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On April 28 2012 07:01 Liquid`Zephyr wrote:
bummer. sucks to have a professor that gives you no feedback or absolutely no indication of how you are doing in the class. unfortunately, the perogative is on you to get her to do her job/annoy her as much as possible to find out. its just one of those unwritten college rules and since you are going about all this after failing i dont think you have too much of a shot of making anything happen. shitty but hope it works out for you
Yeah, that's my fear: I wasn't proactive about the grading or the grades, but I was proactive about improving my papers and such.
I'm not looking to get her fired, I'm looking to have my writing re-evaluated by another teacher with her qualifications/grading system and have my grade revised. That's all I'm looking for, if I did do a shitty job, then it's shitty and that's on me.
If not, then... let's dance.
As I said before, if I do fail, I have the time to make it back up and I'm not going to graduate school or getting a job in this field, so it's not the end of the world. It just looks bad and annoys me to shit.
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On April 28 2012 06:59 Torte de Lini wrote:Show nested quote +On April 28 2012 06:52 TheToast wrote:On April 28 2012 06:41 Torte de Lini wrote:On April 28 2012 06:27 TheToast wrote:I failed a class once too. I had half a dozen complaints: my TA could barely speak english, half of lecture was filled with the professor's bullshit stories, the book was not easy to understand, etc. etc. But you know what? Had I actually put forward the effort I should've, I wouldn't have failed. A bad professor can make a class more difficult, and I have had some bad professors. But I've never met a professor who made it impossible to success with enough effort. Torte, we all know how much time you spend on TL and doing SC2 related stuff. I've been there, I remember how easy it was to get distracted and not spend the time I should on my studies; both with extra curicular activities and with my own stuff. And honestly, I'm not sure I regret it. GPA doesn't mean shit. Just make sure you don't risk screwing up so badly you don't graduate; beyond that enjoy your time in college. You're going to spend the next 40+ years working 8 hours a day, every day of the week. Do the fun stuff while you can.  See, that's not my issue at all. I put in the effort, my first paper is 11 pages. More does not mean more effort, but it says something at least. My second paper was new, different, but it was poorly drafted: I wrote it 2 weeks before presentation, 5 weeks before its actually due just so I can massively change it. She asked if I had a mental illness and so I rewrote a whole new topic in 4 days and she corrected it and told me the subject was okay a week before presentation and then on the presentation I got it back. I made modifications and I didn't want to rewrite a whole new topic/subject for the last few weeks of class because of other things we had to write for this class, etc. So I'm not sure where I had no effort, I was the most active in the class and the most comfortable talking about the theories. Really? I've written research papers in 8 hours the night before they were due and I've never been asked by a professor if I had a mental illness. And political science isn't that much different from the other social sciences (not including psyc in my definition of the social sciences, that's a real thing). I pretty much just wrote whatever bullshit for half my term papers and never got lower than a BC (basically a B-). If you didn't mess up the take home exam, the paper had to have been pretty low quality. I'd be interested to see the paper you wrote, if it doesn't have anything personal in it you should post it and let us see for ourselves. I've done that in CEGEP, in university: I write it weeks before because I enjoy the topic and I know my stuff. I've done a minor in political science, but didn't finish it; I hate it, but I got Cs in that (not very good, first semester/first year). If you want to see all my papers, I'd be happy to privately share it with you. They're long however. Which paper would you like to see? For note: I almost finished my psychology degree in CEGEP too, but made the switch last minute and got my sociology degree.
Well I think it would be more helpful if you posted a page or two here, the more feedback the better. But otherwise PM me the first few pages of the one she actually graded (just copy paste text is fine) I'll give you my honest feedback.
Though I don't see why you should be afraid to post them, based on the syllabus you posted I was already able to figure out where you go to school and who the professor is. More feedback is better to assess the nature of the situation (whether you were screwed or not) as well as potentially understand what you might do better next time.
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On April 28 2012 07:08 TheToast wrote:Show nested quote +On April 28 2012 06:59 Torte de Lini wrote:On April 28 2012 06:52 TheToast wrote:On April 28 2012 06:41 Torte de Lini wrote:On April 28 2012 06:27 TheToast wrote:I failed a class once too. I had half a dozen complaints: my TA could barely speak english, half of lecture was filled with the professor's bullshit stories, the book was not easy to understand, etc. etc. But you know what? Had I actually put forward the effort I should've, I wouldn't have failed. A bad professor can make a class more difficult, and I have had some bad professors. But I've never met a professor who made it impossible to success with enough effort. Torte, we all know how much time you spend on TL and doing SC2 related stuff. I've been there, I remember how easy it was to get distracted and not spend the time I should on my studies; both with extra curicular activities and with my own stuff. And honestly, I'm not sure I regret it. GPA doesn't mean shit. Just make sure you don't risk screwing up so badly you don't graduate; beyond that enjoy your time in college. You're going to spend the next 40+ years working 8 hours a day, every day of the week. Do the fun stuff while you can. See, that's not my issue at all. I put in the effort, my first paper is 11 pages. More does not mean more effort, but it says something at least. My second paper was new, different, but it was poorly drafted: I wrote it 2 weeks before presentation, 5 weeks before its actually due just so I can massively change it. She asked if I had a mental illness and so I rewrote a whole new topic in 4 days and she corrected it and told me the subject was okay a week before presentation and then on the presentation I got it back. I made modifications and I didn't want to rewrite a whole new topic/subject for the last few weeks of class because of other things we had to write for this class, etc. So I'm not sure where I had no effort, I was the most active in the class and the most comfortable talking about the theories. Really? I've written research papers in 8 hours the night before they were due and I've never been asked by a professor if I had a mental illness. And political science isn't that much different from the other social sciences (not including psyc in my definition of the social sciences, that's a real thing). I pretty much just wrote whatever bullshit for half my term papers and never got lower than a BC (basically a B-). If you didn't mess up the take home exam, the paper had to have been pretty low quality. I'd be interested to see the paper you wrote, if it doesn't have anything personal in it you should post it and let us see for ourselves. I've done that in CEGEP, in university: I write it weeks before because I enjoy the topic and I know my stuff. I've done a minor in political science, but didn't finish it; I hate it, but I got Cs in that (not very good, first semester/first year). If you want to see all my papers, I'd be happy to privately share it with you. They're long however. Which paper would you like to see? For note: I almost finished my psychology degree in CEGEP too, but made the switch last minute and got my sociology degree. Well I think it would be more helpful if you posted a page or two here, the more feedback the better. But otherwise PM me the first few pages of the one she actually graded (just copy paste text is fine) I'll give you my honest feedback. Though I don't see why you should be afraid to post them, based on the syllabus you posted I was already able to figure out where you go to school and who the professor is. More feedback is better to assess the nature of the situation (whether you were screwed or not) as well as potentially understand what you might do better next time.
The teacher is Yael Glick and my school is Concordia University. Doesn't really matter.
I'm not looking for feedback on my paper, I'm in a professional writing minor for that.
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United States4796 Posts
Good luck mate. Even in intellectual circles reason can sometimes be an elusive beast. Lots of love as usual, and I know you'll use this next year wisely. Cheers.
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On April 28 2012 07:16 DivinO wrote:
Good luck mate. Even in intellectual circles reason can sometimes be an elusive beast. Lots of love as usual, and I know you'll use this next year wisely. Cheers.
H'aw <3
We should talk more you have me on Steam T_T
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She asked if you have a mental illness? Im not one for complaining but this would piss me off. Perhaps go to the haed of the department but i would need info on the teacher before i can make that suggestion. (ie is she a newer teacher is she friendly with the head etc)
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On April 28 2012 07:44 iamperfection wrote:
She asked of you have a mental illness? Im not one for complaining but this would piss me off. Perhaps go to the haed of the department but i would need info on the teacher before i can make that suggestion. (ie is she a newer teacher is she friendly with the head etc)
My Sociology of Emotions teacher is not new, she is a professional therapist and has been teaching at Concordia University for several years ranging from 300-level classical sociological theory courses (mandator 6 credit course) to 400-level courses [such as the one I am in]. Complaints and compliments have been mixed about her but she encourages class discussion and often lends her subjects or topics off into these class discussions to exercise interest and participation in the class. She tells a lot of relevant stories and often circulates the debates back to the theorectical content that will be shown on the exams.
The exams are easy and revolving around choices of criticial questions to which you have 3 to 6 pages to write for each, for 30%. The papers are of the equivalent and very liberal in choices (sometimes even based upon anecdotes more than actual theory). In public, she is moderate, open-minded to generic subjects, so long as they agree with how she is thinking. Don't challenge what she is trying to implicit get the class to understand unless you can explain it adequately (even then, she still has a problem, but isn't verybal about it).
Does that give a clear indication? In private, she was terribly crude and blunt.
and I am going to see an advisor.
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I was a sceptic until I saw the grading system and that your professor was female. In my 23 courses in college thus far I've had 7 female professors, after being told to avoid them by my family (males and females) and friends (typically females actually), and every single one has been worse than the one before, as the course content becomes more difficult. 85-89 is an A? My mind just blew up. Sorry to hear you failed, but indeed judging by the blog combined with my presuppositions about female higher education teachers, I'd say you got the short straw.
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On April 28 2012 07:54 Game wrote:
I was a sceptic until I saw the grading system and that your professor was female. In my 23 courses in college thus far I've had 7 female professors, after being told to avoid them by my family (males and females) and friends (typically females actually), and every single one has been worse than the one before, as the course content becomes more difficult. 85-89 is an A? My mind just blew up. Sorry to hear you failed, but indeed judging by the blog combined with my presuppositions about female higher education teachers, I'd say you got the short straw.
I appreciate your sympathy and understanding, but I don't think this has anything to do with her being a female.
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I didn't mean to be offensive or clever with my first comment, you said I was very busy though doing both BarCraft, professional teams, LANs and events, managing my university club that was a serious suggestion. You seem like you're taking this well, so I didn't think you would take offense. Regardless, sorry if I offended, and sorry for the situation.
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On April 28 2012 08:05 KhAmun wrote:I didn't mean to be offensive or clever with my first comment, you said Show nested quote + I was very busy though doing both BarCraft, professional teams, LANs and events, managing my university club that was a serious suggestion. You seem like you're taking this well, so I didn't think you would take offense. Regardless, sorry if I offended, and sorry for the situation.
I'm not offended, no worries.
A lot of people joke about my post count, so I just assumed you were teasing innocently
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A couple of points that came to my mind
1. Syllabus is not the source of your failure to pass.
2. I take that a 400 level class would mean 4th year, so you're instructors are not there to hold your hand.
3. Did you ask other people in class for help at least?
4. Perhaps the reason your failed is because you might be a hermit and are socially illeterate so you couldn't pass a class about emotions (don't take it personally, it's just a farfetched idea).
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On April 28 2012 08:26 thoraxe wrote:
A couple of points that came to my mind
1. Syllabus is not the source of your failure to pass.
2. I take that a 400 level class would mean 4th year, so you're instructors are not there to hold your hand.
3. Did you ask other people in class for help at least?
4. Perhaps the reason your failed is because you might be a hermit and are socially illeterate so you couldn't pass a class about emotions (don't take it personally, it's just a farfetched idea).
1. A syllabus needs to be properly directed and with proper instructions as well as being given at the first class (as far as I recall)
2. 400-level is not 4 years because a university degree is typically 3-years. The instructor didn't hold my hand and you can read my efforts previously as well as where I lacked effort (in being proactive about my grade)
3. On what? I don't know what I passed or failed and I don't know what was good or bad.
4. That's a really farfetched idea. It's insulting actually and not even feasibly possible.
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This makes a lot more sense after going back and reading your other blog about the class.
I have occasionally had similar problems with talking in class. In Jr. High Philosophy discussions I remember telling the class at one point that I took their failure to rebut any of my arguments as evidence that they accepted them, only to be told by the teacher that it was more likely that no one had any idea what I was talking about. Looking back, I was an arrogant jerk. In college I tended to talk a great deal in the first two or three classes, and then less and less as the semseter wore on. Even though by that time I had learned to speak in a way that was generally appreciated by the professor and other students, I tended to dwell privately on my comments later, when I would inevitably find fault with them end up full of self-loathing, ashamed at both my ignorance and the arrogance that made me feel it necessary to inflict said ignorance on the rest of the class.
From your description of events I do think you have a pretty good chance of getting your grade changed upon appeal - Good luck.
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Even though by that time I had learned to speak in a way that was generally appreciated by the professor and other students, I tended to dwell privately on my comments later, when I would inevitably find fault with them end up full of self-loathing, ashamed at both my ignorance and the arrogance that made me feel it necessary to inflict said ignorance on the rest of the class.
That's me!
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The crappiest part of these stories, is usually the student only brings up the issue after the course has finished. When it's too late to do anything about it. You should have known you were failing weeks before, even months maybe. If the teacher was handing back assignments without a grade on it, my class would not have let that go. Would've gone straight to the Program coordinator, we got a shitty teacher fired before and got a new one that could actually teach. Failing classes suck, I been there. But I wouldn't blame it all on the teacher. 50/50 at the most. This is only an issue now because you failed... Don't know what to tell you. Be more responsible? Worked for me the 2nd time around.
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On April 28 2012 08:50 Spikeke wrote:
The crappiest part of these stories, is usually the student only brings up the issue after the course has finished. When it's too late to do anything about it. You should have known you were failing weeks before, even months maybe. If the teacher was handing back assignments without a grade on it, my class would not have let that go. Would've gone straight to the Program coordinator, we got a shitty teacher fired. Got a new one that could actually teach. Failing classes suck, I been there. But I wouldn't blame it all on the teacher. 50/50 at the most. This is only an issue now because you failed... Don't know what to tell you. Be more responsible? Worked for me the 2nd time around.
I don't want to complain about the teacher and her mistreating me while she is still deciding my grade. She can call me whatever she wants so long as her grading is fair or up to what I expected (yes, that is selfishly intended). I simply don't want to make a huge federal case in the middle of my final sociology year when I can just keep my head down, write what I need to write and just pass the class.
It's a problem I can tolerate if it means just being done with it. It no longer becomes tolerable if I have don't get an exit.
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Can't believe she asked if you're mentally handicapped or not.
That would really, really set me off. Especially since the stupid bitch can't even do a syllabus correctly.
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I was, literally, stunned when she asked and just "ok'd" it when she asked because I wanted to move on with the actual criticism of the paper.
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On April 28 2012 09:02 Torte de Lini wrote:
I was, literally, stunned when she asked and just "ok'd" it when she asked because I wanted to move on with the actual criticism of the paper.
You're a lot calmer than me, I would have lost my shit.
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EPT
