Apparently I used to be a very helpful, all round faculty member:
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 9:13 PM
To:
> Hello;
> I am so sorry to bother you Dr. Hacking but I have a question. I bought today
> some pelmeni from Cafe Europa. How long do you boil them for?
> Thankyou
> Ted
>
Hi Ted,
Put them into boiling water. Once the water starts to boil again, cook themn
for about 6-7 minutes.
Prijatnogo apetita.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
It just happened to me...
There seems to be something contagious among our students this week. First, the person featured two posts back was quoted as saying to instructor B - imagine a musing, pensive tone: "I don't know why I'm such a jerk in your class. I just am." Like being a jerk is something one has no control over.
The other problem child this week was caught plagiarizing. We're not talking a few sentences here and there lifted from elsewhere. No, an entire three pages, painstakingly (and with spelling mistakes) transcribed from Russian wikipedia. When told he would receive a failing grade in the course, his email response went, "I will talk to whomever I need to, since this is the first time I have ever had this happen, to let me continue in the class."
What exactly has he "never had happen." Being caught? Or actually plagiarism. Was he just merrily doing his homework and plagiarism snuck up and zapped him.
The other problem child this week was caught plagiarizing. We're not talking a few sentences here and there lifted from elsewhere. No, an entire three pages, painstakingly (and with spelling mistakes) transcribed from Russian wikipedia. When told he would receive a failing grade in the course, his email response went, "I will talk to whomever I need to, since this is the first time I have ever had this happen, to let me continue in the class."
What exactly has he "never had happen." Being caught? Or actually plagiarism. Was he just merrily doing his homework and plagiarism snuck up and zapped him.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Compliments of my friend's essay marking
Student quote of the day: "There were huge amounts of illiteracy and the fact that Russia struggled to communicate with its peasants." Ready, set: Parse that sentence!
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?
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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