unfortunately, one of those students who really does not know what is going on (I have had numerous conversations with stu) and I feel bad for the student, but MAN oh MAN, does this student make me want to bang my head- and not in a good way.

I've got one of those too. A recent interaction:

Me: So if f(x) = -8x + 1, what is f(2)?

Student: 5?

This is not a developmental class. This is college algebra.

I am curious- did you ask the student how stu got that answer?

[apl68]

How does one get an error rate greater than 100%?   Am I missing something?

Yes.  You haven't had to supervise some of the recent high school graduates that I mentioned in my above post.  They were quite capable of doing so.

[apl68]

The student made an egregious unit conversion error. It was just a simple time constant calculation (time constant = RC) where R = resistance and C = capacitance. Both values were GIVEN.

This student is, unfortunately, one of those students who really does not know what is going on (I have had numerous conversations with stu) and I feel bad for the student, but MAN oh MAN, does this student make me want to bang my head- and not in a good way.

That sort of very basic error doesn't happen only in academia.  A high school classmate who went on to teach in a vo-tech school once had a student who used the wrong unit in adjusting a tool.  He applied 16 times the torque needed to the bolts he was locking down.  He sheared the heads off of all of them, one after another.  You'd think he would have at least realized he'd made some kind of mistake after the first one.

[marshwiggle]

The student made an egregious unit conversion error. It was just a simple time constant calculation (time constant = RC) where R = resistance and C = capacitance. Both values were GIVEN.

This student is, unfortunately, one of those students who really does not know what is going on (I have had numerous conversations with stu) and I feel bad for the student, but MAN oh MAN, does this student make me want to bang my head- and not in a good way.

That sort of very basic error doesn't happen only in academia.  A high school classmate who went on to teach in a vo-tech school once had a student who used the wrong unit in adjusting a tool.  He applied 16 times the torque needed to the bolts he was locking down.  He sheared the heads off of all of them, one after another.  You'd think he would have at least realized he'd made some kind of mistake after the first one.

Makes me think of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXRM3lFRwRI

[the_geneticist]

This student is, unfortunately, one of those students who really does not know what is going on (I have had numerous conversations with stu) and I feel bad for the student, but MAN oh MAN, does this student make me want to bang my head- and not in a good way.

I've got one of those too. A recent interaction:

Me: So if f(x) = -8x + 1, what is f(2)?

Student: 5?

This is not a developmental class. This is college algebra.

I get it. Earlier this evening, I wrote a how-to guide on how to calculate natural log of a number on a calculator (students asked). I'm not kidding.

I had a student who had supposedly passed high school physics who couldn't handle the simple lens equation, i.e.
1/i + 1/o = 1/f
(for those unfamiliar with it).

Actually the number of STEM students who can't handle fractions is non-negligible.

Yep, and wait until you ask them to ADD or MULTIPLY those fractions!
I have a lesson designed to teach students about WHEN to add vs multiply for calculating probabilities.
But I also have to get a fresher about HOW to add and HOW to multiply fractions.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

This student is, unfortunately, one of those students who really does not know what is going on (I have had numerous conversations with stu) and I feel bad for the student, but MAN oh MAN, does this student make me want to bang my head- and not in a good way.

I've got one of those too. A recent interaction:

Me: So if f(x) = -8x + 1, what is f(2)?

Student: 5?

This is not a developmental class. This is college algebra.

I get it. Earlier this evening, I wrote a how-to guide on how to calculate natural log of a number on a calculator (students asked). I'm not kidding.

I had a student who had supposedly passed high school physics who couldn't handle the simple lens equation, i.e.
1/i + 1/o = 1/f
(for those unfamiliar with it).

Actually the number of STEM students who can't handle fractions is non-negligible.

Yep, and wait until you ask them to ADD or MULTIPLY those fractions!
I have a lesson designed to teach students about WHEN to add vs multiply for calculating probabilities.
But I also have to get a fresher about HOW to add and HOW to multiply fractions.

It's really sad. Somehow, they missed out on those lessons, didn't have good teachers, or who knows what? I've had questions in Physics II lectures asking me how I got common denominators............

[kiana]

This student is, unfortunately, one of those students who really does not know what is going on (I have had numerous conversations with stu) and I feel bad for the student, but MAN oh MAN, does this student make me want to bang my head- and not in a good way.

I've got one of those too. A recent interaction:

Me: So if f(x) = -8x + 1, what is f(2)?

Student: 5?

This is not a developmental class. This is college algebra.

I am curious- did you ask the student how stu got that answer?

They forgot or didn't notice the minus sign, did 8 divided by 2 instead of times 2, and then added 1.

With prompting they were able to get that -8*2 = -16. But then we went to add 1 and things went astray again.

"-17?"

I draw a number line with -17, -16, -15, and explain how because we are adding instead of subtracting we are going in the positive direction.

"Oh so it's positive 17?"

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

This student is, unfortunately, one of those students who really does not know what is going on (I have had numerous conversations with stu) and I feel bad for the student, but MAN oh MAN, does this student make me want to bang my head- and not in a good way.

I've got one of those too. A recent interaction:

Me: So if f(x) = -8x + 1, what is f(2)?

Student: 5?

This is not a developmental class. This is college algebra.

I am curious- did you ask the student how stu got that answer?

They forgot or didn't notice the minus sign, did 8 divided by 2 instead of times 2, and then added 1.

With prompting they were able to get that -8*2 = -16. But then we went to add 1 and things went astray again.

"-17?"

I draw a number line with -17, -16, -15, and explain how because we are adding instead of subtracting we are going in the positive direction.

"Oh so it's positive 17?"

Wow. Was stu just guessing? Sometimes I wonder if they're thinking or just guessing.

[kiana]

Wow. Was stu just guessing? Sometimes I wonder if they're thinking or just guessing.

I really think they might have dyscalculia although as far as I know there are no accommodations on file. They have submitted handwritten work and it is complete nonsense. Numbers, variables, and operations drift randomly around the page so that while it bears some superficial resemblance to the examples it is utterly meaningless.

[AmLitHist]

Six emails from one student who was dropped for non-attendance in first week of 8-week class.  All within a 62-minute span between 5:15 and 6:18 p.m. Tuesday.  Within the six messages, I was informed:

(1) She didn't miss class (it's online, and there's no record of any log-in at all during the first 10 days before she was dropped.
(2) She did all the assignments in Google Docs because she doesn't have Word. (Huh?)
(3) She couldn't log in because her phone doesn't have Windows.
(4) Her computer was running slow and she couldn't do her work.
(5) She bought a new computer and can't get it to turn on.
(6) She can't afford a computer and has never owned one and can't buy one now (sent AFTER #5).
(7) "you nead do sum about my asingmets" [verbatim]

The first five emails included the same line ("may you plez putt me in my clas"), so I guess that makes everything OK.  (The class is an 8-week Comp I.)

Thud.

[fishbrains]

Six emails from one student who was dropped for non-attendance in first week of 8-week class.  All within a 62-minute span between 5:15 and 6:18 p.m. Tuesday.  Within the six messages, I was informed:

(1) She didn't miss class (it's online, and there's no record of any log-in at all during the first 10 days before she was dropped.
(2) She did all the assignments in Google Docs because she doesn't have Word. (Huh?)
(3) She couldn't log in because her phone doesn't have Windows.
(4) Her computer was running slow and she couldn't do her work.
(5) She bought a new computer and can't get it to turn on.
(6) She can't afford a computer and has never owned one and can't buy one now (sent AFTER #5).
(7) "you nead do sum about my asingmets" [verbatim]

The first five emails included the same line ("may you plez putt me in my clas"), so I guess that makes everything OK.  (The class is an 8-week Comp I.)

Thud.

For some reason, these kinds of emails always bother me. I wonder if the student is having some kind of emotional or mental breakdown, if the student really just doesn't understand what is happening around them, if the College hasn't really informed them about being purged and the consequences of being purged, etc. I find such confusion of the mind a little disturbing, and very sad.

That said, I wouldn't really touch the emails with a ten-foot pole, but might tell her to call Admissions or her advisor for further guidance since you can't readmit her into the class.

[mythbuster]

I would flag this student to the advisor, Dean of Students, and/or Student health. Whomever is appropriate at your college.This is clearly  a much bigger issue than just your course.

[AmLitHist]

Agreed: the issue is that this student is on the (so far) 16-year plan, with only 15 credit hours and an 0.73 GPA to show for it.  She has dropped 28 classes over the years, and earned D/F in another 22, according to Navigate.  That's a personal high for me:  I've never had a student with that kind of D/F/W record, though a colleague beat it a couple of years back.

I initially talked to counseling and our disabilities offices, both of whom immediately knew her.  Apparently she's been trying to scam both of them over the years to get accommodations and services, with no basis for any special treatment according to testing, her physicians, etc.   As I was talking to the lead counselor a bit, I was reminded that I had to deal with this student on a faculty member's behalf, way back when I was chair in 2009-11. 

She likes us.  She really, really likes us.  And since the checks keep clearing (she has to be self-paid, with such a low completion rate and progress to degree), Admin keeps taking her money.

[mythbuster]

Oh, Lordy. AmLitHist, I offer you the drink of your choice.