Author Topic: Revenge of Grumpy Bear  (Read 166302 times)

Shrain

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #90 on: May 09, 2006, 02:02:43 PM »
SE pretty much said precisely what I would have said. This isn't a case of "overinflated" expectations. In fact, I was going to meet with someone regarding the class anyway since I do *not* want any other Emerson students to get stuck with this guy. It's not just about my grade.

As for trying to work it out with the instructor himself, that would get me nowhere. On the far side of nowhere, actually. Experience taught all of us in the class that he responds to valid concerns by posturing, using circular logic, or making promises that he doesn't keep. If I were to go to him with this, he'd just dig in his heels and try to intimidate me--or bribe me. Either way, he doesn't get to have that chance.
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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #91 on: May 09, 2006, 07:24:58 PM »
Shrain you should at least file some sort of protest. There are a lot of people who get hired in Higer Education to teach who really have no business being there. But the problem  persists that once hired it becomes increasingly difficult to have said hack instructor removed. Sounds like your instructor is running the typical scam where he puts in as little work as possible then politics his way into remaining employed.
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The Lost One

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #92 on: May 09, 2006, 07:39:44 PM »
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Posted by: The Lost One Posted on: Today at 9:48am
It not shallow E. Shrain needs to consider whether fighting it will help her or not. If she complains about getting an A-, it could set some people in her department against her. She might want to ask the teacher to review her grade but she shouldn't risk her relationship with the rest of the department by acting as if she will fight anyone who dares to give her less than an A. My experience has been that very few teachers are sympothetic to a student complaining about an A- and complaining can hurt.

If it is any consulation, Shrain, I understand that you deserve an A and I'm sorry this happened to you. You've touched on a flaw in higher education that make me upset too.  
Posted by: Capital, E Posted on: Today at 10:02am
Then why didn't you present your arguments? Your grounds previously were, despite not being familiar with the situation, were that she was making a poor choice and that she should just accept it because "life's not fair." You automatically assumed it was a gas of excessively high expectations due to grade inflation. *That* is shallow.  
Posted by: shrain Posted on: Today at 11:02am
SE pretty much said precisely what I would have said. This isn't a case of "overinflated" expectations. In fact, I was going to meet with someone regarding the class anyway since I do *not* want any other Emerson students to get stuck with this guy. It's not just about my grade.  


Let see, when I came into this discussion, Shrain was complaining about getting an A- from a teacher. Reading about a grad. student complaining about getting an A- (don't all grad. students get A's?) and concluding that it was from overinflated expectations was not, and still is not, unreasonable. Remember that grades really are subjective. If this teacher is as bad a Shrain claims, then I would say she did well to get an A-, dispite all of her hard work.

Shrain, if your complaint is not about you grade then I think you should file a complaint. But bringing up the fact that you got an A- instead of an A will not help the credibility of you're complaint. If the department thinks that you are just complaining about your grade then you will probably be dismissed (because lots of students complain about a teacher because that teacher gave them a bad grade). Again, grades are subjective and the departmetn is likely to defer to the teacher over the student. However, my experience is that complaints from students who are satisfied with their grade in a class tend to be taken a lot more seriously.
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Shrain

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #93 on: May 09, 2006, 10:51:25 PM »
Um, Lost One, when you came into the conversation, we were already in the *middle* of it, as SE pointed out. Since you haven't the desire to go back a few pages, look below to see what you most likely missed...

Oh, and I am personally experienced with how "subjective" grading can be, given that I taught English myself. In this case, however, my complaint is about much more besides my grade.

What is grimly amusing about this whole thing is that he never graded one single assignment. Never even read our articles until the class was over and done! What's more, the "intro" he wrote to our book was a pathetic 1 1/2 paragraphs full of vague, juvenile platitudes. We had no syllabus. Assignments were often given two or three days before our class. Classtime was frittered away with endless crits and backtracking, useless lines of questioning, inappropriate comments, and so on and so forth. First, I will go over all these things and ultimately wind up discussing my grade.  

Quote
My blood is boiling right now because I found out that this twerp of a grad instructor I had this past semester had my classmates doing the teacher evaluations while he was still in the room! Not only that, but he offered them beers as they were filling them out. Talk about being ridiculously unethical! Beer wouldn't have worked on me, of course. ;) HOWEVER, this guy is unbelievable.

See, he set up an "extra" class period since we hadn't been able to look at the proofs, given all the time he wasted throughout the whole semester.

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stacer

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #94 on: May 10, 2006, 03:39:15 PM »
My dad is in the hospital. They are calling it a "mild stroke." He's 54 years old--pretty young for his oldest being 34. My sister is there with him, waiting for the test results, and she'll call me back. We won't know the prognosis, really, till the test results are back. All we know so far is that his blood pressure was all over the place.

I wasn't all that worried at first--more mad that he has never taken care of himself or his teeth or quit smoking than anything--but as the day wears on, I'm getting more and more worried and nervous.
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The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #95 on: May 10, 2006, 03:53:39 PM »
Wow. That's hard.

I had a close friend who had a stroke when he was 24. Still doesn't have full use of his right side. That was both scary and nerve-wracking.

Best hopes, Stacy.

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #96 on: May 10, 2006, 06:03:12 PM »
Stacey, my grandfather was crippled by a stroke. I really hope your father doesn't have to go through what my grandfather did. I hope things go well for your father.
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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #97 on: May 10, 2006, 10:47:58 PM »
No real news at this point. They did a whole bunch of tests, including an EKG four times, and weren't able to determine anything besides that the electric pulse for his heartbeat is not coming from the right place. Not sure what that means, because the heartbeat itself is strong and steady.

My sister's supposed to be calling me if there's any change. They're keeping him overnight for observation, and hopefully we'll know more tomorrow.
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Shrain

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #98 on: May 10, 2006, 11:05:32 PM »
Stacer, that's dreadful news, and I just hope he improves quickly and there's no permanent damage. I'll pray for the best.
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Mad Dr Jeffe

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #99 on: May 21, 2006, 06:54:34 AM »
got hit by a drunk driver last night. car messed up.
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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #100 on: May 21, 2006, 09:30:26 AM »
DUDE, that's horrible.  Did they stop the guy too, or was it a hit and run?
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Mad Dr Jeffe

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #101 on: May 21, 2006, 10:46:31 AM »
oh i stopped her
my liscense plate of justice is lodged in her wheel.
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fuzzyoctopus

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #102 on: May 21, 2006, 02:02:54 PM »
I'm grumpy but I don't want to explain why I'm grumpy because everyone just tries to make me feel better or explain why I have no right to be grumpy about it instead of sympathizing.
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Mad Dr Jeffe

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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #103 on: May 21, 2006, 04:27:20 PM »
Im sorry your grumpy, and you have every right to be so dont let anyone try to tell you otherwise.  Thank you for your post this morning too, it really helped me pull myself together and made me realize that the entire universe wasn't out to get me. That was really wonderful.


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Re: Revenge of Grumpy Bear
« Reply #104 on: May 26, 2006, 08:48:53 AM »
grumpy because:

Last night I was on the roof patching a hole in the rain gutter. The back of the silicone tube I was using for sealant popped open and poured all over my leg. After about an hour long shower I managed to get all the junk off my hands and leg, but there is a large portion of my calf that no longer has any hair.