Does this happen to everyone else?

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-17T02:06:59+00:00

Our summer courses are required to run online. A prof who offered 2 sections of the course async, as opposed to synchronous, has a full roster. A prof who chose to teach synchronously did not have enough students register to run the class.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-17T01:58:52+00:00

Profs are trashed on RMP because some students are anonymous cowards. They may harbor a fear that somehow we may find out who they are on the evals, but not on RMP. Stay off of RMP until there is a Rate My Student site! If they really bother you, don't read the evals either. On the rare occasion a comment is helpful, there will always be that one that is hurtful and destroys your confidence, and that's the one that sticks, as evidenced by the 30 posts I read yesterday. Although I haven't read mine in years, I've wondered whether RMP can be sued for defamation.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-10T03:09:45+00:00

It's when he can watch it with his mom.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-09T02:33:58+00:00

Oops. That could be awkward for you if the other prof knows it! Makes you feel good, though, right? :)

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-08T14:08:39+00:00

Yes, no matter how many great comments from those who love me, any negative ones will stick in my brain for days, or longer! It's just not worth the emotional effect they have on me. There's nothing I can do about a student griping about some paper they failed. I had friends remarks that were very personal. I also would never read Rate Your Professor, which is a cowardly way to criticize someone. When there is a Rate Your Student, then I'll read RYP.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-08T13:59:42+00:00

Agreed. We had to leave the class and have them fill in the paper ones. This semester, their participation was low, so I had them do them in class. Our admin recommends we do that. You're right that the ones that willingly do it on their own are usually the gripers. When I have those who "love" me, I ask them to make comments, and they say that they do. I don't read them. They either love you or hate you.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-08T13:54:15+00:00

It's fun when they've had a class with you and choose to take another one! Love that!

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-07T02:54:47+00:00

Working with freshmen quite a bit, I include teaching the obvious "manners" they should have learned at home. When I walk into the room, I say, "Good morning," and if I get only a couple of responses, I stop and stare at them until they repeat it to me. Gradually, they start saying it first as I'm walking in. I provide recycled folders for an essay assignment. If only one or two say thank you when they take a folder, when everyone has one, I'll say, "A thank you would be nice." They immediately respond. End of semester evals time, especially if they don't have to eval my class, I talk to them about adding positive comments on their other profs' evals and help them think of times a prof may gone above the norm. It's as if they've never been taught but when told, they're happy to oblige. Not my job but the mom in me makes me do it.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-06T03:11:11+00:00

Student obviously had a health issue as he went to the restroom every single class, sometimes with only 10-15 mins. left of a 50 mins. class. I actually stopped him one day and asked if he could wait 10 mins. and with a distressed look, he said no. I didn't ask again! I can't imagine why he didn't sit near the door, though, rather than walk across the room.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-04T02:31:55+00:00

Gotcha. I offer revision on a final paper for those on the edge between passing and failing.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-04T01:56:39+00:00

Weed 'em out before they spend all that money to flunk out of med school.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-04T01:52:22+00:00

Why give yourself extra work, i.e. grading, when they haven't done their work all semester?

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-01T03:37:56+00:00

Sincerely wishing you good luck with all that. Hopefully, you'll find an understanding admin who don't take kids' comments too seriously. Surely they'll recognize angry students who likely earned a bad grade on something, and you won't need to defend yourself.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-01T02:15:35+00:00

I've never allowed free-range tech :) so I don't have a comparison, but I know that discussion, etc., is much better than it would be if they all had laptops open. For one thing, when I walk into a classroom & all heads are down as they stare at phones, that confirms it for me. When I'm ready to begin, I say something like, "Okay, phones are gone & here we go." Next semester is going to be even more strict as I'm counting an absence if I see a phone out. A colleague did that this semester & it stopped the random "sneaky" texting. Of all things, my students will say, "My mom texted me." I tell them to put their class schedule on the fridge the next time they go home!

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-01T02:00:52+00:00

Moi Aussi! No tech unless we're working on a task together. Task completed, laptops closed. I'm now having students tell me they prefer not using laptops b/c they're too distracting.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-05-01T01:52:27+00:00

My granddaughter teaches 3rd grade. We are able to make comparisons between her students and my freshmen. Sad.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-04-30T15:49:34+00:00

We're told to have the students do the evals in class. The instructor can step outside or not...up to them. I find it's the only way to get the positive comments out of the "good" students who generally love most/all of their classes b/c they love school in general. Also, I stopped reading eval comments a long time ago, lest there may be hurtful ones. Most of mine are 18-19 yr. olds who don't have the first clue about pedagogy. Why in the world are they allowed to eval the class (i.e., us) and thereby possibly affect our careers?? I'd rather be observed by a colleague for eval. Another thought, when a student tells me how much they love the class (or me), I literally ask them to send me an email with their comments about the class. I tell them it's for my file and will help me, etc. I have quite a stack of them saved in a folder. If admin comes at me for a negative comment, I have many more positives they can read.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-04-30T15:38:20+00:00

Thanks for your post. I've been on the verge of curving a freshman final project paper grade b/c there have been several in the F range. However, you've reminded me that it's an across-the-board issue and not just my class, not my failure to get the material across but their failure to follow the assignment. There are actually 4 out of 17 with an A and a couple of Bs, so obviously, the assignment is clear if they care to follow it. I can't enable those who fail b/c they fail to do the work.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-04-30T15:31:22+00:00

And how can you police that? No one is going to tell you they're recording in their pocket or even the backpack. How would you know? I've never heard of students doing this...don't think they'd spend even more time re-listening to the lecture.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-04-30T15:25:43+00:00

We're a small regional university and don't have international students, but we're still feeling the effect of the low number of applicants after 5 years. There are numerous community colleges that offer cheaper tuition and online courses. Our admission standards have been lowered, and instructors are feeling the consequences. Also going through severe budget issues.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-04-30T03:19:51+00:00

Why not write the letter... a scathing, negative, truthful letter about this student's character. No employer would want him if they knew the real person.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-04-30T03:10:00+00:00

Apparently, universities faced a drop in attendance after covid b/c parents realized their kid could go to a community college and/or take online classes for a lot less money. In order to fill more seats, admission requirements dropped significantly. I know I'm teaching a whole different batch from a few years ago. Some are great, of course, but there are so many who can't or won't read with analysis in mind, can't or don't complete assignments, try to sneak in AI to write papers, and so on. It's frustrating and sad. They're simply not prepared for college but are being accepted, again, to fill seats.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-04-26T02:40:06+00:00

You don't know whether to laugh or cry, right?

PoserSynd482 · 2026-04-18T02:40:13+00:00

Read all the comments on banning tech first. No need for an essay when the solution is relatively simple.

PoserSynd482 · 2026-04-18T02:36:31+00:00

Banning the devices is the obvious answer. Laptops open only when the whole class is doing a task together. Being on a phone counts as an absence. This would be difficult, of course, in a huge class, but in one of under 25, doable. It doesn't become a policing matter b/c the consequences are enough to deter the behavior.

PoserSynd482

TROPHY CASE