Wtf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Justin24

Justin24

Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Joined
Oct 14, 2005
Messages
6,716
Location
San Mateo
Ok I am taking Anthropology of Native America. When my midterm was returned I got a C. I told him if I could re-write it and he said that was fine. So I went back and finished writing 10 pages with more detail and facts. So he bumped my grade up to an 87% which is a B+/A- yeah I happy about that but then he fucking lectured me. This is What he wrote. Now you know my history of going through depression and attending high school for kids with learning differences.

hey justin, hmmm, ok. first, you're going to have to listen to me
counsel (read: bitch at, hehehe) you. but, i really want you to
consider these ideas; some of which i've already discussed with you.
justin, you're obviously a smart guy. however, i believe
that you might want to think about how you pursuing your higher
education. now, of course, i don't know all your circumstances and/or
options. maybe ur working for a private business that whats you to just
get a degree that serves them, your career goals, etc.. and they don't
really care how you perform in your elective courses (if so, ignore all
the rest). however, if ur working on your higher edu primarily on your
own, for your own reasons/plans/career goals, then you should listen and
consider the following.
your education should be your FIRST PRIORITY - that might mean
that making $$$ (read: your current employment, etal.) takes second
place in your life (as does socializing, friends, and even family for
now). it is very difficult to do well in higher edu and still try to
have the best of the rest of life! its a sacrifice for most of us, but
the rewards are well worth it. what i'm talking about for example is
always doing your very best and putting your best effort into your work.

its hard to relate these complex ideas in an email. so if
you'd like to discuss these, please let me know. understand, i'm not
criticizing you; just offering 'food for thought' - anyway, don't worry
if you don't respond to all this. i certainly will be fair with your
grading. but, also, note that i can't give you any more breaks.
this time i've changed your grade on quiz 1 to 87%. that
allows you to still earn an A if you work hard and do well on the rest
of your assignments.
take care and enjoy your Turkey-day holiday.
Click to expand...

I am paying for my own school with the money I make from work. I don't want my parents to help me out now, until I go to a 4 year college (I am at a community college) and my parents really don't have the money. After reading this my day of being happy went down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


:sad:
 
Everything in that e-mail is true and it could have been worded a lot harsher.

If you want to do well you have to put that work first, if you can write a HD essay as resubmission then there is no reason you can't do it off the bat; you just have to put the work in early.

Sometimes getting kicked in the arse with a shit grade is what it takes to get someones attention, don't sob like a victim, take up the damn challenge and show just how far you can go. I've never met a teacher that (overtly) took pride and joy in crushing peoples spirits.
 
A_Wanderer said:
Everything in that e-mail is true and it could have been worded a lot harsher.

If you want to do well you have to put that work first, if you can write a HD essay as resubmission then there is no reason you can't do it off the bat; you just have to put the work in early.

Sometimes getting kicked in the arse with a shit grade is what it takes to get someones attention, don't sob like a victim, take up the damn challenge and show just how far you can go. I've never met a teacher that (overtly) took pride and joy in crushing peoples spirits.
Click to expand...

When he gave me back the original essay questions I told him I understood where he was coming from and told him I will re-write it. I spent the entire week re-writing it. Some of us have to work to survive you know. I do work hard in my classes. All my other classes I have taken in previous semesters I got A's or B's in both my mid terms and finals.
 
Is that e-mail from a professor? If so, I don't think I'd waste time at a school with profs who can't compose an e-mail using even partially correct grammar. How can they expect you to to write properly when this is how they communicate?

That said, I guess I agree with what he is saying. You have to decide which is your priority. I also worked during school (which cost $25K per year b/c it was the best school in its class in the country, academically, but that's what I wanted). There were definitely times when my schoolwork suffered because I was working too much. Sometimes, I skipped class to pick up extra hours at work (and at our school, we had mostly seminar and not lecture, so attendance and participation was a large part of the grade). I just accepted that as the way it would have to be. I had to work to pay my rent and buy my food and school books. No work meant no school and living in my parent's basement. Sometimes it meant I turned in a paper that I knew wasn't my best or missed a lot of sleep to catch up on homework. For some of us, juggling work and school is just the way it has to be.

Just smile and nod and be grateful he let you re-submit the essay for more points. You win some, you lose some.
 
Yes that is the email he sent I copied and pasted it from the email.
 
Mr. BAW said:
"I can't give you anymore breaks" sounds like this hasn't been your first interaction...time to step up and get with it...
Click to expand...

Umm he never gave me any breaks before. When I got the paper back the first time I went up to him and said I wanted to rewrite the paper and see if I can get my grade up.
 
Justin, I think you might have misinterpreted his e-mail so that to you, it sounded more harshly than he intended it. I think what he's trying to say is, you expressed to him that you wanted another chance to resubmit your work to get a higher mark - so, if you really are that concerned about getting high marks as opposed to just getting the course credit with a pass, then perhaps you'll need to make school your main focus. I think the e-mail falls under the realm of friendly advice, as opposed to criticism.

And, like others, I was appalled at the spelling, grammar, and the netspeak (ur - ugh, I hate that, it's two extra keystrokes to say your, don't be so lazy).

I think the break he's referring to is allowing you to resubmit this paper. Maybe he generally has a policy against doing so, but he made an exception for you?

Kudos to you for going back to school, and good luck. :)
 
Last edited:
I think by "no more breaks" he meant "no more re-writes." Essentially: this is the only paper that you will get a re-write on.

The only thing that seemed slightly off about his e-mail is that he doesn't seem to realize that "making $$$" for you is going towards necessities and school.

Other than that, I agree with everything he said, except the part where he said "whats" instead of "wants," because that's probably what he meant. Wow, what horrible typing.
 
I am cooled off now and I see where your coming from. At the beginning of the semester he said we are allowed to re-write papers to get a higher grade if the original was marked low.
 
Hmm...then I'd ask him what he meant by "no more breaks" if you don't know what breaks he's given you. He's offered to talk to you about it more, so I'd take him up on that if you have some questions or want some clarification.
 
Justin your prof is full of crap mate.

i have 2 kids (one has austim)
i work a full time and have 2 casual jobs
yet i have completed a degree and 2 post grads.
You can do anything you want to . :hug: :hug:

If a prof wrote to me with horrific grammar like that i would report it.
 
Be very thankful you actually got the chance to rewrite in the first place.

I've never had a prof who would allow that. It's actually unfair to everyone else in the class who did the work they were asked to within the deadline provided.
 
It sounds like this professor is concerned about and believes in you. Like the others said, take what he said as constructive criticism and step up to the challenge.
 
Justin24 said:


Some of us have to work to survive you know. I do work hard in my classes. All my other classes I have taken in previous semesters I got A's or B's in both my mid terms and finals.
Click to expand...
Justin, he's not your professor for your other classes, he's your professor for this class. He wrote you an email because he wants to help you out.

You fucked up one quiz and he gave you a second chance and you did well. I don't see how this email should bother you? Shit grammar, yes, but he obviously cares about your academic career enough to write you. 90% of professors I've had wouldn't even learn your name, forget about sending you personal email.

Don't take it personally. Learning to take helpful criticism/advice is a life skill.
 
VintagePunk said:
(ur - ugh, I hate that, it's two extra keystrokes to say your, don't be so lazy).

Click to expand...

But still grammatically incorrect. ;)

I would agree that the advice was well meant, but the writing was very poor and it shouldn't be news to him that some need to earn some money besides studying.
 
phillyfan26 said:
Hmm...then I'd ask him what he meant by "no more breaks" if you don't know what breaks he's given you. He's offered to talk to you about it more, so I'd take him up on that if you have some questions or want some clarification.
Click to expand...

Maybe what he meant by "no more breaks" is that one break is enough. :shrug: It does not necessarily suggest that he has received more than one break this year.

Justin, if your teacher is telling you all this, you had best heed his warning. Buckle down and focus on what you came to college to do; (hopefully :wink: ) succeed academically...even if that means swallowing your pride and asking your parents for help.

Just my two cents.
 
DaveC said:
Be very thankful you actually got the chance to rewrite in the first place.

I've never had a prof who would allow that. It's actually unfair to everyone else in the class who did the work they were asked to within the deadline provided.
Click to expand...
As Stated before he said he allows rewrites in the class so students could improve their work. I admit the first time should have been the trick and when I spoke with him about the grade I said I would like to rewrite the paper and worked extra hard on the rewrite and double the number of pages I turned in but from what it sounds like in the email it still was not enough even though extra detail and effort was made.
 
If it's not enough for him, then I'd let it go. It's his opinions that count and there's probably not much you can do to change it.

One way college was different than high school (at least for me) is that you don't get good marks just for doing what is required. If you want A's you really have to come up with some brand new shit and impress the profs, go way above and beyond. If you simply do what is asked, you get a C because that's where you start from. Again, maybe it's different elsewhere, but that was my experience the entire way through.

If you don't get A's in everything, don't sweat it, really. I applied for about 50 different jobs right out of college and not a single employer ever asked to see my grades or my transcript (besides one which was working for a government and they had to see a transcript for part of a background check). At my school, we had to get B+ or better in every class that was part of my major or it had to be re-taken/didn't count towards your program. The employers assumed that if I got the degree, then I already met the college's requirements. It's the degree and the relative experience you gain while earning the degree that count.

Anyway, my point is that unless you are going for honors or named scholarships, there's no reason to get all worked up about one or two bad grades in one class. It's not worth the stress. Learn from the mistake and do it better next time. Send the prof and e-mail just stating your circumstances and leave it at that. I had to do that once b/c my friend/ex-roommate died and I had a huge history exam the next day. I went and took the exam and at the top I just left a note saying that I did not expect any favors, but if he wondered why this writing was terrible in comparison to the other grades I got in the class, it was because my friend died. I didn't hear back from him and I don't know if that affected my grade or not, nor do I really care. Some things ARE more important than a single grade on a single exam/paper and we just vow to do a little better next time to make up the difference.
 
Ah, lecturing e-mails from professors.

Last year I had to take my roommate to the emergency room because she had the Norovirus and was dehydrated, so I e-mailed my professors saying I wouldn't be in class for said reason, and I made the mistake of using "hopefully" incorrectly. One of my professors wrote back lecturing me on my grammar rather than being concerned about the health of my roomie or myself. Not to mention that since I was rushing off to the ER I wasn't exactly concerned about my grammar :rolleyes:

He was a jerk...and I had him for 2 classes MWF. Man I was glad when that semester was over.
 
- A professor should model the behavior/ writing ability that he expects from his students.
- If he has said he allows re-writes, it should not be considered "giving you a break" or cutting you slack.
- How you spend your time outside of class is none of his business.
- That being said, it's pretty inconsiderate of him not to know that some students have NO CHOICE but to work while going through school.
-If it were me, I'd spend the rest of the semester working my ASS off to prove that I could do it but I'm a compulsive "pleaser". (no puns please)
-Good luck, and hopefully the semester's almost over for you and you won't have to deal with him for too much longer.
 
Justin24 said:

As Stated before he said he allows rewrites in the class so students could improve their work. I admit the first time should have been the trick and when I spoke with him about the grade I said I would like to rewrite the paper and worked extra hard on the rewrite and double the number of pages I turned in but from what it sounds like in the email it still was not enough even though extra detail and effort was made.
Click to expand...
He should grade on a curve on resubmissions, it's nothing personal, if one student with a crappy mark can bring it back and boost it why shouldn't a 90% student resubmit for a 100%?
 
A_Wanderer said:
I've never met a teacher that (overtly) took pride and joy in crushing peoples spirits.
Click to expand...

:lmao: you've obviously not met my current professor.



Liesje said:
Is that e-mail from a professor? If so, I don't think I'd waste time at a school with profs who can't compose an e-mail using even partially correct grammar. How can they expect you to to write properly when this is how they communicate?
Click to expand...

I have to agree here. When I started reading that email I started thinking it was a fellow student of yours. I've never seen a teacher/professor, etc. write an email that......laid back, I suppose?

Now my reaction I think was a bit harsh at first, or how I was going to react like everyone else saying to buck up, etc. Which everyone else has a point too, but I think because we've all been through this before we forget that you are just starting out and maybe the lighter way or more understanding way of responding to you would have been to 1. tell you we've all been through this before with teachers and professors and that rather than discourage you, find a way to make it push you to work that much harder the next time on the first try; and 2. you're going to come across a HUGE variety of teachers and professors. Some will be very clear on what they want and others will turn you around and upside down before you know what they're actually looking for.

I've done the community college thing too and I've done the big university. For now I'm back at the community college, then back to the university to finish my Bachelors in Nursing, and you have to realize that the teachers are going to be different from a community college to a university. Whereas it was really nice of your teacher to give you another shot at this, I'm not sure how many 4 year professor's would do that.

It's hard to hear, I know, but everyone is right in saying that this is how school goes. I don't think it really has to do so much with what kind of a highschool you came from as much as it has to do with your transition from highschool to college. And yeah....we've all been there with the work thing and managing time too....and yeah....it sucks.

Hang in there, it'll get better. :hug: it'll get more stressful and harder at times, but it'll get better in the sense you'll learn to manage your time and study habits better too.



mysterious_jen said:
Justin
You can do anything you want to . :hug: :hug:
Click to expand...

^ that is some of the BEST advice you can remind yourself of everyday. Jen said it all right there, she's absolutely right.
:hi5:
 
Last edited:
Justin24 said:
hey justin, hmmm, ok. first, you're going to have to listen to me
counsel (read: bitch at, hehehe) you. but, i really want you to
consider these ideas; some of which i've already discussed with you.
justin, you're obviously a smart guy. however, i believe
that you might want to think about how you pursuing your higher
education. now, of course, i don't know all your circumstances and/or
options. maybe ur working for a private business that whats you to just
get a degree that serves them, your career goals, etc.. and they don't
really care how you perform in your elective courses (if so, ignore all
the rest). however, if ur working on your higher edu primarily on your
own, for your own reasons/plans/career goals, then you should listen and
consider the following.
your education should be your FIRST PRIORITY - that might mean
that making $$$ (read: your current employment, etal.) takes second
place in your life (as does socializing, friends, and even family for
now). it is very difficult to do well in higher edu and still try to
have the best of the rest of life! its a sacrifice for most of us, but
the rewards are well worth it. what i'm talking about for example is
always doing your very best and putting your best effort into your work.

its hard to relate these complex ideas in an email. so if
you'd like to discuss these, please let me know. understand, i'm not
criticizing you; just offering 'food for thought' - anyway, don't worry
if you don't respond to all this. i certainly will be fair with your
grading. but, also, note that i can't give you any more breaks.
this time i've changed your grade on quiz 1 to 87%. that
allows you to still earn an A if you work hard and do well on the rest
of your assignments.
take care and enjoy your Turkey-day holiday.
Click to expand...

Professor,

Thank you for your valuable feedback. Now, if you would, allow me to retort,

Sentences should always begin with a capital letter, as should proper names. A comma should always separate a greeting, say something slang like "hey," and the addressee, which you will remember, if being a proper name, should be capitalized. When speaking in public it is suggested we refrain from using non-words, such as "um," "hm" or "ok", or from repeating little phrases over and over, "like," "you know" or "know what I mean?" Such phrases serve as a distraction and a deterrent for the listener. This is also true in writing; however, in writing it is much easier to avoid using such phrases, because instead of the phrase being born from a self conscious reflex, you are physically taking the time to write it - and more importantly, you are given the opportunity to go back and remove it. Also, sentences require a verb in order to be sentences. A sentence without a verb is a phrase, and as thus requires a verb to become a sentence, which would then become a complete thought that is then, and only then, ready to be ended with a period.

That being said, I think you can see why I find it hard to take your email seriously. However, if I was not clear, perhaps we can continue rereading your email where we left off, at word number five, and I will see if I can't explain myself better. If this would proove beneficial, please let me know and I'd happily comply.

kthxbai!

Justin24


PS: My favorite part was when you said "your education should be your FIRST PRIORITY" and then just a few lines later you stated, "its hard to relate these complex ideas in an email." That made me chuckle. lol. - J.
 
I also love the mention of not knowing circumstances yet completely ignoring the most obvious one: he can only pay for school by working.
 
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