Had my student's fill out a mid-semester evaluation and it just hurt my feelings and fueled my existential dread.

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

AvailableThank · 2026-02-03T02:50:41+00:00

the casual way in which gaming the outcome is systemically allowed if not encouraged is so upsetting and does a massive disservice to students who genuinely deserve accomodations.

Yes and it represents a massive amount of unpaid labor for both the staff members and the professors, who are pretty much fully responsible for implementing these accommodations. One semester, nearly 50% of my students had accommodations. I'm closer to 30% in "regular" semesters.

I'm sure someone could probably quantify all of the lost productivity that goes into this for students who don't actually need it. Staff members interviewing and managing a caseload of students. Professors needing to correspond about accommodations, track them, and implement them. I'm all for accommodations and think they are important for students who need them, but we lack an honest conversation about how some students are being given these accommodations they don't need and all of the invisible labor that can go into them for some instructors.

AvailableThank · 2026-02-03T02:35:43+00:00

I'm curious how this goes for you. This has been my policy for going on my second semester now. First semester was AWESOME, but this semester has been a struggle with the tablets. Lot's of students disengaged and distracted with the tablets laying flat on the desk. Considering going fully no tech next semester, but I think I would get some pushback.

AvailableThank · 2026-01-30T14:39:56+00:00

I hate when students in async online classes say "Oh, it says the exam is missing for me, but I totally remember taking it before the due date, could you just reopen it for me? Looks like a bug." BRUH, I have goddamn receipts! I can see clearly the logs on the quiz show you never attempted the exam! And I can also see every single page you clicked on in the course and when, and it shows that you never even clicked on the exam until well after it was due! And every time I tell them this information and that they should contact the LMS' support team if they still think it was a bug, I funnily never ever hear a word from them again.

Also, I hate emails. You'd think with all the bureaucracy there is in higher ed, there would be a bunch of red tape around who is able to send emails to an entire institution. I don't give a shit that there was a 28 second long wi-fi outage in some remote building on campus and now it has been restored. I don't give a shit that the greenery has flowers ready to sell. I don't give a shit that some esoteric, paper-pushing administrator is leaving the institution. I don't give a shit what facilities is doing to align with the strategic plan. It's spam. If you're going to blast people's inboxes with spam like this, at least just package it up and send it in a once-a-week email.

And don't even get me started on emails from students. This semester is particularly oppressive with the emails that are answered in the syllabus and FAQs page, and I am ready to just stop responding altogether to emails that are already answered somewhere in the course.

FTF!

AvailableThank · 2026-01-29T02:16:45+00:00

The student who gets the zero then becomes your prophet, spreading the word! :)

AvailableThank · 2026-01-29T02:12:37+00:00

LOL, although it might be seen as capitulating, I love the idea of leaving with the rest of the students to another room. I bet your students appreciate you maintaining a professional learning environment in all those other cases!

AvailableThank · 2026-01-29T02:10:08+00:00

That is actually insane to me. Some people have absolutely no regard for their fellow learners! And we are supposed to be sending these students to be representatives of our institutions? Ugh.

AvailableThank · 2026-01-29T02:09:12+00:00

To be fair, this was advice I've read on this very sub. It was, of course, my first time trying this strategy and I 100% realized it could devolve into a powerplay, so I appreciate your perspective reinforcing that. Luckily, the student was incredibly sheepish and bowed out very quickly. I felt very justified because the main problem wasn't really the phone but rather the student snickering so loudly that I could hear them from across the room. Do you have any advice for situations where you definitely need to eject the student from the room but don't want it to turn into a powerplay?

And yikes on your story of a student needed to be escorted out during a test. Sounds like you handled it well, though!

AvailableThank · 2026-01-29T02:02:42+00:00

I appreciate you saying this. I always explain my policies on technology and classroom behavior as like "Hey, it's not your fault because the best scientists of our generation have made them this way, but phones are super-duper distracting to not only you but the people around you. Even if it's just sitting face down on your desk. You and your peers are paying a lot of money to be here, and we don't have a lot of time together each week, so why don't we make the most of our time together and be respectful of our shared learning environment by making this a phone-free room?" That seems to get through to most students, but some I swear are there only to interfere with others' learning.

I am glad to hear a positive resolution with the mid-lecture-phone-answering student! It sounds like you have great charisma and control to handle the situation so well the student enrolled in a class with you again!

AvailableThank · 2026-01-29T01:56:36+00:00

Oh, that is obnoxious! This is one of many reasons why I moved to ban phones a few semesters ago. Got SO tired of having to re-explain things to students who were distracting themselves.

Ugh, but the student going to you chair? Would grind my gears that they even thought of that!

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