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

[Langue_doc]

You have to find a place from which to like yourself for being firm with people when it's clear they've erred.

It's not about being proud to be mean or anything, it's just about keeping the world spinning as evenly as it can without wobbling.

Accountability (as we're now seeing in the Senate) is a hard lesson to learn late.

Much better they learn it early.

M.

Both students let me know that they accepted the zeros and didn't want this to be bumped up. Reporting is rather time-consuming as I have to download the assignments and attach them along with a lengthy explanation. So all's well as the students seem to have learned their lesson.

[apl68]

You have to find a place from which to like yourself for being firm with people when it's clear they've erred.

It's not about being proud to be mean or anything, it's just about keeping the world spinning as evenly as it can without wobbling.

Accountability (as we're now seeing in the Senate) is a hard lesson to learn late.

Much better they learn it early.

M.

Both students let me know that they accepted the zeros and didn't want this to be bumped up. Reporting is rather time-consuming as I have to download the assignments and attach them along with a lengthy explanation. So all's well as the students seem to have learned their lesson.

The students learned something.  That sounds like a classroom victory!

[arcturus]

You have to find a place from which to like yourself for being firm with people when it's clear they've erred.

It's not about being proud to be mean or anything, it's just about keeping the world spinning as evenly as it can without wobbling.

Accountability (as we're now seeing in the Senate) is a hard lesson to learn late.

Much better they learn it early.

M.

Both students let me know that they accepted the zeros and didn't want this to be bumped up. Reporting is rather time-consuming as I have to download the assignments and attach them along with a lengthy explanation. So all's well as the students seem to have learned their lesson.

At my school, said students could appeal the sanction you applied (awarding zeros) if the proper paperwork was not submitted to the office of student ethics within the appropriate time window. And, yes, students have done this successfully, even after appearing to accept the zeros at the time. So, while you may think that the students have learned their lesson, that remains to be seen.

Sorry to put a damper on your story, but it is almost always better to fill out the paperwork.

[Langue_doc]

You have to find a place from which to like yourself for being firm with people when it's clear they've erred.

It's not about being proud to be mean or anything, it's just about keeping the world spinning as evenly as it can without wobbling.

Accountability (as we're now seeing in the Senate) is a hard lesson to learn late.

Much better they learn it early.

M.

Both students let me know that they accepted the zeros and didn't want this to be bumped up. Reporting is rather time-consuming as I have to download the assignments and attach them along with a lengthy explanation. So all's well as the students seem to have learned their lesson.

At my school, said students could appeal the sanction you applied (awarding zeros) if the proper paperwork was not submitted to the office of student ethics within the appropriate time window. And, yes, students have done this successfully, even after appearing to accept the zeros at the time. So, while you may think that the students have learned their lesson, that remains to be seen.

Sorry to put a damper on your story, but it is almost always better to fill out the paperwork.

They wouldn't get very far given the institution's policies, the constant reminders in the course policies and modules, and the fact that the assignments are identical, including the numerous errors and typos.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Just got an email from a student in my Calculus-based Physics II course...

This is the first line:

"Please teach me how to do these integral things."

[kaysixteen]

If such calculus knowledge was not taught or assumed for the Physics I class, what is done to ensure that students entering the Physics II class have the requisite calc knowledge needed for success in the class?   Are the physics professors expected to teach it?

[marshwiggle]

Just got an email from a student in my Calculus-based Physics II course...

This is the first line:

"Please teach me how to do these integral things."

I'm guessing even Stu's algebra is nothing to write home about........

I once had to fail a student in an optics class becuase he couldn't do algebra. (Specific example: the thin lens equation 1/i +1/o = 1/f for people unfamiliar with it.) How he got through high school I'll never know.

[Aster]

Stu Dent: "Professor, I just arrived in Europe and I forgot my textbook. Can you send my a copy of the chapters that we are covering this week?"

Me: "Emergency replacement chapters are no longer available after the first two weeks of the term."

St Dent: "So am I just going to have to get a 0?"

Wow.

[apl68]

Just got an email from a student in my Calculus-based Physics II course...

This is the first line:

"Please teach me how to do these integral things."

I'm guessing even Stu's algebra is nothing to write home about........

I once had to fail a student in an optics class becuase he couldn't do algebra. (Specific example: the thin lens equation 1/i +1/o = 1/f for people unfamiliar with it.) How he got through high school I'll never know.

I don't know about the situation in Canada, but in the U.S. it's not at all unusual for students to graduate high school without ever having taken anything other than elementary arithmetic.  Innumeracy is an even greater problem here than illiteracy.  This is no doubt a big part of what polly has in mind when she speaks of the disgraceful state of American K-12 education.

[marshwiggle]

Just got an email from a student in my Calculus-based Physics II course...

This is the first line:

"Please teach me how to do these integral things."

I'm guessing even Stu's algebra is nothing to write home about........

I once had to fail a student in an optics class becuase he couldn't do algebra. (Specific example: the thin lens equation 1/i +1/o = 1/f for people unfamiliar with it.) How he got through high school I'll never know.

I don't know about the situation in Canada, but in the U.S. it's not at all unusual for students to graduate high school without ever having taken anything other than elementary arithmetic.  Innumeracy is an even greater problem here than illiteracy.  This is no doubt a big part of what polly has in mind when she speaks of the disgraceful state of American K-12 education.

That's horrible. Here (as far as I know in all provinces) students have to take math until about Grade 9 or so, which includes 2 or 3 years of algebra. Functions* and Trig are optional, but everyone (in principle) has completed algebra.

*Functions is typically required for certain STEM programs though.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Just got an email from a student in my Calculus-based Physics II course...

This is the first line:

"Please teach me how to do these integral things."

I'm guessing even Stu's algebra is nothing to write home about........

I once had to fail a student in an optics class becuase he couldn't do algebra. (Specific example: the thin lens equation 1/i +1/o = 1/f for people unfamiliar with it.) How he got through high school I'll never know.

I don't know about the situation in Canada, but in the U.S. it's not at all unusual for students to graduate high school without ever having taken anything other than elementary arithmetic.  Innumeracy is an even greater problem here than illiteracy.  This is no doubt a big part of what polly has in mind when she speaks of the disgraceful state of American K-12 education.

That's horrible. Here (as far as I know in all provinces) students have to take math until about Grade 9 or so, which includes 2 or 3 years of algebra. Functions* and Trig are optional, but everyone (in principle) has completed algebra.

*Functions is typically required for certain STEM programs though.

Personally, I think we need to start teaching Algebra in elementary school. Maybe start Calculus in middle school? There is too much emphasis on memorization and not enough on critical thinking.

[the_geneticist]

Stu Dent: "Professor, I just arrived in Europe and I forgot my textbook. Can you send my a copy of the chapters that we are covering this week?"

Me: "Emergency replacement chapters are no longer available after the first two weeks of the term."

St Dent: "So am I just going to have to get a 0?"

Wow.

They could always buy another copy of the book.  It's cheaper than failing!

[Langue_doc]

Stu Dent: "Professor, I just arrived in Europe and I forgot my textbook. Can you send my a copy of the chapters that we are covering this week?"

Me: "Emergency replacement chapters are no longer available after the first two weeks of the term."

St Dent: "So am I just going to have to get a 0?"

Wow.

They could always buy another copy of the book.  It's cheaper than failing!

Aren't we supposed to provide 24-hour customer support?

[Charlotte]

Stu Dent: "Professor, I just arrived in Europe and I forgot my textbook. Can you send my a copy of the chapters that we are covering this week?"

Me: "Emergency replacement chapters are no longer available after the first two weeks of the term."

St Dent: "So am I just going to have to get a 0?"

Wow.

They could always buy another copy of the book.  It's cheaper than failing!

Aren't we supposed to provide 24-hour customer support?

Oh... so that's why a student recently asked me to send them a copy of the first five chapters in the required textbook.

[apl68]

Stu Dent: "Professor, I just arrived in Europe and I forgot my textbook. Can you send my a copy of the chapters that we are covering this week?"

Me: "Emergency replacement chapters are no longer available after the first two weeks of the term."

St Dent: "So am I just going to have to get a 0?"

Wow.

They could always buy another copy of the book.  It's cheaper than failing!

And one would think that if traveling to and from Europe is a possibility for this student, then buying another textbook would be financially feasible.