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

[downer]

I give my students a "get out of jail free" card which allows them to submit one assignment a week late. At least in some classes. Not all. It works pretty well.

[FishProf]

Procurement - I hate you.

This isn't hard.  I do it every non-Covid semester.

1) I schedule my final at [Regional Museum]
2) You buy tickets using the lab fees we charged students.
3) We go to museum and I run the final.
4) You reimburse for mileage and parking.
End

When Covid closed the museums, we couldn't go b/c the Museum wouldn't let us.  You probably wouldn't have let us either, but that was moot.

NOW, the state has lifted most restrictions.  The museum is open.  They won't let us have a large group, but they are OK with a small one.

They recommend family-only groups (of 6 or less). 

So why are you denying me taking my class to the museum?  You say it is b/c the Uni's policy says to follow all local and CDC guidelines.   We are.

You say these student groups break the museums families-only RULE.

I say RECOMMENDATION.

The museum says RECOMMENDATION.

Also, why did it take 3-weeks to process the paperwork to say no?

[OneMoreYear]

Procurement - I hate you.

This isn't hard.  I do it every non-Covid semester.

1) I schedule my final at [Regional Museum]
2) You buy tickets using the lab fees we charged students.
3) We go to museum and I run the final.
4) You reimburse for mileage and parking.
End

When Covid closed the museums, we couldn't go b/c the Museum wouldn't let us.  You probably wouldn't have let us either, but that was moot.

NOW, the state has lifted most restrictions.  The museum is open.  They won't let us have a large group, but they are OK with a small one.

They recommend family-only groups (of 6 or less). 

So why are you denying me taking my class to the museum?  You say it is b/c the Uni's policy says to follow all local and CDC guidelines.   We are.

You say these student groups break the museums families-only RULE.

I say RECOMMENDATION.

The museum says RECOMMENDATION.

Also, why did it take 3-weeks to process the paperwork to say no?

Sorry to hear that FishProf. Our procurement folks added eleventy-billion extra steps to get reimbursed for anything this year. Our theory is that they hope people will give up and the University will use the money not claimed to pay for our athletic programs or one of the newly hired administrators.

Your museum final sounds awesome (I think you've described it before on the fora).

If your students paid lab fees to in part pay for their museum experience, will they get their lab fees returned since procurement won't let them go to the museum?

[mamselle]

Ah-ha.

I wonder if the procurement people really want to generate a scenario in which already-paid student funds are returned to them....

....maybe a bit of leverage, there...?

   (no, I am neither crafty, nor cynical)...

M.

[Istiblennius]

Student in accelerated summer session just contacted me to let me know that they are likely to be missing assignments or turning them in late because reasons.
"Many thanks in advance, as I know this may be upsetting."

Not upsetting for me, but probably for you when you re-read the syllabus language I just sent you about late and missing work. I actually have a lot of humane practices built in (dropping lowest couple of assignments, one exam replacement, revision opportunities) but not so humane that you can just not do the work.

[the_geneticist]

Student in accelerated summer session just contacted me to let me know that they are likely to be missing assignments or turning them in late because reasons.
"Many thanks in advance, as I know this may be upsetting."

Not upsetting for me, but probably for you when you re-read the syllabus language I just sent you about late and missing work. I actually have a lot of humane practices built in (dropping lowest couple of assignments, one exam replacement, revision opportunities) but not so humane that you can just not do the work.

The student may need a reminder that getting behind in an accelerated class is a VERY BAD plan.  We have classes here that are: "Welcome to Accelerated Basketweaving with Lab!  Your first exam is Thursday afternoon".

[fishbrains]

Student in accelerated summer session just contacted me to let me know that they are likely to be missing assignments or turning them in late because reasons.
"Many thanks in advance, as I know this may be upsetting."

Not upsetting for me, but probably for you when you re-read the syllabus language I just sent you about late and missing work. I actually have a lot of humane practices built in (dropping lowest couple of assignments, one exam replacement, revision opportunities) but not so humane that you can just not do the work.

The student may need a reminder that getting behind in an accelerated class is a VERY BAD plan.  We have classes here that are: "Welcome to Accelerated Basketweaving with Lab!  Your first exam is Thursday afternoon".

Yes. The policy I add for short summer courses: "If you are not ahead in the class, you are behind in the class. There is no such thing as being 'caught-up' in an accelerated course."

[Caracal]

Student in accelerated summer session just contacted me to let me know that they are likely to be missing assignments or turning them in late because reasons.
"Many thanks in advance, as I know this may be upsetting."

Not upsetting for me, but probably for you when you re-read the syllabus language I just sent you about late and missing work. I actually have a lot of humane practices built in (dropping lowest couple of assignments, one exam replacement, revision opportunities) but not so humane that you can just not do the work.

I hate when students think I'm going to have a lot of feelings about their performance or work. Sure, its satisfying when students do well and work hard, but I'm not personally offended when they don't. That's their business.

[downer]

When students apologize to me for not doing work I tell them not to. I emphasize they are doing the work for themselves, not for me.

I refrain from telling them that I am always grateful to have less student work to grade.

[Istiblennius]

Friends and neighbors, we have a drop! I can't believe one of them actually took to heart that maybe their plan to do accelerated summer session wasn't aligned with their plan to turn in all their work late.

[marshwiggle]

Friends and neighbors, we have a drop! I can't believe one of them actually took to heart that maybe their plan to do accelerated summer session wasn't aligned with their plan to turn in all their work late.

Great! If you could bottle that, and sell it to instructors everywhere to spritz on their classes during the first week, you could make billions!

[FishProf]

Dear student, the calculation for your final grade is very clearly spelled out in the syllabus.  Why are you asking questions like, "If I get a 75% in video quizzes, and that's 25% of the final grade, then that's like getting 18.75 points out of a hundred towards my final grade, right?"

Technically, yes.  Practically, so what?  Why are you asking?  And why did you think trying to run through THREE DIFFERENT EXAMPLES of this was worthwhile in preparing for the final.

It isn't hard:
1) Complete any remaining quizzes to the best of your ability.
2) Get the highest score you can on the final.
3) Let the chips fall where they may.

That's it.  There isn't any other strategy to employ.

This is like planning strategy in the 100m hurdles.  Run as fast as you can, jump over each hurdle, cross the finish line first.  THERE IS NO OTHER STRATEGY.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Why the hell do students write little passive-aggressive notes to me in their lab reports? Why not just send me an email and ask your damn questions instead of stating that I need to make a video, hold your hand and walk you through the lab.

JC!

[OneMoreYear]

Why the hell do students write little passive-aggressive notes to me in their lab reports? Why not just send me an email and ask your damn questions instead of stating that I need to make a video, hold your hand and walk you through the lab.

JC!

So, it's not just me then? My basketweaving statistics students did the same thing this year on their homework answers, complaining that the questions were unclear or too hard. One student decided to leave me snarky comments in their final exam answers, despite the fact that I was proctoring the final through the LMS and could have answered their questions during the exam.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

Why the hell do students write little passive-aggressive notes to me in their lab reports? Why not just send me an email and ask your damn questions instead of stating that I need to make a video, hold your hand and walk you through the lab.

JC!

So, it's not just me then? My basketweaving statistics students did the same thing this year on their homework answers, complaining that the questions were unclear or too hard. One student decided to leave me snarky comments in their final exam answers, despite the fact that I was proctoring the final through the LMS and could have answered their questions during the exam.

Nope, not just you. I wish I knew why they did this! I post numerous announcements, reminders, etc. All they have to do is ask.