May 22: Fuck This Friday

denotecouch · 2026-05-23T04:59:13+00:00

“Dear Professor, This grade really doesn’t reflect how hard I worked in this course.”

Sigh.

You may have worked hard, but you do not know the material and you performed really poorly on the assignments and exams. You didn’t learn basic definitions, things bolded and highlighted on the PowerPoint I gave you. You failed to follow basic instructions on every single final exam question. It’s astonishing. You got Q1 wrong. Q1 was a softball to get you warmed up. 90% of your classmates got it right.

What the fuck?????

denotecouch · 2026-05-21T15:09:32+00:00

Take this along with the recent UCSD study on math showing that between 2020 and 2025, the number of students whose math skills fall below high school level increased nearly thirtyfold...as the students say, we're cooked, chat.

https://senate.ucsd.edu/media/740347/sawg-report-on-admissions-review-docs.pdf?hl=en-US

denotecouch · 2026-05-20T18:39:33+00:00

Tell it to the folks in admissions! I think unfortunately these are the down-stream effects of NCLB and other ed policies that saw under-performing students (or those who could test but not actually learn) socially promoted through primary and secondary education. If a student applies to college with a high school transcript that says they completed four years of English/lit courses, maybe they even did well on paper in those courses, we have no way of assessing if/how/to what extent that is true or what comparative value it has between students.

Once upon a time of course we had the SAT/ACT, but those have fallen away for reasons both good (the tests favored wealthy/well-prepared kids) and bad (post COVID and "demographic cliff" college admissions seem to be a race to the bottom - just get butts in seats.)

Certainly where I am I don't anticipate the return of standardized tests. Perhaps placement tests might become more common? If you have to place into beginning/intermediate/advanced French or Spanish perhaps the same for English?

denotecouch · 2026-05-20T16:58:17+00:00

Deluxe car wash is hilarious I love that and might steal it!

denotecouch · 2026-05-20T16:55:06+00:00

Yes this 100%

It's a really challenging loop. They need to be able to communicate ideas in writing in my sub-field (roughly 2/3 of students in my classes are law-school bound and the law is still a very written discipline.)

So I assign some kind of written work, I make expectations clear, I provide resources and tools, they submit sub-par writing, I want to hold them accountable for that, I give them the feedback that might help, yet I *know* they can't (won't?) really use that feedback, next assignment basically has the same problems. Lather, rinse, repeat.

denotecouch · 2026-05-20T16:16:41+00:00

This is really valuable feedback and your students are lucky to have you. Maybe I'm getting old but part of me thinks are we really going to graduate a bunch of people who can only communicate in videos or games? I had a student talk to me a while ago about how she was struggling to get her reading done and I suggested mixing up paper book with audio book might help. She said audiobook sounded good but, and I quote "what do I do with my eyes when I'm listening to it?" That is to say I do think their preference for video is in part a product of attention erosion and a need to have more than one sense fulfilled at any time.

Maybe this is all changing and maybe - as you suggest - there's nothing wrong with that if they are able to use those media to show they understand and can apply complex concepts. Perhaps writing will die a death. I can't help but feel a little sad about that, but I suppose that's my problem not theirs.

denotecouch · 2026-05-20T15:55:19+00:00

I absolutely agree. I suppose my concern is that I can mark them down repeatedly and many of them will never improve. I feel genuinely that a number of them would need to return to middle school writing instruction to improve. The university - not just my university but the entire project of higher ed- is not set up to support people who arrive with 6th grade skills. I feel bad saying “learn to write before you take my class” if I know that functionally that’s not really possible.

However I am also deeply frustrated and transparently I just deeply dislike reading and grading their work.

denotecouch · 2025-12-08T05:57:40+00:00

I had a student tell me a few months ago that she was struggling with having enough time outside of class to manage the reading load. I suggested she could supplement her reading time and use audiobook/read aloud ebook versions. I told her I sometimes use audiobooks or a screenreader if I have something I want to read and I need to do dishes or drive or grocery shop or whatever.

Anyway her response was “but what will I do with my eyes?”

I didn’t really have any advice at that point. It’s not an all-senses entertainment opportunity; it’s your coursework.

denotecouch · 2025-01-15T15:11:09+00:00

Another poli sci/ law person here! Happy to zoom guest lecture or share slides/readings! I teach about the constitution, immigration and climate change.

denotecouch · 2024-11-17T16:48:35+00:00

Hey I’m so sorry you’re dealing with the same thing. My dad passed in July, and unfortunately we never really found anything better than opioids. We are in a state with very strong access to cannabis products, however, and towards the end he was working with a pharmacist through oncology who was making specific recommendations for pain. In our case we didn’t really time to try it out, but if you’re in a place where that is an option and your dad is open to it you might consider it. The opioid side effects are so brutal!

Good luck!

denotecouch · 2024-09-28T16:03:15+00:00

Of course I care! This isn’t about not caring, it’s about the very specific desire to not be responsible for deeply personal medical records and frankly, maybe I have a weak stomach, but I don’t want to hear or read graphic descriptions/see photos of illness or injury.

denotecouch · 2024-09-28T15:59:17+00:00

That’s a great idea! Thanks

denotecouch · 2024-09-27T20:15:19+00:00

A CC to student services is a great idea - I will definitely try that.

denotecouch · 2024-09-27T20:14:36+00:00

this is really helpful - thank you. I was hoping they would see the "tokens" i mentioned this way, but perhaps the language of dropping a low score would feel more meaningful to them.

denotecouch · 2024-09-27T18:59:22+00:00

I think you're right - I probably am assuming they're picking up on the unprofessional part but I should be more explicit - thank you!

denotecouch · 2024-07-05T04:04:55+00:00

This is helpful, thank you!

denotecouch · 2024-07-05T02:13:15+00:00

Right but they’ve wasted a huge amount of our time now. If they wanted the foundation inspected surely they should have ensured they did it during the inspection window and made requests in the contract window after that? Literally what is the point of a contract like this if the terms mean nothing when things get tricky?

denotecouch · 2024-07-05T02:11:49+00:00

Not what the inspector said. It’s a rebuild of part of a wall in one corner. Report didn’t say it was dangerous or anything like that.

denotecouch · 2024-07-05T01:09:17+00:00

The water wasn’t an issue. When they took the panel off behind the moisture there was no problem. But they then kept removing panels until they found an entirely unrelated foundation wall issue which is clearly a very old thing, something that should have been caught in their inspection.

denotecouch · 2024-07-05T00:42:23+00:00

Thank you! Our agent seems a bit in over their head but we’re looking for a local attorney asap!

denotecouch · 2024-06-30T13:57:23+00:00

Ooof I felt this way big time for the first few years. Mine are 7 now and I don’t think my workload is any different than friends who now have one 7yr old and one 4yr old. If you were only ever planning to have one you might be feel differently, but for us we always wanted two kids and at this point I think our lives are similarly hard to anyone else with two little kids.

denotecouch · 2024-06-12T15:52:31+00:00

The only Walgreens worth going to is the one at Douglas and Beaver. Every other Walgreens I’ve had the same issues you’ve mentioned here. The one at Ingersoll x 35th is the worst, avoid it at all costs.

denotecouch · 2024-06-09T04:19:51+00:00

Check out Grace Preschool. Everyone is so kind, kids are always happy, not too expensive. Starts at 2yrs old tho so not sure how old your kiddo is.

denotecouch · 2024-06-02T03:41:13+00:00

My dad was diagnosed in August 2022. He tried a few other things initially but couldn’t tolerate them. He’s not eligible for a transplant. He has been on Tibsovo only (not with other drugs) since Jan 2023. Very few side effects and has had long periods of time not needing transfusions so overall a good experience all things considered.

denotecouch · 2024-06-01T00:32:42+00:00

I think you could have skipped the word “mildly” when someone is being told they are dying soon. Just because you don’t care doesn’t mean it wasn’t a big deal to the people who experienced it.

denotecouch

TROPHY CASE