To My Quiet Critical Thinking class:
OK, I have had enough of your non-participation. I understand that the topic that we are currently discussing is difficult and at times boring. But, that's why I gave you a set of questions to help your understanding and fuel discussion. I didn't have to do that. I could have just made you fumble through and bitch you out for not getting it.
Also, I am tired of your excuses for not participating. Just because some of you have the Professor from Hell before my class does not excuse you from doing what is required in mine.
And, just becuase you have other things on your plate, like an exam or a paper in another class, does not mean you can slack off in mine. Time management works wonders. We did discuss that at the beginning of the term.
I have tried to make my class a place where you will be challenged to think, learn and have fun at the same time. But your inability to meet me halfway has pissed me off. You are taking advantage of my good nature and that is a very bad thing.
I didn't want to do this, but you leave me no choice.
Here's the deal. If at our next meeting , you don't start working and participating, I will turn into Bitchy Professor Seeking Solace. This professor will give pop quizzes, additional writing assignments and other sadistic forms of torture that will make the Professor from Hell seem tame.
The choice is yours.
Fed up and pissed off,
Professor Seeking Solace
About Me
- Seeking Solace
- I am a college professor who is fumbling through the chaos of academia, rheumatoid arthritis, working on my PhD and just being a 40 something woman. I used to be a lawyer, which made me a snarky little person. I have a wonderful Husband and a German Shepherd named Junior. They help keep me sane.
Paws to Consider
My Sister's Keeper
9 comments:
You go girl! I've opened that can of whoop ass on my classes too---thus, pop quiz tomorrow!
before you do anything rash, visit one of my teacher's blogs. I have done every assignment he has required because he is not the typical DO THIS DO THAT POP QUIZ, etc. Think about the whole, why are they not doing the work or contributing. Punishing them will not accomplish the goal you have. Good luck
No you tell the truth - you actually like Bitchy Professor Seeking Solace!
:)
Anonymous: Um, you didn't provide a link.
radicalteacher.com
Anonymous: In the spirit of understanding, I went to the website you suggested. It had a post with a link to my blog. I was sad to see that the there was only sympathy and not real advice.
Ah how comforting to see that students are equally whiny and lazy at other places . . .
I am not trying to be whiny if that is how I come across. I am merely stating that yes you can give them these assignments and pop quizes, and they will do them. But from personal experience, I have not retained any of the knowledge on any little assignment or pop quiz I have taken. I am assuming your ultimate goal is to have your students contribute in class more and hence be successful. Yes they will complete the quizes and assigments, but that probably won't make them speak up in class anymore. I myself am still trying to figure out what my teacher actually wants from us. It is a process, but I do think that often times the best managers are the ones that do nothing, sit back and let the team fix the problem themselves. This has been very successful in many companies. I do not know the answers as I am still trying to figure out how my class can be most successful, but when my class started in September no one spoke. In my last class, everyone in the entire class was present and contributing to the argument we had to do. Good luck, I am not trying to whine at all, I have been having teachers give me pop quizes, tests that make no sense to me, etc. And I can honestly say, the second I am done with those tests I forget most if not all, solely to get by and get a good grade. However, this is far from actually learning. Good luck though!
Anonymous: Again, I think you are missing the point. My ultimate goal is not to have them contribute per se, it is to teach them the necessary skills that they will need to be successful in the real world. See, I spent many years as an attorney, and let me tell you, you cannot make it in that or any profession by clamming up when someone asks you the simplest question. The boss is going to think you either don't know or don't care. In either case, a person like that will be replaced.
The fact that you have not retained anything from quizzes or assignments, scheduled or not, makes me wonder if there is something wrong with the way you are assessed. Simple mastery should never be the goal of any instructor. The goal is for the student to reach a higher order of learning, i.e. analysis, synthesis or evaluation. That is my goal for my students. That is what is expected in the real world.
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