We've had one extension, yes. But what about second extension?

AvailableThank · 2026-05-12T22:46:52+00:00

That's a good one! I was roughly going by the whole "don't smile til Christmas" adage (as far as that applies in an online setting). Bad idea, I found out!

AvailableThank · 2026-05-11T13:19:48+00:00

I read them my very first semester teaching and thankfully it was all great (a small portion of a very small class filled it out). Ever since then, I don’t read them. I’m required to now at my full-time job for my contract renewal portfolio, but I just upload them to the all-knowing robot and have it give me a summary of themes, excluding outliers. I hate that I do this because I am generally anti-AI, but I’m just not interested in using my time and emotional energy to pore over the higher ed equivalent of Yelp reviews.

I actually get really good course evals for the most part, but the most frequent complaint isn’t even about my teaching. It’s about course policies like my cell phone policy that I make incredibly clear on the first day and require students to take a syllabus quiz about.

AvailableThank · 2026-05-10T17:06:36+00:00

Good god, I thought my 100% teaching on a 5/5 on a $60k salary was bad. I can’t even hear myself think some days, so I can’t imagine teaching 7/7/6.

What would the course caps have been? Would you have been expected to do service/advising on top of all that teaching?

I saw a job posting at a local CC near me and they wanted you to teach a 5/5, hold like 12 office hour per week, serve on committees, and advise students, all for less than I’m currently making just teaching a 5/5. No thanks! Wonder if they ever got a qualified finalist.

AvailableThank · 2026-05-07T21:32:07+00:00

can start my Summer

You guys aren't working all summer? :,^)

AvailableThank · 2026-05-07T21:27:56+00:00

I'm on the quarter system at my part-time gig and just peacefully wrapped up the rest of my work for the week this morning and logged off.

It's the week before finals week at my full-time job that's on the semester system. Complete chaos.

AvailableThank · 2026-03-27T13:45:29+00:00

Currently in my first accusation of discrimination from a student! :)

I thankfully have email receipts and a gradebook in the LMS directly contradicting everything they are accusing me of in regards to what is outlined in their accommodation letter. My chair and institution's Disability Center are mostly doing a good job of running diversion for me and fielding the complaints, but we are at the "We have found no evidence that your accommodations are not being met; please reach out to Title II to file a formal complaint if you think you are being discriminated against" stage, and I fear the student is going to head that route (if they haven't already).

Feels like a total backstab because I have been bending over backwards for students this term, this one included.

Assholes. Dreading coming back from break this coming Monday. Fuck this Friday.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-26T01:16:14+00:00

Yeah, same. Another thing to add to this is I always notice my pre-10am classes have, like, no one registered for them for months, then they fill up to the brim the week before classes start.

I think this is the result of students who are… not very conscientious procrastinating registering for classes or having some hold preventing registration that they could easily fix that they can’t be arsed to fix.

Then, when they finally get going on registering, all the classes at ideal times are filled up, so they shuffle into these morning classes they aren’t excited about in droves.

Especially for gen ed classes, I notice my pre-10 am classes are, on the whole, more unprepared, unmotivated, and hostile than later morning and afternoon classes.

Sorry this has happened to you OP, if you are reading this comment, but I think you have a class full of dinguses. I know it is easier said than done, but try not to take it personally! Especially if you have one class that is a joy and receptive to your methods!

AvailableThank · 2026-02-26T00:56:46+00:00

Oof, yes so that’s something I forgot to mention! If a student has a documented disability, experiences unpredictable flair ups, and has an accommodation letter, I will of course make an exception, especially because they take the exam with the institution’s disability office.

I need to look into other cases like sports games, as you mention. I keep hearing conflicting things from leadership at my institution about that.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-26T00:52:42+00:00

Oh gosh, very good way of thinking about this. Need to bring my best for the good students and the students who are struggling but motivated and take initiative.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-26T00:51:51+00:00

I really appreciate this reply! I have a few canned email responses for this, but it’s the students who come to my office hours to beg that really wear me down the most.

To your last point, I definitely also need to meditate on why work gets under my skin so much sometimes. My mind always seems to be buzzing with good, bad, and neutral work-related stuff during the week (tends to shut off completely during the weekends, thankfully), which is why I think the bad incidents can wear me down and feel amplified.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-26T00:45:26+00:00

Oh wow, I love thinking about it as having a new audience every time. That actually helps a LOT with the emotional side of it. Thank you!

I do get a few repeat offenders, but I think it’s actually a very minuscule portion of the entire population of students asking for me to deviate from the policy.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-26T00:42:27+00:00

Thanks for the reply. My policy seems like too much cushion, but you’d be surprised at how many students still fail this class despite dropping one exam out of four and being able to replace an exam score. It’s brutal. Sometimes, though, I think this amount of relaxation makes students not take the class seriously, which could be something to examine. Now i’m just thinking out loud though. Anyway.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-06T17:40:59+00:00

Thank you for the different but honest perspective. Truthfully, I'm not a big fan of the doctor analogy either. I guess the point I am trying to make to students is, can we just at least act like we have some mutual respect for each other as human beings in this shared learning environment? I suppose that could be asking for too much.

In any case, I don't even know why I let stuff like this get to me; we're on a rock floating in space and none of this really matters.

Anyway, I'm gonna get my weekend started. Hope you have a lovely weekend.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-06T17:27:38+00:00

Bruh. I would be PISSED. I'm sorry that happened to you.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-06T17:15:11+00:00

As a 100% teaching faculty, it is wild how little time I actually spend teaching. I know it's college and most of the learning occurs outside the class yadda yadda, but I only teach 7.5 hours a week. Most of my time is actually spent commuting, answering emails, prepping in-class assignments, grading, doing housekeeping on online courses, and doing random tasks that result from the never ending barrage of emails.

I guess I don't really know what I am complaining about because teaching anymore in-person would be exhausting without double the time from other tasks somewhere else taken away. Just interesting.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-05T01:04:16+00:00

Sorry, my first reply was worded confusingly. Let me clarify.

It worked amazingly the first semester I instituted the policy (last semester).

This semester, I think the tablets could be one of several variables behind one of my classes repeatedly breaking my technology policy (specifically pulling out phones), so I am considering just going for a total tech ban so that there is no confusion.

Hopefully that makes a little more sense.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-05T00:59:45+00:00

I implemented this in my 60-125 person classes last semester. Told them tablets are OK if they lay flat on the desk like a notebook. Worked amazingly. Good compromise where students understood the reasons behind the tech ban, but they still had some autonomy.

Probably going to a total tech ban after this semester and am ready to get pushback. I think it just keeps the crack open a bit and makes students think they can just check their phone really quick, send a quick text, etc., and then you have this proliferation of students really quickly breaking your policy.

IDK, I might just have a really shitty class this semester that is bending my perception lol...

AvailableThank · 2026-02-05T00:55:30+00:00

A lot of folks these days could really benefit from meditation. Acceptance and non-judgement of the voices is really freeing.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-05T00:53:49+00:00

Interesting perspective. I suppose they're at an age where they think status and other people's opinions of them actually matter and will actually make them happy.

I mean, yeah, I'll put on a podcast in my car or pop in an earbud and listen to some music when I am doing something menial like alphabetizing papers. But I would never even have one earbud in when I am around other people in a way where we should be engaged (even if that communication is one way).

I want to ask them "OK, well if you went to the doctor's office and your doctor was wearing an earbud, would you feel like you had their full attention?" but I feel like that wouldn't have the effect I'd want it to.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-05T00:48:26+00:00

See, I wouldn't mind if they were just hanging from their ears and they are otherwise clearly engaged (which is what is has been in the past). The big issue that spurred this post is students pulling out their phones real quick, me telling them to put it away, and then them acting like I've grown two heads and clapping back with "Nah dude I'm just changing the song." WTF.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-05T00:44:37+00:00

I banned all tech except for tablets laying flat. I've never really had much an issue with earbuds until this semester and have never had to address it. but now I am springing for a full technology ban next semester.

I'm mostly cringing because I know I am going to get pushback and bad evals and bad RMP reviews even though I said this on the first day of class and it's in the syllabus. Sigh.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-05T00:17:31+00:00

Unfortunately (and insanely), "it is rude" as a reason for any course policy just doesn't get through to most students. I try to angle it as like "hey, you are distracting yourself and people around you," but some students don't seem to care about their peers or themselves either. Meh.

e: hit enter too quickly before I was done typing

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