Seriously, are you 5?

[Miss Fatale]

I teach college writing classes. We are getting late into the term, which means the crazy is coming out as people realize they are not doing very well (or as well as they hoped). But this class has been a trial, with adults acting like 5 year olds........

S = Student

Me = Miss Fatale, who went to grad school for this?


1
S: Miss Fatale, why didn't my assignment get a grade?
Me: Because it was not turned in.
S: Yes it was!

............ I have proof to the contrary, in that there is no paper. Student later realized it'd been turned in to the wrong place.


2

S: Miss Fatale, why didn't I get attendance credit?
Me: Because you were not in class.
S: Yes I was!

...................No, the computer logs these things and you are not listed. I've checked three times.

3

S: Miss Fatale, why does Susie get to write about tractors and I don't?
Me: Student, I am not going to discuss with you what another student is working on.
S: But I don't want to talk about another student, I want to talk about why Susie gets to do it!

[Kristev]

I remember seeing that girl in some of my college classes. The body may be different, but the mindless remained the same.

[aurelemsrealm]

As an adult who has returned to school full-time, it's interesting to hear complaints other students have about professors. Personally, I tend to like the tough but fair professors the most because you really do learn so much more from them if you show an interest in the subject matter and a willingness to pay attention and do the work required. I like the more lenient, friendly professors, too, but find them to be less effective in teaching their subject matter. Then, there are those professors who truly are just plain difficult.

Anyway, what gripes me is the number of students who seem to text on their cellphones or play around on their laptops during class times. There are also the ones who just chat back and forth throughout the whole class period, leave early, or frequently just fail to show up for class. It's none of my business what other students do, but a person still notices things, even when trying to keep focused on what's important. What I've noticed is that the students who usually complain the worst about a particular class or professor are usually the same students who are guilty of the annoying behaviors I just mentioned. In short, they don't seem to devote much time or effort to their education, so they fall short of what they think they deserve. Then, they whine and complain that the class or professor was "too hard."

It's not my concern, so I usually don't say what I think. However, I often find myself thinking that someone should point out to these students that they really do need to apply themselves more if they think it's so bad because they brought it on themselves. I mean, I fell short of my own expectations this spring because I carried a full load of classes, worked two part-time jobs between my work-study and regular jobs, and am now a new parent to a three-month-old infant. Even considering all those demands on my time, I knew it was somehow up to me to make time for my studies. However, I let myself get in a position of having too many irons in the fire. So, I find myself generally feeling little sympathy when other students complain about it being "too hard," especially the ones who seem to frequently miss class or the ones who seem to not pay attention. After all, I generally only averaged four or five hours of sleep per night all semester long due to everything on my plate, and I still managed to show up for class and try. Overall, I still did okay. It's just that I don't necessarily feel I did my best due to other demands on my life. Even so, I'm not blaming the professor or course material because I know that life is not always fair or kind. I just did my best to juggle multiple priorities, and none of it went according to plan.

[Miss Fatale]

What I've noticed is that the students who usually complain the worst about a particular class or professor are usually the same students who are guilty of the annoying behaviors I just mentioned. In short, they don't seem to devote much time or effort to their education, so they fall short of what they think they deserve. Then, they whine and complain that the class or professor was "too hard."

In my experience, students who like me and/or think I'm a good teacher are the ones who work hard. Those who dislike me tend to turn in incomplete work, work that is late, etc. One of those funny things.

It's true, there are bad teachers, good ones, great ones. But honestly, in my experience as both student and teacher, the biggest part of it was the student. How much is the student willing and able to put into the class?

[Chainsmith]

I will say that I use my laptop in class, for note taking during lectures, and for somewhere to do mindless art things when certain professors put on movies that they have already shown twice during the semester (please don't ask me I don't understand it either). The one big pet peeve I have had was one of my classmates this semester. He brought lunch into the classroom everyday, always something like egg salad, or something with way to much vinegar on it. And proceeded to put his ipod earbuds in for the whole class loud enough I could hear it. He then proceeded to get pissed at me when I told him "I really don't care if you want to waste your money and listen to music in class but will you please turn it down, Because while you might like it I would much rather not listen to your rap music about drugs and shooting people." All this in front of the professor, the classmate was pissed off.

[Bobsentme]

As an adult (almost 30...that's adult-ish, right?), I have also returned to college.
My heart goes out to you, as I watched 5 people fail a test where the teacher:

1. Paired everyone up.
2. Handed out 3x5 cards to let everyone write their notes from the 2 chapters as possible (dates, names, anything they wanted) in 15 minutes.
3. Used questions directly from the study guide handed out a week earlier.

Also, this wasn't some higher up course...it was a freshman level course.
Did I mention this school costs almost $30,000 a year???

(I'm on scholarship, luckily)

[TonyDonuts]

He then proceeded to get pissed at me when I told him "I really don't care if you want to waste your money and listen to music in class but will you please turn it down, Because while you might like it I would much rather not listen to your rap music about drugs and shooting people." All this in front of the professor, the classmate was pissed off.

Awwwww! Did you make him think that the world doesn't revolve around him? You big meaniehead!

I saw these twerps when I was in college. "I read porno in class/blast loud, bad music in class/never go to class/skip assignments/etc. Why am I failing this class? I know! The prof is being mean/totally unfair/biased!"

Never understood that. You're putting yourself under a mountain of student loan debt, why not put some effort into it?

Well, there are people who think, "I'm paying big money into this, why should I have to WORK, too."

[Exaspera]

I, for one of probably many, LOVELOVELOVE adult returning students because y'all are there for a reason. You have seen the real world and know how to deal with real life, and we love you in our classes! You pay attention, you do the assignments, you stay in touch if you are going to be absent...y'all are amazing.

I had one student several semesters ago who was flunking badly, as she had missed 6 classes that semester and didn't pay a bit of attention when she was there. I finally got hold of her to suggest strongly that she drop. Very young, about 20 or 21, she informed me that she was taking 21 hours (credits) that semester and working full-time. (The school frowns upon this kind of schedule as a matter of course.) She "really needed a break" because she had to have good grades to transfer, and I was the only one keeping her from that. I stuck to my guns, flunk or drop.

I bet she fed that line to all of the other profs, too. I won't hand out a good grade for a hard luck story-which I bet was a lie. The A students grades would mean nothing!

[Exaspera]

Exaspera, you are the sort of teacher I would love to have! I get extremely angry with classmates who figure that sucking up is the way to get good grades and I have been extremely vocal in classes where I see this happening. I thought it was bad in my first year courses, but with some people they continue it all the way through and when met with a 'hard ass' teacher they cry foul because it just isn't fair. Psssh. Real life, kiddies - accept it or get the hell out. Profs are not paid to coddle your asses.

Awwww! You're so sweet, thank you!

I kid them, sorta, on the first day of classes. "Remember the joke in 7th grade about stuff going on your permanent record? This really DOES go on your permanent record!"

95% of the time I love what I do. It's that 5% that I dislike, mostly people's irresponsibilities and sense of entitlement. Well, those and trying to find a ^%*%$ parking spot.

[DeltaSierra]

I, for one of probably many, LOVELOVELOVE adult returning students because y'all are there for a reason. You have seen the real world and know how to deal with real life, and we love you in our classes! You pay attention, you do the assignments, you stay in touch if you are going to be absent...y'all are amazing.

I have to say - this post just made my day. I'm 38, and planning to go back to school. I've been paranoid that the teachers are going to look at me and think I'm an old looser who "can't hack it" and I'm just fooling myself. I've had my own housecleaning business the last 15 years and I love my work, but I've gotten burned out and need a change. I hope that I end up getting instructors who have the same attitude you have!!

[Magpie]

I mean, I fell short of my own expectations this spring because I carried a full load of classes, worked two part-time jobs between my work-study and regular jobs, and am now a new parent to a three-month-old infant. ... Even so, I'm not blaming the professor or course material because I know that life is not always fair or kind. I just did my best to juggle multiple priorities, and none of it went according to plan.

Thank you for not asking the prof for consideration because of this! I had a mature student feed me that about how the prof was really being unfair, this course is just too hard, he has a baby at home, etc. But he KNEW about all that when he signed up for the course.

And I never minded people who didn't show up for class. I still don't mind as a TA, on the instructor side of things, unless they skip and then come and expect it to be explained. I have four or five classmates who managed to stay with us through all 8 terms showing up for class very rarely. I also have classmates who actually showed up, took notes, etc, and managed to fail, so clearly not showing up works for some people. It's when they complain that the prof is unfair just because he's tough that I get annoyed.

[Exaspera]

Thank you for not asking the prof for consideration because of this! I had a mature student feed me that about how the prof was really being unfair, this course is just too hard, he has a baby at home, etc. But he KNEW about all that when he signed up for the course.

And I never minded people who didn't show up for class. I still don't mind as a TA, on the instructor side of things, unless they skip and then come and expect it to be explained. I have four or five classmates who managed to stay with us through all 8 terms showing up for class very rarely. I also have classmates who actually showed up, took notes, etc, and managed to fail, so clearly not showing up works for some people. It's when they complain that the prof is unfair just because he's tough that I get annoyed.

Some folks just don't realize that they made the decision to overload themselves, therefore they are responsible for the outcome. It is not my problem that their outside lives won't allow them to fully participate.

And frankly, I do mind students missing class. They are entitled to three absences, after that I drop them a grade, UNLESS there are special circumstances. My classes are very participatory. I am always willing to listen and make special arrangements. It's the ones who don't show up half the time because "everyone" in their family has "died" or is "ill" and then come to me at the end of the semester to tell me. (Sort of like Klinger in the TV show M*A*S*H.) AND then they want to do something extra credit to make up for it. Sorry, that's more work for me because they didn't live up to their responsibilities.

And I state all of this in a written syllabus at the beginning of the semester. They even have their on copy on bright colored paper. I have a copy signed by them in my possession to indicate that they have read and understood said syllabus. It is also on the open MySpace page of mine along with the schedule. Can't really get the point across too much more.

[chainedbarista]

*applauds chainsmith*

i've had that girl in my class too; it's amazing how many students think that registering for a class=automatic A.

silly students.

no, neecy, i'd prefer to have another older student (i'll be 42 this summer) next to me than some whiny kid who hasn't figured out that this isn't high school anymore and that even though they're paying, they still have to attend, do homework/papers/whatever else the instructor requires to get a grade. god forbid higher education requires anything like effort.

[dalesys]

I've seen some good young students...



Their probation officer was tracking their attendance & grades.

[Magpie]

And frankly, I do mind students missing class. They are entitled to three absences, after that I drop them a grade, UNLESS there are special circumstances. My classes are very participatory. I am always willing to listen and make special arrangements. It's the ones who don't show up half the time because "everyone" in their family has "died" or is "ill" and then come to me at the end of the semester to tell me. (Sort of like Klinger in the TV show M*A*S*H.) AND then they want to do something extra credit to make up for it. Sorry, that's more work for me because they didn't live up to their responsibilities.

Oh, if the classes are participatory then yeah, not showing up is incredibly stupid. And rude. Engineering tends to not have those, and it's almost just all numbers and facts and figures, so books teach it just as well.