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[mj_romo]

I've posted about this student a couple of other times, and now I find that I just don't want to deal with him anymore, yet I still have to return stuff and give grades.

He has a severe Learning Disability (confirmed with the Student Learning Center), and while he has worked extra hard and made significant improvement, it is in no way close to the level he should be at to pass the class.  He falls far short of the Student Learning Objectives.  I have backed myself up and had the comp chair and a couple other experienced instructors also read his work and confirm that I am not judging him harshly.

But, I find myself unable to write end-notes on his research essay and final.  I just don't know what to say to this student to soften the blow.  The problem is, I worked with this kid so much that I like him, and I feel for him.  And I know it's going to be a crushing blow to not pass the class. 

[glowdart]

Can you point to improvements that he has made?

Remind him that learning to write well is a long process and most people do not master it in four years of hard work, much less in a semester? 

Remind him that even though he will (I assume) need to take the course again, that he has learned a great deal (thus the specifics would help, if there are some), and that another round through the course might give him the time to master the objectives?

That last bit sounds a little iffy to me as written -- but something in that vein?

[concerned_parent]

Even if s/he fails, put this student on path to succeed the next time.
 

[mandywoetzel]

Check your institutional climate before considering how to break the news to the student.

I say this because, at my current institution, we just DON'T fail LD students--which is completely against my philosophy.  If we fail an LD student, we'll never hear the end of it... There's just too much paperwork involved, too many meetings where instructors must justify their assessments (complete w/ other students' works as comparables), etc. since the assumption would be that the failure reflects our failure to accommodate the LD student.  In addition, various admins would call us personally to alert us of the potential for/possibility of litigation--making sure to tell us that we'd be on our own when it ever comes to that.

If you're all clear on this, then, you should do what glowdart says to ease the pain. They need to know their strengths as well as weaknesses.

[oseph]

Even if s/he fails, put this student on path to succeed the next time.
 

Oh dear lord, I swore I wouldn't be doing this anymore.

Okay, C_P, here goes, and this is meant to be helpful to your understanding, so please take it in that spirit.

Your post implies that mj_romo failed somehow in his/her attempts to teach this student, by not putting him/her on the path to succeed in the first place.

A learning disabled student requires special attention, yes.  mj_romo clearly worked with the Student Learning Center, where, presumably, there were specialists trained to help LD students in the college setting.  Also he clearly gave the student special assistance, and consulted colleagues on the matter.  I should point out that college professors cannot be expected to be specialists in LD education, on top of their own subjects; all they can do is take the advice of the Student Learning Center so they can give the student the assistance and accommodation he or she needs.

If mj_romo did work with the learning center, and did try to give the student special assistance, and the student STILL failed miserably, perhaps it is an indication that the student's learning disability is so severe that college is not right for him or her.  Perhaps it is an indication that the people at the Student Learning Center are not very good at working with LD students.  Or perhaps it is an indication that mj_romo (and forgive me, mj_romo, for I doubt this is the case) cannot follow the Learning Center's directions well.  But your post, whether or not you mean it to be, is insulting to mj_romo, because in spite of the fact that mj_romo went out of his/her way to help the student, you are implying that mj_romo did not try to put the student on a path to success.

Does that make sense?

[concerned_parent]

Oseph....you are right and you make sense. Do you have a problem if someone gives his or her input?

However, the post is asking for input. If this professor has done everything, than he has accomplished what is possible. If this is the case, then there should be no guilt in failing this student.

[oseph]

Oseph....you are right and you make sense.

Thank you.

[oseph]

Oseph....you are right and you make sense. Do you have a problem if someone gives his or her input?

However, the post is asking for input. If this professor has done everything, than he has accomplished what is possible. If this is the case, then there should be no guilt in failing this student.

Sigh.  No, I don't have a problem with your giving input.  However, you were not giving input, at least the way you wrote your post.  You were implying that mj_romo did not put the student on the right path the first time around, and that is more of an insult, rather than an analysis of why you believed that mj_romo failed, in spite of giving the student extra assistance.

I suspect this is just a problem with your English and your writing style and that you meant well.  I'm just trying to help you out by pointing out why several of us have had problems with your posts.

[concerned_parent]

Oseph....you are right and you make sense. Do you have a problem if someone gives his or her input?

However, the post is asking for input. If this professor has done everything, than he has accomplished what is possible. If this is the case, then there should be no guilt in failing this student.

Sigh.  No, I don't have a problem with your giving input.  However, you were not giving input, at least the way you wrote your post.  You were implying that mj_romo did not put the student on the right path the first time around, and that is more of an insult, rather than an analysis of why you believed that mj_romo failed, in spite of giving the student extra assistance.

I suspect this is just a problem with your English and your writing style and that you meant well.  I'm just trying to help you out by pointing out why several of us have had problems with your posts.

For your future comments, I insult very directly.

I provided my input to help take off the guilt, you see it as insult.
I grew up a long time ago unlike you.

[cc_alan]

Oseph....you are right and you make sense. Do you have a problem if someone gives his or her input?

However, the post is asking for input. If this professor has done everything, than he has accomplished what is possible. If this is the case, then there should be no guilt in failing this student.

Sigh.  No, I don't have a problem with your giving input.  However, you were not giving input, at least the way you wrote your post.  You were implying that mj_romo did not put the student on the right path the first time around, and that is more of an insult, rather than an analysis of why you believed that mj_romo failed, in spite of giving the student extra assistance.

I suspect this is just a problem with your English and your writing style and that you meant well.  I'm just trying to help you out by pointing out why several of us have had problems with your posts.

For your future comments, I insult very directly.

I provided my input to help take off the guilt, you see it as insult.
I grew up a long time ago unlike you.

Oseph, you have been SCHOOLED!

CP burned you but good. Oh, yeah!

That will teach you to mess with a grownup, uh-huh.

Alan (still mentally 12)

[oseph]

Oseph....you are right and you make sense. Do you have a problem if someone gives his or her input?

However, the post is asking for input. If this professor has done everything, than he has accomplished what is possible. If this is the case, then there should be no guilt in failing this student.

Sigh.  No, I don't have a problem with your giving input.  However, you were not giving input, at least the way you wrote your post.  You were implying that mj_romo did not put the student on the right path the first time around, and that is more of an insult, rather than an analysis of why you believed that mj_romo failed, in spite of giving the student extra assistance.

I suspect this is just a problem with your English and your writing style and that you meant well.  I'm just trying to help you out by pointing out why several of us have had problems with your posts.

For your future comments, I insult very directly.

I provided my input to help take off the guilt, you see it as insult.
I grew up a long time ago unlike you.

Oseph, you have been SCHOOLED!

CP burned you but good. Oh, yeah!

That will teach you to mess with a grownup, uh-huh.

Alan (still mentally 12)

I feel SO mortified and bested.

I'm going to turn in my PhD.

Sniff.

[cc_alan]

Oseph....you are right and you make sense. Do you have a problem if someone gives his or her input?

However, the post is asking for input. If this professor has done everything, than he has accomplished what is possible. If this is the case, then there should be no guilt in failing this student.

Sigh.  No, I don't have a problem with your giving input.  However, you were not giving input, at least the way you wrote your post.  You were implying that mj_romo did not put the student on the right path the first time around, and that is more of an insult, rather than an analysis of why you believed that mj_romo failed, in spite of giving the student extra assistance.

I suspect this is just a problem with your English and your writing style and that you meant well.  I'm just trying to help you out by pointing out why several of us have had problems with your posts.

For your future comments, I insult very directly.

I provided my input to help take off the guilt, you see it as insult.
I grew up a long time ago unlike you.

Oseph, you have been SCHOOLED!

CP burned you but good. Oh, yeah!

That will teach you to mess with a grownup, uh-huh.

Alan (still mentally 12)

I feel SO mortified and bested.

I'm going to turn in my PhD.

Sniff.

Can I have it? I only have two letters in my degree...

Alan

[oseph]

Oseph....you are right and you make sense. Do you have a problem if someone gives his or her input?

However, the post is asking for input. If this professor has done everything, than he has accomplished what is possible. If this is the case, then there should be no guilt in failing this student.

Sigh.  No, I don't have a problem with your giving input.  However, you were not giving input, at least the way you wrote your post.  You were implying that mj_romo did not put the student on the right path the first time around, and that is more of an insult, rather than an analysis of why you believed that mj_romo failed, in spite of giving the student extra assistance.

I suspect this is just a problem with your English and your writing style and that you meant well.  I'm just trying to help you out by pointing out why several of us have had problems with your posts.

For your future comments, I insult very directly.

I provided my input to help take off the guilt, you see it as insult.
I grew up a long time ago unlike you.

Oseph, you have been SCHOOLED!

CP burned you but good. Oh, yeah!

That will teach you to mess with a grownup, uh-huh.

Alan (still mentally 12)

I feel SO mortified and bested.

I'm going to turn in my PhD.

Sniff.

Can I have it? I only have two letters in my degree...

Alan

All yours.  Maybe C_P can confer it.