Wednesday, March 23, 2005

It Must Be Getting Close to the Last Drop/Add Date

. . . because I am starting to get emails like the email I have attached below. Why is it that students believe that effort should automatically translate into a higher grade? If effort translated into a higher salary I'd be . . . Well, I guess I wouldn't be putting forth much effort. . .

After getting my last paper I was wondering if it is even possible for me to pass the class. I received a D\F on the first paper, an F on the second, a 92 on the mid term, and whatever our group got for our lesson. I put in a large amount of effort on the last paper, and for me to only get an F I don't feel is fair. I just felt that a D might have been fair. I was wondering if there was anyway for me to make that a D. If I could fix the mistakes, go over the notes with you anything to get that D. I will rewrite the whole paper, just anything to bring it up from an F to a D. You told me that I should look at my priorities, and I have, but you need to understand that if I want to go to school I need to work as much as I do! But, I did cut back on my hours at work, and my Finance 370 course which was 4 days a week till 5:30, is now over, so I can come in to see you and at least go to the writing lab now! I had 5 tests that day in a row, it wasn't the greatest week of my life, plus this paper, not an excuse just a bad week!

I need to pass this class this semester, and I have never dropped a class. I am asking if there was still anyway to pass, and if I could bring that F to a D! I understand that you cant give out freebies, but I need just a little help, I hope that you somewhat understand.

please email me back before Friday so I know if I need to drop. I am done with work at three on Wednesday if I can come and talk to you about this, I hope that this wasn't a ridiculous email!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

where's your heart?? don't you remember what is was like way back in the day??

Anonymous said...

Oh lord, I have had MANY situations just like the one you are describing. I usually get them in classes with 200 students, where its next to impossible to give each individual attention. I usually remain a hardass and say that out of fairness I can only grade someone on the same thing that I graded everyone else in the class on.

Do students write these emails to just female faculty?

giddings said...

That's a great question... Are students write these emails to female faculty? My guess is maybe yes... Maybe I'm just a wimp.

Anonymous said...

Hammermesh (sp?), in some CSWEP newsletter article, wrote that new female faculty should be particularly wary of students (particularly male students) trying to railroad them into changing their grades. So that's perhaps some indication that it's common.

giddings said...

I'd love the cite. Is it that beauty/student eval article?