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So, I'm at a Loss Here...
12 years ago
I know no one wants to hear me vent, but I really want to get this written down somewhere, because it just helps me think.
I'm really stressed out. Like, REALLY stressed out. I'm an Elementary Education major, and I have to take Math for Elementary Teachers. So, You'd think I'd be learning how to teach math right? Hehe... yeah. No. That would be Math Methods. This class... to put it blatantly, is Calculus level math. I'm just gonna say it... I'm not a very smart person when it comes to math. No, actually, I'm a fucking moron. Freshman year I bombed placement and they put me in basic ALGEBRA. and I struggled with that!! So now I'm in this high level class, and I'm doing my best, I'm really trying, but I'm still failing...
My professor uses a technique she calls an "inverted classroom" where we learn ALL the material on our own, on our own time at home, then come into class, and silently work on this new material in groups while she walks around the room and stares at us. She lectures the class for maybe 10 minutes on the subject, but that's all we get. We have Long homework assignments due on Mondays and Thursdays that take me like 6 hours to complete, then daily assignments and quizzes, and group work over things we've seen once that are barely described in the book. Oh and I always fail these assignments mind you, and the thing that pisses me off most is that she won't tell me WHY. She'll give me two out of four and write no explanation, then give me a half asses excuse when I ask her about it.
Can I talk about the long assignments for a second? I'm going to because this is the worst. So these assignments take me between 5 to 6 hours on average. Only two of the problems are "cooperative," meaning you can ask a friend from the class for help. If you even THINK to ask for help on the other questions, even if you don't have the slightest idea how to start it, that's an honor code violation, and could have you ultimately failed from the course on a first offence. And because of this rule, if you take a non cooperative question to her for help, she'll refuse to even HINT at any help on the problem, BECAUSE IT'S CHEATING. What does it matter?! I'll fail irregardless even if you give me a point in the right direction!!
She offers help sessions, but she will just stand up there in silence until someone asks her a question. And if said question is from an assignment and you were not allowed to receive help, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. You're going to get nowhere fast. She also can only teach a problem one way, and if you say you don't understand, she tries explaining it to you again the same. damn. way. I went to a two hour help session with her and learned nothing, then went and sobbed in my car for a half hour, then got help from a math major friend and finished the assignment in 10 MINUTES.
I think it's also worthwhile to point out that one, she does NOT have a teaching degree. I understand that no, you do not need one to teach at a collegiate level. But she's teaching future EDUCATORS, and has never been in an elementary classroom before. Why? Why is this a good idea? It's no wonder her students are failing, she can't HELP THEM!
Oh and on one final note, on several occasions, she has posted her assignments at 8:00 and even 10:30 at night, when they should be posted by NOON, and are due the next day.When she did this and no one did the assignment? We still all got a 0, even though no one knew it was posted. She acts like this class needs to be our one and only focus, but I work 20-30 hours a week, and I have 5 other classes that are suffering because of her!! The head of the Education department got together with the board and filed like 20 complaints from students and got her in trouble for all this crap she's been pulling, but it didn't seem to do any good. I won't be satisfied until she's gone forever.
So, this is what my life has been for the past two months, and I've still got another semester of this. I know I should just suck it up and deal with it. After all, this isn't my first go around with college, and I should be used to shitty professors who only care about a paycheck,, but I just can't bring myself to understand how someone can hate teaching so much and see us as nothing more than income. *sigh* Well, I suppose that's all for now... sorry about that, I love you all.
I'm really stressed out. Like, REALLY stressed out. I'm an Elementary Education major, and I have to take Math for Elementary Teachers. So, You'd think I'd be learning how to teach math right? Hehe... yeah. No. That would be Math Methods. This class... to put it blatantly, is Calculus level math. I'm just gonna say it... I'm not a very smart person when it comes to math. No, actually, I'm a fucking moron. Freshman year I bombed placement and they put me in basic ALGEBRA. and I struggled with that!! So now I'm in this high level class, and I'm doing my best, I'm really trying, but I'm still failing...
My professor uses a technique she calls an "inverted classroom" where we learn ALL the material on our own, on our own time at home, then come into class, and silently work on this new material in groups while she walks around the room and stares at us. She lectures the class for maybe 10 minutes on the subject, but that's all we get. We have Long homework assignments due on Mondays and Thursdays that take me like 6 hours to complete, then daily assignments and quizzes, and group work over things we've seen once that are barely described in the book. Oh and I always fail these assignments mind you, and the thing that pisses me off most is that she won't tell me WHY. She'll give me two out of four and write no explanation, then give me a half asses excuse when I ask her about it.
Can I talk about the long assignments for a second? I'm going to because this is the worst. So these assignments take me between 5 to 6 hours on average. Only two of the problems are "cooperative," meaning you can ask a friend from the class for help. If you even THINK to ask for help on the other questions, even if you don't have the slightest idea how to start it, that's an honor code violation, and could have you ultimately failed from the course on a first offence. And because of this rule, if you take a non cooperative question to her for help, she'll refuse to even HINT at any help on the problem, BECAUSE IT'S CHEATING. What does it matter?! I'll fail irregardless even if you give me a point in the right direction!!
She offers help sessions, but she will just stand up there in silence until someone asks her a question. And if said question is from an assignment and you were not allowed to receive help, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. You're going to get nowhere fast. She also can only teach a problem one way, and if you say you don't understand, she tries explaining it to you again the same. damn. way. I went to a two hour help session with her and learned nothing, then went and sobbed in my car for a half hour, then got help from a math major friend and finished the assignment in 10 MINUTES.
I think it's also worthwhile to point out that one, she does NOT have a teaching degree. I understand that no, you do not need one to teach at a collegiate level. But she's teaching future EDUCATORS, and has never been in an elementary classroom before. Why? Why is this a good idea? It's no wonder her students are failing, she can't HELP THEM!
Oh and on one final note, on several occasions, she has posted her assignments at 8:00 and even 10:30 at night, when they should be posted by NOON, and are due the next day.When she did this and no one did the assignment? We still all got a 0, even though no one knew it was posted. She acts like this class needs to be our one and only focus, but I work 20-30 hours a week, and I have 5 other classes that are suffering because of her!! The head of the Education department got together with the board and filed like 20 complaints from students and got her in trouble for all this crap she's been pulling, but it didn't seem to do any good. I won't be satisfied until she's gone forever.
So, this is what my life has been for the past two months, and I've still got another semester of this. I know I should just suck it up and deal with it. After all, this isn't my first go around with college, and I should be used to shitty professors who only care about a paycheck,, but I just can't bring myself to understand how someone can hate teaching so much and see us as nothing more than income. *sigh* Well, I suppose that's all for now... sorry about that, I love you all.
