Communicating with Professors
What You Can Learn From My Advice to the Student Petitioning the ‘Grade Tank’
(Not my usual blogging day, but if you saw last Friday’s post, you already know that the student whose grade tanked is going to petition. Just coming into this unexpected series? Start here and continue here and here. I’m continuing this discussion through one more post because I believe other students could face a similar issue and the add-on advice (that I provided via e-mail) is important to share. What I told the student is universal, not only when challenging a grade, but if you ever have to stand up for yourself. I have had to take this advice, myself. Read on…) Okay, before I get to it, two quick things… First, I promise to update everyone...
Read MoreThe Latest “Grade Tank” Update, Big #STNT News & Exercise Improving Grades
A quick series of Friday updates (because you know I’ve been totally enjoying these this summer!). It has been one heck of an exciting week on many levels: -For those who have been following the student whose grade tanked, here is the latest (I’m going to paraphrase. You can see the full comment on the last post): “I met with the Dean face to face today. He will allow me to file a Final Grade Review because there “may be a chance of grade mistake,” as he put it. He also told me his secretary was incorrect in telling me that the same people who did not help me in the informal process would be the ones deciding my grade in the formal process. The next...
Read More“I feel completely powerless.” More From The Student Whose Grade Tanked.
(I didn’t properly message my stay-cation of last week. I apologize about that! Back to business here, and revisiting the post about the student whose term ended and received a grade that he was not expecting because the prof changed the grade standards. Based on a follow-up comment that just came in, we’re continuing that conversation now. I encourage everyone to please weigh in for encouragement or feedback!) Here were some Twitter comments from the last post: Kathryn Siranosian (@corpwriters said): This happened to my son, too! “The class had too many As” on the final (including his). Samra Bufkins MJ, APR (@Samjb said): No! That can’t...
Read MoreStudent Question: The Prof Changed the Grade Structure After Class Ended–My Grade Tanked!
A troubling question just came in and I am hoping that my colleagues in higher ed will respond with your thoughts. Here goes… First, the question: “My professor changed the syllabus after the class was over. He said the lab was worth 300 out of 850 in the syllabus, then after the class was over he changed the lab to 170 out of 720 because the average lab score was a 96% and he wanted to lower grades. This dropped me from a C to a D+ and now I’m not passing and will have to re-take the course. Also, right after the exams he told the class that he was adding 5 points to test 1 and a few points to test 2 because scores were low and then after the...
Read MoreWhat to Say When You Have to Retake a Class
(I wasn’t expecting to write more in the #unbroken series quite so soon, but this post seems appropriate as we move ever closer to August when many students start school. I know some students will be revisiting classes that they’ve started once before. This post is for you.) You walk into your American Literature class. You want to get excited about it. You enjoy writing. Or maybe you don’t, but you’re at least glad that it’s a new term. But for every mental rah-rah you’ve attempted, there’s just no getting around this fact: You aren’t there because you want to be. You’re there because you have to be. You took this class...
Read MoreStudents, Before You Do That Assignment Your Way, Read This
Let’s say you were a contestant on The Next Food Network Star. Three Food Network stars—big ones—Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, Alton Brown—are giving you honest, straight-up advice about what you need to do to win over the Food Network executives so you might score your own show. Would you take their advice? Or would you do what you think is right, if you had a differing opinion? Okay, so first of all, yes, I am blogging about reality television… again. This cold-turned-sinus-infection thing is kicking my behind and I’m watching a little too much. Second of all, I couldn’t help but make a correlation between something I saw on this show last Sunday and...
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A tenured professor of Communication Studies helps students correctly--not cluelessly--speak/deal with those who teach them.
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