Jim- This might be a good exam question in a motivation class! :) We feel your pain!!! I can't help but wonder (maybe it is the time of year and fatigue?) where such incidents fit into the accoutability mentality for teachers- i.e., does this count as course prep, administrative, or is this just something we "get to do" out of the goodness of our hearts. I teach at a small school with mostly highly motivated students. And I still have to deal with these same cases of "I never flunked/made-a-grade-this-low". I do try to keep the "teaching moment" mentality about these and I can say that sometimes these meetings seem to have an effect on students. (Something cynical inside just wondered if they just give up on me and move on when I don't cave in). Ahhhhhh, spring! Or is that ARRRRGGGG, spring!!! Tim
________________________________ From: Jim Matiya [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 10:55 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] RE: The things students will say... Okay , I'll wade into this thread... On Monday I had a student who asked to see her last test in Social Psych. I gave her the scan-tron but not the test because I did not have one with me, so she gave me back the scan-tron. On Wednesday (we meet on M & W), I gave her the test and her scan tron. She then informed me that she made an appointment with my dept. chair, which I could also attend, because she didn't unerstand how I graded the test. She wanted to take the test and the scan-tron to her meeting with the dept. chair, but I took it back. I did make a copy of her scan-tron for her to take to the dept. chair. She informed me that she has never failed a psychology test before she got in my class (this is her second course in psych). Her test grades are 60, 65, 70, ad 68. Sure enough, after my next class, guess who was at my door? Yep, the dept.chair. She wants me to meet with the girl, and then, if the girl is not satisfied, to meet with her and the girl. Both the dept. chair and I are not sure what exactly the girls wants, unless it is she wants a better grade in the class. By the way, the final exam is Monday. Did I also say she did not hand-in eight assignments? Gosh, I am confused. I have never had a student who questioned me about how a test is graded. Typically I will make up abot 60 questions for a test. I require them to answer 30 questions I have selected and they can pick any 10 questions to answer, which means they have answered 40 questions. What do you think is her motivation? Jim Jim Matiya <http://graphics.hotmail.com/i.p.emwink.gif> Moraine Valley Community College [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> New webpage: http://online.morainevalley.edu/WebSupported/JimMatiya/ <http://online.morainevalley.edu/WebSupported/JimMatiya/> 2003 Moffett Memorial Teaching Excellence Award of the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (Division Two of the American Psychological Association) High School Psychology and Advanced Psychology Graphic Organizers, Pacing Guides, and Daily Lesson Plans archived at www.Teaching-Point.net <http://www.teaching-point.net/> Need Inverted Goggles or Displacement Goggles? I got 'em! Using David Myers' texts for AP Psychology? Go to http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/cppsych/ <http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/cppsych/> > Date: Wed, 9 May 2007 15:12:02 -0500 > Subject: [tips] Re: The things students will say... > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: tips@acsun.frostburg.edu > > I suspect we go on a bit too much with these student comments but they a > so healing for us all as we move toward this stressful time of the > semester. I mean Marc, that's an absolute classic--"in my mind I thought > . . ." Well, a bit scary also but whatever, thank you all for your > examples as they provide humor when we need it so. > > What I get that's always so depressing and tiresome is the following. I > give 8 essay tests during the semester so do allow for one make-up during > the last week of class. But a too large minority need to ask me which > test they missed--or need to make up. ARGH So, from now on my classes > will be provided a sheet attached to the syllabus to record their grades > for each test and be told they are on their own regarding remembering > their test scores. > > Joan > > > > > My favorite is the student who called (after receiving an F) and > > repeatedly told me, "In my mind I passed that class!" I repeatedly told > > him that what happened in his mind wasn't really the point. > > > > He never seemed to understand. > > > > m > > > > > > ------ > > "There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what > > it cares about." > > -- > > Margaret Wheatley > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 3:33 PM > > To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) > > Subject: [tips] Re: The things students will say... > > > > I can definitely relate to what you are going through. Every semester I > > get messages like this. Last semester four of my students have gave me > > a hard time with their final grades. I tell students in the beginning > > of the semester that I do not change grades or give extra points to "be > > nice". There are opportunities for extra credit and if my students do > > not take advantage of that, it is then on them. > > > > 1. One student who just made the C cutoff (I have a point scale of 500) > > had asked me if I could give her a B because she wanted to get into the > > nursing program. > > > > 2. Another student received a C+ and felt that she deserved an A. I > > event went into detail as to how I arrived at the grade. Her response > > was "That's not fair professor and you know it. If you do not give me > > the A, I am going to the chairperson and the dean. That will not look > > good since you are an adjunct." So I then gave her their office phone > > numbers :). > > > > 3. Two years ago a student received a C+ in my class and then emailed > > me and said "That's messed up, I now know what kind of teacher you are." > > > > It amazes me how students are bold in their E-mails. > > > > It amazes me how bold students are, but I also know that they probably > > got away with these stunts in high school. It is time for an awakening! > > > > Albert Bramante > > Department of Psychology/Sociology > > Union County College > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > See what's free at AOL.com > > <http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503> . > > --- > > To make changes to your subscription go to: > > http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang= > > english > > > > > > --- > > To make changes to your subscription go to: > > http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang= english > > > > > > > > > > --- > To make changes to your subscription go to: > http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang= english > --- To make changes to your subscription go to: http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang= english --- To make changes to your subscription go to: http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang=english
