Monday, November 8, 2010

problem student #1

Instructor A.
Unfortunately that's not all. This past week I invited to my office another student from third year Russian -- the only heritage speaker there. I suspected from the start that this is a wrong course for him but he persuaded me that he needed it (both personally and for his program of studies) so I let him stay. He went from being a smirking class clown to an outrageously insolent ... (I don't have an appropriate word in any language here.) When I invited him to my office last week, I wanted to tell him that his attitude - to me, to the course AND to his classmates, - makes it impossible for him to continue this way.

Instructor B.
I had exactly the same problem with this student, warned him by e-mail that I was concerned, and he calmed down, at least for the next class. However, Instructor A is right--his behavior this semester has been worse than any student I've encountered. Here's the problem--I had him in a previous course, and he was my favorite student: funny, extremely smart, and respectful. It was as though something broke this semester. I think he made other students a little afraid of speaking, because he was so nasty. My class discussion definitely took a turn for the worse. Here's my concern: early in the semester he showed up with what looked like head wounds and stitches. Next time his head was shaved.

Me.
Good to know. We had better check with undergraduate advising about how we would ask him about whether he has a had a personality changing head injury.....

Instructor B.
I have a lot of people I'd like to ask that question. Should I send you a list?

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