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

[apl68]

I spent my entire summer of 2020, modifying all of my Fall 2020 courses , for effective online delivery. A lot of students b*tched, and said they learn better in-person, and want the college experience that they are paying for.

So, I agreed to teach both of my Spring 2021 courses as socially distanced, low-enrollment courses, putting my own health at risk. As the semester goes on, more and more students are requesting Zoom links, citing anything from actually having COVID-19, to being near someone who was diagnosed with COVID-19, to being generally sick, to cars not starting, to slipping on the ice and hurting their back so they can't come in-person, to some excuse tangentially related to COVID-19 . . . you get the idea. Halfway through February, the majority of the students in these in-person classes are voting with their feet and revealing that they really wanted online instruction.

From this flip-flop experience, I gather that my online classes in Fall 2020 were not easy enough for them, so they wanted to blame their general dumbness on the online delivery mode, but when time came to give them the in-person experience they were asking for, they revealed in their actions that they wanted Zoom so they could zone out.

Sounds like they really wanted in-person classes, all right, and then dropped them when they found that they couldn't make them work out like they'd hoped.  The end result is the same, I guess.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I have a very anxious student, who is driving me batshit crazy. I'm not one to judge, since I am very familiar with the burdens that anxiety brings (maybe stu's anxiety is resonating with mine?). But this kid is driving me nuts! I met with stu for 45 minutes this morning over the computer. Stu emailed me an hour later (TWICE) because stu forgot what we discussed about the lab. I mean, I get the anxiety, but DAMN, I need a break. This student wants to talk for an hour (at least) every week and I've obliged since it's during my office hours (sometimes not). Maybe I need to cut the time short, but I don't want to be an asshole about it. I thought stu was getting it because stu would cut time at 30 minutes and make statements about taking too long.

I can't dump it all on stu. Life has been stressful, but I'm sure everyone here can attest to that.

[mythbuster]

Have Stu email you a list of questions in advance. Then you can run them down quickly. Then have Stu repeat back what you just told them, or have them show you their notes. Hold up the paper to the web cam or the like. Force Stu be be more organized and not just camp out in your virtual office.

[teach_write_research]

I have a very anxious student, who is driving me batshit crazy. I'm not one to judge, since I am very familiar with the burdens that anxiety brings (maybe stu's anxiety is resonating with mine?). But this kid is driving me nuts! I met with stu for 45 minutes this morning over the computer. Stu emailed me an hour later (TWICE) because stu forgot what we discussed about the lab. I mean, I get the anxiety, but DAMN, I need a break. This student wants to talk for an hour (at least) every week and I've obliged since it's during my office hours (sometimes not). Maybe I need to cut the time short, but I don't want to be an asshole about it. I thought stu was getting it because stu would cut time at 30 minutes and make statements about taking too long.

I can't dump it all on stu. Life has been stressful, but I'm sure everyone here can attest to that.

I had a version of this in January. I was tearing my hair out. I vented and took deep breaths and reminded myself to be kind and also respect my own limits. My replies usually included some sort of general reassurance. I realized the other day the student has not been obsessively messaging me. I don't think it was anything I did, so consider that. You don't have to fix it, you just need to manage expectations and your own peace of mind. My current torture is a student who can't find the new assignment on Canvas but doesn't stay on the chat long enough to actually troubleshoot and solve the problem. "That doesn't work".

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Have Stu email you a list of questions in advance. Then you can run them down quickly. Then have Stu repeat back what you just told them, or have them show you their notes. Hold up the paper to the web cam or the like. Force Stu be be more organized and not just camp out in your virtual office.

Right. I think the problem is the going off on tangents. Stu is a good student, shows notes, etc. We share screens and I doodle notes about problems. Stu has A LOT of questions. I've had to put off answering the emails until the next day (since we have the 24 hr. rule).

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I have a very anxious student, who is driving me batshit crazy. I'm not one to judge, since I am very familiar with the burdens that anxiety brings (maybe stu's anxiety is resonating with mine?). But this kid is driving me nuts! I met with stu for 45 minutes this morning over the computer. Stu emailed me an hour later (TWICE) because stu forgot what we discussed about the lab. I mean, I get the anxiety, but DAMN, I need a break. This student wants to talk for an hour (at least) every week and I've obliged since it's during my office hours (sometimes not). Maybe I need to cut the time short, but I don't want to be an asshole about it. I thought stu was getting it because stu would cut time at 30 minutes and make statements about taking too long.

I can't dump it all on stu. Life has been stressful, but I'm sure everyone here can attest to that.

I had a version of this in January. I was tearing my hair out. I vented and took deep breaths and reminded myself to be kind and also respect my own limits. My replies usually included some sort of general reassurance. I realized the other day the student has not been obsessively messaging me. I don't think it was anything I did, so consider that. You don't have to fix it, you just need to manage expectations and your own peace of mind. My current torture is a student who can't find the new assignment on Canvas but doesn't stay on the chat long enough to actually troubleshoot and solve the problem. "That doesn't work".

I hear ya! I suppose I'm in an odd place now with other stressors. I just need to handle what I can and leave the rest to the student. I can't change the student's behavior, but I can change how and when I respond to it.

[the_geneticist]

I have a very anxious student, who is driving me batshit crazy. I'm not one to judge, since I am very familiar with the burdens that anxiety brings (maybe stu's anxiety is resonating with mine?). But this kid is driving me nuts! I met with stu for 45 minutes this morning over the computer. Stu emailed me an hour later (TWICE) because stu forgot what we discussed about the lab. I mean, I get the anxiety, but DAMN, I need a break. This student wants to talk for an hour (at least) every week and I've obliged since it's during my office hours (sometimes not). Maybe I need to cut the time short, but I don't want to be an asshole about it. I thought stu was getting it because stu would cut time at 30 minutes and make statements about taking too long.

I can't dump it all on stu. Life has been stressful, but I'm sure everyone here can attest to that.

Do you have a Tutoring or Study Help center on your campus?  If the student is that disorganized/distracted/stressed, they need some help that is beyond your training.  Maybe the counseling center would help too?
I get it.  Anxiety sucks.  But if it takes up that much brain space and time for just ONE class, the student is going to have a really rough time.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I have a very anxious student, who is driving me batshit crazy. I'm not one to judge, since I am very familiar with the burdens that anxiety brings (maybe stu's anxiety is resonating with mine?). But this kid is driving me nuts! I met with stu for 45 minutes this morning over the computer. Stu emailed me an hour later (TWICE) because stu forgot what we discussed about the lab. I mean, I get the anxiety, but DAMN, I need a break. This student wants to talk for an hour (at least) every week and I've obliged since it's during my office hours (sometimes not). Maybe I need to cut the time short, but I don't want to be an asshole about it. I thought stu was getting it because stu would cut time at 30 minutes and make statements about taking too long.

I can't dump it all on stu. Life has been stressful, but I'm sure everyone here can attest to that.

Do you have a Tutoring or Study Help center on your campus?  If the student is that disorganized/distracted/stressed, they need some help that is beyond your training.  Maybe the counseling center would help too?
I get it.  Anxiety sucks.  But if it takes up that much brain space and time for just ONE class, the student is going to have a really rough time.

We do. I advertise for the Tutoring Center (all online now) and I also have TAs in both of my sections who have review hours online. Stu already attends.

[Aster]

Stu Dent: "Professor, can you make a PowerPoint presentation for us to use for studying? It's hard for me to figure out out a lot of this stuff in the book. Can you like, make a presentation for us to use that has pictures with labels?"

This student is currently asking about her laboratory course.

[the_geneticist]

I have a few students who have stopped attending lab, haven't turned in an assignment for the last few weeks, but are still registered.  One of them emailed to ask if they could get half credit for their missed assignments so they "won't fail".
Even if I did allow that (which I won't), half credit. is. still. failing.

[marshwiggle]

I have a few students who have stopped attending lab, haven't turned in an assignment for the last few weeks, but are still registered.  One of them emailed to ask if they could get half credit for their missed assignments so they "won't fail".
Even if I did allow that (which I won't), half credit. is. still. failing.

But they will if the ace the final!!!!

[the_geneticist]

I have a few students who have stopped attending lab, haven't turned in an assignment for the last few weeks, but are still registered.  One of them emailed to ask if they could get half credit for their missed assignments so they "won't fail".
Even if I did allow that (which I won't), half credit. is. still. failing.

But they will if the ace the final!!!!

Not mathematically possible.  And given their current performance, it's also highly improbable.

[marshwiggle]

I have a few students who have stopped attending lab, haven't turned in an assignment for the last few weeks, but are still registered.  One of them emailed to ask if they could get half credit for their missed assignments so they "won't fail".
Even if I did allow that (which I won't), half credit. is. still. failing.

But they will if the ace the final!!!!

Not mathematically possible.  And given their current performance, it's also highly improbable.

Well, you've already established that math isn't going to get in the way of wishful thinking optimism.

[the_geneticist]

I have a few students who have stopped attending lab, haven't turned in an assignment for the last few weeks, but are still registered.  One of them emailed to ask if they could get half credit for their missed assignments so they "won't fail".
Even if I did allow that (which I won't), half credit. is. still. failing.

But they will if the ace the final!!!!

Not mathematically possible.  And given their current performance, it's also highly improbable.

Well, you've already established that math isn't going to get in the way of wishful thinking optimism.

Indeed!  Looks like I'll being seeing the student again for Spring term.

[Liquidambar]

I'm having the hardest time getting my students to practice scanning some papers to a multipage pdf.  They will need to do this tomorrow for an exam.  I made a "practice exam" that involves doing this and have been nagging them about it all week.  25% of them still haven't done it successfully.  One student just submitted a second try with exactly the same problem I pointed out on his first try.  Do they want to fail the real exam because they can't figure out how to upload their work while the timer is counting down?

The really annoying thing is they probably think I'm a jerk for nagging them rather than realizing I'm being nice because I want them to be successful.