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I didn't hit it off with my Geography teacher...
Regicid3
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
He gave us a sheet with 10 questions about Inconvenient Truth and we were supposed to answer 3. We watched part of the movie in class and I wasn't able to get good notes. I would be sitting there watching the movie and then when it was too late I realized he was talking about one of the questions on my sheet and I would scramble but ultimately failed. I was planning on watching the movie over the weekend but my computer decided to crap out on me and I didn't get it fixed until Monday. I didn't turn the homework in.
Now we're back in class today and I'm writing down what's on the board, I'm kind of out of it today. My mind is in other places and he's explaining what we have to do this month. Some forced group project where we ask each other questions and all (this is the problem) write a one-page essay... When I went up to him to verify, he kind of rolled his eyes and scoffed. Now, I'm still not sure on what the essay is we're supposed to write and I'm too scared to go back up and ask him. I also don't want to ask the people in my group because I don't want them to think I'm a slacker...
What should I do?
Also, what is it with teachers slamming class participation down our throat? Why can't they just teach the damn class and we, the students can either take it or leave it... I have one teacher like that and I love it. Why can't they all be like that?
Now we're back in class today and I'm writing down what's on the board, I'm kind of out of it today. My mind is in other places and he's explaining what we have to do this month. Some forced group project where we ask each other questions and all (this is the problem) write a one-page essay... When I went up to him to verify, he kind of rolled his eyes and scoffed. Now, I'm still not sure on what the essay is we're supposed to write and I'm too scared to go back up and ask him. I also don't want to ask the people in my group because I don't want them to think I'm a slacker...
What should I do?
Also, what is it with teachers slamming class participation down our throat? Why can't they just teach the damn class and we, the students can either take it or leave it... I have one teacher like that and I love it. Why can't they all be like that?
Regicid3 on
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1) ask the professor through e-mail, explain your situation and apologize for not paying attention. Teachers aren't usually assholes and will try to help anyone who wants to rectify their errors or "drifting" in class, as long as it's not outlandish.
2) e-mail a classmate or group partner.
This brings me to my major annoyance with the current state of the U.S. education system: Why do students (and even their parents) expect teachers to spoon feed them everything, instead of being self-motivated to learn actively?
Because they aren't paying for it and there are no real consequences to failing. That and they are young and don't know any better.
And the teacher doesn't even seem to care if they're putting on a movie like an Inconvenient Truth on and making them take notes like it is the truth (I take it there will be no counter argument on the subject?).
Regicid3, you're going to have to interact with people as you go through college and the workforce. It can't be avoided. Just ask around if you don't want to deal with the teacher.
Except for, like, a generation of uneducated youth. But that's for D+D.
You really shouldn't feel bad about asking him again, or about asking the group; I'm sure they would much rather go over the requirements with you now than have you sit back and nod at them without being able to contribute (and actual slackers in groups [i.e. not just people maybe thinking you're a slacker] are the worst; group projects suck enough as it is!). Otherwise, are the requirements on a handout or on the internet (does your school use Blackboard? Or perhaps a similar thing? Anything that hooks the instructor up with the class online -- you can probably find information on your classmates as well in case you'd rather e-mail them [sometimes people will just send a mass e-mail to the whole class asking for clarification, etc.])? Perhaps you could e-mail your professor: that way you'll have the info saved for future reference (I find this really useful; I'll check the e-mails constantly until the assignment is due. Also, it's really satisfying to delete it).
It makes the class a lot more interesting for the teacher when you participate, too, you know. I'm only doing my student teaching so far, but just think how boring it might be to teach the same thing over and over all day to a sea of students, mouths agape, with no sign of response or interest. It can't be helped, of course, but if the class itself doesn't inspire brilliant discussion, then something else needs to. Also, things like working in groups and speaking in front of the class are really useful skills to have once you get into the real world. So many people are just heinous at working with other people, and others completely freeze up when speaking in front of a group, but I'll bet you have to do these things at work. Hey hey, you're learning more than you're paying for!
Sometimes life groups you with random people. Like, when you get a job. Any job.
I would suggest you just suck it up and ask a group member or the teacher. I wouldn't worry too much about your group thinking you're a slacker; if you end up doing the work they'll pretty quickly realize that, well, you're doing the work. As for the teacher, you've got plenty of time to not make any further bad impressions, or to make some good ones. And it really doesn't matter what he thinks of you.
Kansas public schools? Don't forget they made it a state mandate to teach Intelligent Design.
you know
like evolution
anyway, sounds like you might have to work on your public speaking and outwardness towards other, as well. I suggest Public Speaking as a college class
Seriously? You have to grow up sometime. Even if you're anti-social, and even if you're afraid of public speaking, you have to do it. Period. You need to do it in real life, you need to do it at a job, and school should prepare you for both.
That said, you should never feel bashful about asking for help, especially on assignments. Best thing I ever figured out in college was to abuse the TAs. Abuse them early, and often. They are there to help you, and hardly anyone ever takes advantage of that.
This is what I meant earlier by actively learning. Take the initiative. Ask for help if you don't understand either the material or what is expected of you. Few students do this and the ones that did were always the ones I ended up remembering as good students. It never hurts to find your way onto your TA's good side. I can't imagine a professor would be any different. I mean, this is a person who teaches for a living (not merely teaching for the stipend money, as TAs do). Surely they must want you to actually succeed within the course and succeed at learning course materials.
Personally, I'd be worried about the professors that strictly do lecture and don't seek participation and discussion. Those are typically the ones that are on the tenure track (or worse, ARE tenured) and don't give a damn about teaching. Research is the only thing that matters to them, so why should they care if you actually learn? The ones that put forth the extra effort to get students participating (yes, students make it extremely difficult most of the time) are the ones that like teaching and actually care about what you learn in the course.
I HATE those teachers.
Be glad you're in a class that encourages participation. You usually learn more, and it's just not boring.
Of course the GCSE system is quite good insofar as the teacher has no impact on what your grade ends up as (it's all externally marked). I corrected her a lot. It was amusing. She was really annoyed when I dropped it in favour of real subject for alevels.