tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post592589216401840910..comments2024-03-25T02:33:41.590-05:00Comments on FemaleScienceProfessor: Everything is ImportantFemale Science Professorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288567883197987690noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-83253563588699025932015-03-30T12:04:32.652-05:002015-03-30T12:04:32.652-05:00It's a shame that students have to handle prof...It's a shame that students have to handle professors with kid gloves on. So many professors have glass egos that shatter at virtually no provocation. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-81301727472478311222010-10-25T05:14:19.267-05:002010-10-25T05:14:19.267-05:00A teacher should not get annoyed at the slightest ...A teacher should not get annoyed at the slightest instance. If a student misses out in something important, a teacher should give some time to it. However, it is also the responsibility of the students to listen to the teacher with full attention. Anyway,it was a nice post. Thanks.ILEAD Indiahttp://www.ilead.net.in/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-83705444461176640892010-10-23T01:05:11.089-05:002010-10-23T01:05:11.089-05:00One time I actually did reply, "No, just the ...One time I actually did reply, "No, just the usual drivel." The student turned red and got quiet, and then didn't approach me for the rest of the semester. I felt kind of bad about that, and never did it again.Rocketnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-22162108984158839792010-10-20T18:16:59.072-05:002010-10-20T18:16:59.072-05:00I was a mean and nasty teacher. I taught those hug...I was a mean and nasty teacher. I taught those huge 400-500 student general education lectures, and the rule was, if you miss a class, you may ask your colleague for notes and you may come to office hours. At office hours, the material will be briefly summarized for you both verbally and on the chalkboard, and you will be directed to further reading--if and only if you come prepared and read the text and the website to know what we are talking about.<br /><br />All the resulting "did I miss anything important" questions came from students with one foot out the door who were too busy for either office hours, office appointments or email. I always told them no, nothing very important. The other students, who were respectfully, diligently sitting in my office taking notes from the chalkboard, were horrified: "We went over XYZ for like the whole hour! That's going to be on the exam!" Yep. But it's not the end of the world if you get it wrong on the exam, either; the real shock seemed to be that the world (and specifically my world) did not revolve around their crummy B-. You can imagine how popular I was with the pre-meds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-84693296186969180762010-10-20T18:05:11.770-05:002010-10-20T18:05:11.770-05:00R.B. said "I think it's about students ne...R.B. said <i>"I think it's about students needing to know the difference between a casual and a formal relationship. You don't talk/email your professor the same way you would a friend, with a, "Hey! What's up!" as the greeting."</i><br /><br />Anonymous said <i>"Yes, that means not talking to people you do not know like they are your friends. That does remain regardless of age."</i><br /><br />I have no problem with students talking to me as if I were a friend, nor with a greeting of "Hey! What's up!" It is common here on the Left Coast for professional relationships to be much more informal than in other parts of the country.<br /><br />I would not be bothered by the informality of a student asking if anything important were covered, just the cluelessness of the assumption that most of the lecture was unimportant. I'm given to blunt speech and would be likely to use a sarcastic rejoinders: "It's all important to me", "No, nothing any faculty does is important to students who skip classes", "What do you think is important?", ...<br /><br />I've never had the opportunity to use any of those. Students generally ask me much more specific questions, like whether they can still turn in an overdue assignment. "Important" things like homework assignments, due dates, and list of topics covered are all on the web page. I do get to use "It's on the web page" a fair amount.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-16329910257820319392010-10-20T13:40:10.656-05:002010-10-20T13:40:10.656-05:00Yes, that means not talking to people you do not k...Yes, that means not talking to people you do not know like they are your friends. That does remain regardless of age.<br /><br />Or profession (I forgot to add that).<br /><br />That means also treating the people who deliver packages to the lab with respect, or the people cleaning the lab. I often see otherwise. (But now I might divert the discussion too much). Although exactly this triggered my response. Too often I see that some people with a "high" IQ think that their IQ imposes respect from others. Brrr. I can't stand that. But that is just a personal frustration.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-18591110373365139462010-10-20T13:21:44.026-05:002010-10-20T13:21:44.026-05:00Guess what. It all comes back to common sense. It ...Guess what. It all comes back to common sense. It has nothing to do with professional or not. It just has to do with being respectful. In a shop, at work, in the subway, towards each other.<br />Some people call that Emotional Intelligence. Some might not possess it.<br />Yet, it has nothing to do with regarding a professor differently than any other person. Treating each other with respect. And knowing how to behave towards different kind of people. Yes, that means not talking to people you do not know like they are your friends. That does remain regardless of age.<br /><br />Common sense.<br /><br />Otherwise, there are tons of books written about etiquette.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-16687628781230468882010-10-20T10:26:53.742-05:002010-10-20T10:26:53.742-05:00I'm not in academia (just in an academic libra...I'm not in academia (just in an academic library) but I think it's about students needing to know the difference between a casual and a formal relationship. You don't talk/email your professor the same way you would a friend, with a, "Hey! What's up!" as the greeting. I agree with @Aceon about it being their first professional relationship, so they can try to learn something before their careless attitude gets them denied at a job interview!<br /><br />What is wrong with respecting your teachers? Not setting them up on high, but just being civil? Why is that being criticized?R.B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/05865549528010761178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-67033829974296212032010-10-20T09:32:43.696-05:002010-10-20T09:32:43.696-05:00Anonymous said "It is possible to get lecture...Anonymous said <i>"It is possible to get lectures recorded these days, you know."</i><br /><br />Yes, it is. At my campus it costs $75/hour just for the recording (no editing, no streaming server, ...). With the usual course having 35 lecture hours, that comes to $2625. Making it available to students would probably cost another $1000. Recording all classes would increase the instructional budget by 30% or more. Since budgets are being cut, that really translates to reducing the number of courses offered--just so students can skip class?<br /><br />Having a video camera in the classroom also affects the class dynamic, as many students are afraid to ask questions that might be recorded and seen by others. Some faculty are also uncomfortable working in front of a camera. Classrooms set up for filming are often very difficult to work in, with limited whiteboard space and no room to pace.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-20274961034385028342010-10-20T01:22:12.678-05:002010-10-20T01:22:12.678-05:00Hmm. I've never tried this, but when a studen...Hmm. I've never tried this, but when a student asks "Did I miss anything important?", I wonder what would happen if you answered "Well, it was important to me!" with a big grin. Would they catch on? Hmm, I'll have to try that sometime.<br /><br />P.S. In more seriousness: for some reason I rarely get this question. I wonder if it's a combination of student sheepishness (not wanting to look bad in front of the prof), possibly combined with the fact that I provide lecture notes with detailed notes on everything I did in every lecture, so students who missed lecture can crib off them. Who knows? I'll just count myself as a lucky one.AnonProfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-36525366642437872222010-10-19T21:13:50.655-05:002010-10-19T21:13:50.655-05:00It is possible to get lectures recorded these days...It is possible to get lectures recorded these days, you know.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-35449979530634204982010-10-19T16:10:48.192-05:002010-10-19T16:10:48.192-05:00@Tim
All I'm saying is that if I'm asked...@Tim <br /><br />All I'm saying is that if I'm asked that question, with that phrasing, I (as a professor) don't feel any obligation to be respectful. I may choose to be respectful (which I always do), however, this is my choice, since the student started the conversation with a disrespectful question.<br /><br />Students interested in learning ask much more concrete questions.mathgirlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-83312068815470520732010-10-19T15:06:58.117-05:002010-10-19T15:06:58.117-05:00Tim!
i am glad you were not one of my students, su...Tim!<br />i am glad you were not one of my students, surely i would have been very annoyed by you...!!<br />i think quite some people (including me) expect some kind of "respect" when teaching someone else.<br />once a student said: but we are paying tuition and i just dont like this course..!CaThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15448120621150624576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-60529138441217843482010-10-19T14:26:19.590-05:002010-10-19T14:26:19.590-05:00@mathgirl.
Basically you are saying: no respect f...@mathgirl.<br /><br />Basically you are saying: no respect from student --> no respect in return. What will the student learn?<br /><br />this is aggressive thinking and wrong. You should teach the student respect by giving it.<br /><br />Besides, what is the prof's problem. If you are offended by this question, which i don't understand in the first place because the student just wants to know if they missed something, and please own up to the fact that some of your classes are utterly boring lol, just say NO and be done.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11421551645441377580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-90107108805861253072010-10-19T11:47:01.074-05:002010-10-19T11:47:01.074-05:00I agree with those of you who say that professors ...I agree with those of you who say that professors and students must treat each other with respect. <br /><br />I find the question<br /><br />"Did I miss anything important?" <br /><br />disrespectful as it states that there are classes in which there is nothing important. Therefore, I don't see why the professor should reply to this question in a respectful manner.mathgirlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-45769778791765682122010-10-19T09:06:32.913-05:002010-10-19T09:06:32.913-05:00After a productive discussion with a student yeste...After a productive discussion with a student yesterday, I thought of something else.<br /><br />It's easier to give a helpful answer to a more specific question. The question may be "did I miss any announcements or handouts," but it could also be "is there any way I make up the work that we did in class" or "I don't remember where to find the notes that you post; could you help me find them." (My student yesterday knew she was going to miss a lab; because she was specific about her questions, I was able to explain how she could do the work without giving a contagious disease to the rest of the class.)<br /><br />Asking the right question is important.Kimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-27227140357330762782010-10-19T07:51:30.515-05:002010-10-19T07:51:30.515-05:00This is sort of a rehash of what others have said,...This is sort of a rehash of what others have said, but the question of "importance" comes from things that are graded. Lectures exist only to help you get grades, but the *grades* are the important part. So, yeah, they're asking about administrative announcements, homework pass-backs, pop quizzes, test reschedules, or anything else that has to do with grades. What you talk about in class isn't actually important, because they have a textbook and are totally bad-ass googlers (they think), so they can figure it out on their own. And you should know all this to be true, because you're a teacher, and therefore grading things is your primary goal. The lectures only fill time between self-directed activities. (This is also why they get pissy about having to mess with TA's in large classes. Dude, prof, you can't even *grade* things? What else do you *do*?) As someone on the young end of the faculty spectrum, I can definitely tell you that this is exactly the kind of academic experience high school prepared me for 10 years ago, so I can only imagine what it's like now. <br /><br />But no, I've never asked that question, because I was always too desirous to be without confrontation to bother, though I thought it many times as an undergrad. :)<br /><br />And as for Anonymous on 10/18 @ 11:55 (talking about joining a conversation late and asking if you missed anything important), no. I would absolutely not consider that rude. That sounds like a perfectly normal conversation arrival statement to me. Or maybe I just shoot the sh*t more than most. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-35628565456833145022010-10-19T01:23:17.894-05:002010-10-19T01:23:17.894-05:00It sounds like "did I miss anything important...It sounds like "did I miss anything important?" falls in with "so, come here often?" or "nice weather we're having, isn't it?" as one of those awkward oh-crap-I'm-trying-to-start-a-conversation-now-please-have-mercy openers that no one should ever use but lots of people do. :pBagelsannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-17911219841760944242010-10-19T00:59:43.772-05:002010-10-19T00:59:43.772-05:00Wow, so much anger. (Wayman actually says that he...Wow, so much anger. (Wayman actually <a href="http://www.library.utoronto.ca/canpoetry/wayman/pub2.htm" rel="nofollow">says</a> that he is "quite out of control with anger and hate".) <br /><br />Perhaps some of you are in the wrong career.<br /><br />From my student days, I remember some teachers who treated us with respect, and some who treated us as adversaries. Guess which ones we respected in turn. And, indeed, guess which ones we learned more from. <br /><br />In fact there was a strong correlation between the adversarial attitude of the professors and their lack of knowledge. Professors who actually had a grasp of their subject had no need to be confrontational. We went to listen to them, and felt free to ask questions.<br /><br />I don't have a very good idea how my students rate me, but I know that almost all absenteeism tends to be for illness. I view that positively. If students chose to absent themselves casually (this has happened in the past), I'd question my methods, not their commitment.<br /><br />And I view "did I miss anything"? as a sign of interest, certainly not as a sign of aggression!Rahul Siddharthanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04809667965184094636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-87909930080570141802010-10-18T22:16:14.356-05:002010-10-18T22:16:14.356-05:00i was also going to post the Wayman poem. I like ...i was also going to post the Wayman poem. I like that answer so much that I put a link to it in my syllabus for a few years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-451065163149656922010-10-18T21:52:04.291-05:002010-10-18T21:52:04.291-05:00"There will always be students for whom a cla..."There will always be students for whom a class exists just to be suffered through, and to them what's important is what's on the test. And in the context of this question, that means material on the test that's not in the book."<br /><br />Good for them. They should probably attend class then. Or get the notes from a friend. I'm certainly not going to reply to a student with a rehash of my lecture condensed into an email. Then again, I also don't split my lecture material into "stuff I'm testing on" and "stuff I'm saying just to hear myself talk". Everything is testable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-7788454253568229002010-10-18T16:18:06.002-05:002010-10-18T16:18:06.002-05:00Since Eli's friend posts his lecture notes on ...Since Eli's friend posts his lecture notes on line, that question only occurs about tests (don't give quizzes either)EliRabetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957002964638398767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-21756487693871951952010-10-18T14:52:24.301-05:002010-10-18T14:52:24.301-05:00Jeez, calm down people. News flash: many students...Jeez, calm down people. News flash: many students don't find the material in your course important or even interesting. Should they all? Perhaps, but that's a high bar to set for yourself as a teacher. The larger the class you teach, the more of these there will be. There will always be students for whom a class exists just to be suffered through, and to them what's important is what's on the test. And in the context of this question, that means material on the test that's not in the book.<br /><br />Don't take it so personally.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-38873104871467062042010-10-18T14:51:04.171-05:002010-10-18T14:51:04.171-05:00Heidi- I take your point about people needing to b...Heidi- I take your point about people needing to be respectful in all of their interactions regardless of rank or title. That said, I do think it's helpful for students to think about how to interact with professors in particular. For many of them it is their first real professional relationship - and that is something that many of them don't recognize. They err in treating us like their parents or their friends, neither of which is appropriate. I don't want or need a special professor category of behavior (and I don't think anyone else posting here does either) but I do want to be one of the first entries in the professional category of interaction.aceonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-38054449245377999112010-10-18T13:11:40.313-05:002010-10-18T13:11:40.313-05:00Since many others have already translated the stud...Since many others have already translated the student-speak ('were there administrative announcements that I missed?'), I will just point out that in my experience, it is a rare class that is actually on track with the syllabus come midterms, let alone later in the semester, so just reading the syllabus is not always enough to figure out what content was missed. <br /><br />Or maybe my professors just talk more than average.FSGradnoreply@blogger.com