Hawaii

NWR Vent - Morons or Slackers?

This is my second semester teaching at the university level. I'm teaching at my Alma Mater. This is a video production class with a focus on motion graphics. My first semester, the students were all great. Everyone in the class earned an A or a B, they were attentive, no attendance issues, etc. 

This semester it's such a struggle.

1/3 of the class got a D on the first project because they blatantly ignored the instructions. (the project was to hand in 3 compositions, at least 1 needed to be made in photoshop, 1 needed to be made in illustrator, and the last could be either. 1/3 of the class handed in 3 photoshop files) When I told one of my students (who interns with FI) that 1/3 of the class did the project wrong, his response was "Really? But you made the requirements so blatantly obvious... multiple times"

They took a quiz last week that was OPEN BOOK and it took them 2.5 hours. Last semester the same quiz took the class an hour, and almost every person got 100%. No one in this class got 100% (again, it was OPEN BOOK!) The thing that boggles my mind is that there was no exercise that was blatantly more difficult than any other. In other words, there was no exercise on the quiz that had a bunch of people get it wrong. No one got 100% but they got tripped up on different questions. At least 1 person missed each question.

I emailed the director of the department and he is confident that it's not me and he says that sometimes you just get a "bad" class. It's just hard to get motivated to go and teach a bunch of kids that are either morons or slackers (or both). And so I sit in Panera, sucking up their free WiFi, waiting until the last possible minute to go down the street and get the classroom ready :)

Re: NWR Vent - Morons or Slackers?

  • edited December 2011
    Wow, how frustrating.  Is it possible that somehow people heard that your class was fun / easy / most people get an A or B and that created an influx of people who were looking for an easier class?  I wouldn't stress too much about it...your instructions sound like they were clear and I expect any college student to be able to read and follow basic guidelines like that.  Nothing wrong with holding the line and telling them they are expected to shape up.

    How many students are in each class?
    image
  • breanessbreaness member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    This is a class with 16 students only because it's a software-heavy class so each student has a computer. I am trying not to let my frustration show in class, but it's getting harder and harder not to :(
  • edited December 2011
    I feel your pain. I'm a graduate assistant so one of the classes I was assigned to this semester was a very basic, easy, online class. More than half the class failed just because they didn't do the work. They have 15 weeks per semester, and at week 8 (more than halfway through the semester), I was still getting emails and phone calls about what book they were supposed to purchase for the semester. Really? What have you been doing the first 8 weeks? These are freshmen level courses though so maybe they are still used to being spoon fed like high schoolers. Not sure what your situation is but yes. Definitely frustrating.
  • breanessbreaness member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I feel the same way with these kids (they're working right now and I'm on theknot. whoops!) But seriously, we're more than halfway through the semester and some of them are still coming to class without their book & disc (we use the disc every class) and one just told me today that when he bought the book it didn't come with the disc "will that be a problem?" YES it's a problem and it HAS been!

    Ugh.

    And in my case? They're all seniors. No excuse.
  • edited December 2011
    LOL! I would not be able to hold back from pointing out their idiocy. But hey, if they want to fail, that's their choice.
  • breanessbreaness member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    One of the students came up at the end of class to find out her quiz grade (and she had the lowest of the class). So we went over her quiz and I had a really hard time not being snarky and at one point I even said "What the heck is this?" Whoops.

    She was also one of the ones who did all of the files in Photoshop. I asked her why she didn't make it up this week (I gave all of the ones who did it wrong that opportunity) and she said she didn't because Illustrator makes her head hurt. Ooooookayy...
  • McBeagsMcBeags member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    listen I commend you ladies who can do education. I spent a couple of years doing adult education. Though parts are rewarding overall I found they just plain pissed me off with their laziness. I don't remind repeating myself for a child...but man up your are adult. Pay attention.
  • AKWinterBrideAKWinterBride member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    How frustrating!!  I would like to see how they compare with other years fall vs. spring students.  It seems like in spring everyone just is focused on summer and don't even want to think about anything else!  Or, they are morons!  :)
    Photobucket Photobucket Anniversary
  • kimmykupcakeskimmykupcakes member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I'm going to say they are slackers! We have Generation X, Generation Y (me) and Generation slacker.  Gosh, I'm really negative today....

    Anyway, sorry you are having to go through this.  Don't take it to hard.  Pretend it's your last class and go in and teach your heart out.  If they don't make the grade it's a result of their lack of effort and not following directions, not you.  It's true, sometimes you are just going to get a bad class.

    Keep your head up!
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