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[octoprof]

Dr. Fannie,
 
I sent an email about this Sunday, but because I haven't recieved a response, I am guessing it got lost in the internet somewhere. I did not bring my rough draft on Friday's class because I was under the impression that we were one day behind the sylabus for the purposes of assignments. This was reinforced because you did not mention this rough draft assignment being due friday in class, or in the email sent out monday detailing the work due Friday. Is it at all possible for me to have this assignment with me in class Wensday so that I can turn it in, or am I out of luck?
 
Any help is appreciated,
Out of Luck.

So
1. It's my fault that he skipped class on Friday.
2.  It's my fault that he didn't know about an assignment on the syllabus because he hasn't read it.
3.  It's also my responsibility to grade the assignment on Wed, when I am doing the grading tonight?
4. In the Sunday email, he also said that he had a 'valid excuse' (syllabus says 'no excuses accepted'). 
5. It's my fault that I didn't reiterate about an assignment that's been due since day 1 on an email for another assignment.
6.  In the Sunday email, his concern was that since he was going to receive a zero on this assignment, then he wasn't going to pass the class.


So...it's my fault that I didn't nag him.
It's my fault he can't read.
And he thinks I should 'help him out'.

Yes, fannie, it's all your fault. So is global warming, the drought in the Southeast and the rising price of rice.

[fannie]

I'll share credit for the global warming.  I use a woodstove.

I just graded another assigment only to discover that same student (in another class) never turned in that one. 

What, out of a dozen students, he is the only one who didn't know?

Hmm.

[titian]

...
So...it's my fault that I didn't nag him.
It's my fault he can't read.
And he thinks I should 'help him out'.

Yes, fannie, it's all your fault. So is global warming, the drought in the Southeast and the rising price of rice.

Wow. Too bad you're not using your significant powers for good and not evil.

[octoprof]

I'll share credit for the global warming.  I use a woodstove.

I just graded another assigment only to discover that same student (in another class) never turned in that one. 

What, out of a dozen students, he is the only one who didn't know?

Hmm.

You have this doofus in two different classes?

[fannie]

A response!

No salutation:
 I do wish I had attended class, to get the review, and if I had been aware that the assignment was due friday, I would have been there no matter my physical illness. I do not intend to miss class, again as you pointed out my sylabus says I get three, and that was my third. I understand if you don't want to extend the deadline, but I do have a request before I submit a withdrawl, I would like to know my current grade, with this assignmnet as a zero. If it is possible for me to managed to pull a C or possibly a high D, I think I would like to stick through with it. Otherwise I will most probably be withdrawling.
 
From now on I will stick to the sylabus regardless of any emails, or vocal announcements you make. Unless of course a revised sylabus is sent out. Hopefully this will avoid any further confusion.
 
Thanks for the help,
Out of Luck and Huffy

1.  So, where in the emails did I say that the assignment on the syllabus wasn't due?
2.  So, where in any vocal announcement did I say that the assignment wasn't due?

Also, since I had cc'd my response to my department chair, later I got this:

P.S.- I am curious who Mrs. Department Chair is, I do not know who she is, or exactly why she needs to be aware of my progress in your course. If you could let me know either of those things, I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Student who assumes all females are Mrs.

[octoprof]

A response!

No salutation:
 I do wish I had attended class, to get the review, and if I had been aware that the assignment was due friday, I would have been there no matter my physical illness. I do not intend to miss class, again as you pointed out my sylabus says I get three, and that was my third. I understand if you don't want to extend the deadline, but I do have a request before I submit a withdrawl, I would like to know my current grade, with this assignmnet as a zero. If it is possible for me to managed to pull a C or possibly a high D, I think I would like to stick through with it. Otherwise I will most probably be withdrawling.
 
From now on I will stick to the sylabus regardless of any emails, or vocal announcements you make. Unless of course a revised sylabus is sent out. Hopefully this will avoid any further confusion.
 
Thanks for the help,
Out of Luck and Huffy

1.  So, where in the emails did I say that the assignment on the syllabus wasn't due?
2.  So, where in any vocal announcement did I say that the assignment wasn't due?

Also, since I had cc'd my response to my department chair, later I got this:

P.S.- I am curious who Mrs. Department Chair is, I do not know who she is, or exactly why she needs to be aware of my progress in your course. If you could let me know either of those things, I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Student who assumes all females are Mrs.

Oh, so he's a doofus, and he can't spell, and he must be from the South because of all this talk about drawling, and he's possibly a sexist.

Off with his head!

[comp_queen]

A response!

No salutation:
 I do wish I had attended class, to get the review, and if I had been aware that the assignment was due friday, I would have been there no matter my physical illness. I do not intend to miss class, again as you pointed out my sylabus says I get three, and that was my third. I understand if you don't want to extend the deadline, but I do have a request before I submit a withdrawl, I would like to know my current grade, with this assignmnet as a zero. If it is possible for me to managed to pull a C or possibly a high D, I think I would like to stick through with it. Otherwise I will most probably be withdrawling.
 
From now on I will stick to the sylabus regardless of any emails, or vocal announcements you make. Unless of course a revised sylabus is sent out. Hopefully this will avoid any further confusion.
 
Thanks for the help,
Out of Luck and Huffy

1.  So, where in the emails did I say that the assignment on the syllabus wasn't due?
2.  So, where in any vocal announcement did I say that the assignment wasn't due?

Also, since I had cc'd my response to my department chair, later I got this:

P.S.- I am curious who Mrs. Department Chair is, I do not know who she is, or exactly why she needs to be aware of my progress in your course. If you could let me know either of those things, I would greatly appreciate it.
 
Student who assumes all females are Mrs.

No offense, but why the heck didn't you BCC the chair?  It is none of student's BUSINESS when we are documenting their oddness.  It's called power.  I feel awful writing that, but I feel like it's the truth of the matter.

Don't mind me.  I'm tired and cranky.  So is my whole campus full of nice, nice people.  We are having a bad month.

Off to PWP now ;)

[geonerd]

No offense, but why the heck didn't you BCC the chair?  It is none of student's BUSINESS when we are documenting their oddness.  It's called power.  I feel awful writing that, but I feel like it's the truth of the matter.

I CC the chair, or dean, or higher up when I specifically want the student to know I'm documenting their bad behavior. I do this when the student starts dropping not-so-subtle hints about complaining to my "boss." I want the student to see that I'm alerting the next person up the complaint chain, i.e., I have no fear of my boss knowing what's going on, and the boss will hear the complete and accurate version of events from ME, not a revised version from YOU.

In playground speak, this roughly translates as "I'm telling Mom on you!"

[graythebruce]

I've been enjoying reading this thread, because I could swear I've had some of the students I've been reading about. At any rate, it makes me feel much better to know that others have had them. To pay my way here, I suppose I might as well chime in with some of my gems.

Here are two.

The first was written by a student from Russia whom I'd tried to help frequently in meetings outside of class. Since I have Russians in my family, I felt a bit sorry for her. We'd talk Russian lit, and then I'd try to move over into tips on grammar and language. However, she rejected essentially every piece of advice I gave her all term about how to improve, preferring to complain that I was too tough a grader. At the end of the term, after failing the class and complaining to my department chair that I am an unfair grader, she wrote me this email:

------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Professor,

Please stop, to do this. Life is very often about simple things and honesty, not about money, carrier and.
Maybe I am just one person who writes everything how it is. I decided to take this class again, yes I could go to the  department and try to follow all papers how stressed I was and try to evaluate my paper again, but I am don't leave my live by little things. I know that I am successful at work, and my writhing is one of the best at my office. Yes, I would past this class with anybody else and not because I am bad writhing, just because I write a little in different structure. But as professional you shouldn't erase my culture difference, and you try to do this all the time. What is the reason for? I remember we have Tolstoy, Dostoevsky. Any culture is amazing. I just never would made the pain to anybody, and put anybody else down. And you did. I respect you education and knowledge, and I never would do this. And maybe this fact would show you the humanity, respect and  not overjude. It is not a HARBORD, sorry it is not. If I feel that  if I can make to de in Harbor- I WOULD BE THERE.

I went thought terrible marriage, my school Debt  and other related debt around 30,000. But I will pay again just not because I felt this class by writing, just because of your under grading. I have no body here that support me with anything, no family just my kid. Work 50-60 hours per week and full time school. And  I am proud of myself completely. And you phrase as " it is not you university or maybe your degree" was so unfired. I didn't teach me to be accountant!!!!! You don't know as , and I will continue to go through.

And if you worry about my complains, don't worry I not that person.

Thank

Have a good teaching, but  you are just amazing writer but not a good teacher. Sorry. 

God bless you

---------------------------------------------------------

I like the "God bless you" at the end. That made me feel much better, enough that eventually I stopped crying.

Earlier that term, I'd received this gem from a different student, who after signing up for a once-a-week, three-hour weekend class apparently decided to see how pliable I was:

----------------------------------------------------------

Dear Mr. ------,

This letter is just my opinion, but I think many of the other students will agree.  I want you to know that I enjoy your class, and actually look forward to coming.  However, I think that 3 hrs is way too long.  I know that it is the time given to you, but I am sure that by the last hour of class most or all of the studens are in a different zone. 

I truley feel that we could get the same importnt information in 2 hrs or less.  Honestly the last hour is gruling because my mind is going other places and I am struggling to listen.  This is even if I find the information interesting, which I almost always do. 

I want to stress that I am not writting this letter because I don't like the class.  I really do.  I think we should only go more than 2 hrs if we need to wrap things up. You may not like my idea, but I thought I would just throw it ot there.

---------------------------------------------------------

I replied to her message ... appropriately. Her next message assured me that the above was just a "joke," and that she hadn't expected me to take it seriously. I decided not to tell her that, on the contrary, I'd laughed hysterically when I read it, but probably not for the reasons intended.

- G

P.S. In replying to the second student, I resisted the temptation, strong though it was, to say that the errors in her email had convinced me she needed the full three hours. To those of you who were hoping I would have said that, I apologize.

[pavlovian]

....  I know that I am successful at work, and my writhing is one of the best at my office.

Is she a stripper?

[hegemony]

Oh, that Russian student.  She doesn't even understand how accurate it is when she talks about her writhing.  But what does she mean about her HARBORD?  Alas, you would have been well justified in saying, as she did, "Just stop, to do this." 

Notice that both students are saying they actually want less instruction?  That's the trouble with universities; too much learning going on.

[namazu]

Oh, that Russian student.  She doesn't even understand how accurate it is when she talks about her writhing.  But what does she mean about her HARBORD?  Alas, you would have been well justified in saying, as she did, "Just stop, to do this." 

Harbord/Harbor = Harvard.  I think.  As in, "This isn't Harvard, so stop grading as though it were."

[concordancia]

Oh, that Russian student.  She doesn't even understand how accurate it is when she talks about her writhing.  But what does she mean about her HARBORD?  Alas, you would have been well justified in saying, as she did, "Just stop, to do this." 

Harbord/Harbor = Harvard.  I think.  As in, "This isn't Harvard, so stop grading like it is."

Well, duh, hasn't she heard about grade inflation at those Ivy League Schools?

[namazu]

Well, duh, hasn't she heard about grade inflation at those Ivy League Schools?

Apparently not!

[mrchimples]

It is not a HARBORD, sorry it is not. If I feel that  if I can make to de in Harbor- I WOULD BE THERE.

Is your school at least a Dirtmith or a Kernel?