Another school vent... What should I do? LONG About This Page:

[WishIwasinDisney]

As many of you know, I go to college full time while working full time. I only have 4 classes left until graduation! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/woot.gif[/img] I had a class this semester (I took it online) in Management of Innovation and Change. The class was horrible, all theory, the book was broken down into 6 segments and it was all cases. I received a 100 on all assignments for the class. A few days before the final, the prof. sent an email saying what he "thought" the final would be based on and I studied like a madman. I felt very prepared for the test. I go to school and take the test last Saturday and it was nothing like what he said in his email. I didn't know what to do, I had no idea how to answer the questions. The test was only 3 questions and I answered the first with this big long answer and I put a note saying that I was dumbfounded by the nature of the exam as that was not what he said it would be about.

He finally graded my test and failed me (though I end up with a B in the class - which he said was a gift! A gift? I had 100's on everything else!) and then sent me this long note telling me I am ego-centric and over emotional and that's why I failed the test??? Huh? He was absolutely rude to me and I told him that I didn't appreciate the personal attack since we've never even met! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img] I told him I would be speaking with the Dean regarding his comments.

Now here's my problem. As I said, I only have 4 classes left and one is a requirement for graduation, and guess who teaches it? Yup, him. Mr. Personality. What do I do? I am very upset over this whole situation..I don't know how far to take this since it seems I will have to have him again. Will he be impartial? What do I do? [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[DrDolphin]

Have you contacted the Dean of your college w/all of his emails and your final exam? I would take all of the info w/you to meet w/the Dean and tell him you are worried about this class w/this professor.

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[Colexis Mom]

I too would talk to the Dean [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/082502yes_prv.gif[/img] Is it a class offered at another institution that you could take and then have credited at your college? I would be wary of taking another class again with him [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grouphug.gif[/img]

[GATechGal]

I'm with Marnie and Terri on this one. You have to let someone know about this. If the professor described what he intended for the final and then changed the format then he was misleading and that's not fair to the students. If you got all 100's on the assignments and failed the final then it says something about the test itself. See if you can take it somewhere else, or find out if someone else teaches it next semester. It would be a shame to have to delay your graduation just for a stupid professor.

[Teresa]

I don't know. I guess I might talk to the Dean's office. Then again, I'd be happy I got a B, and go on with life. In all of the classes I've taken so far, a failure on the final means a failure for the semester - no matter if until then you have 100 or not

[award]

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Have you contacted the Dean of your college w/all of his emails and your final exam? I would take all of the info w/you to meet w/the Dean and tell him you are worried about this class w/this professor.

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[boosmom96]

I'm not really sure what I would do. If you are able to take the class you need anywhere else and transfer it, I would probably do this and make a stink with the Dean about this teacher and his unporfessional attitude. If this isn't possible, I'm not sure what I would do. This teacher doesn't sound like he is capable of being fair.

[POOH]

I agree with everyone else. Take a copy of the e-mails and the test to the dean. Sounds like he deliberately tried to trip you up.

[eff051102]

[ QUOTE ]
I agree with everyone else. Take a copy of the e-mails and the test to the dean. Sounds like he deliberately tried to trip you up.

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I would add that you need to tell the dean that you have one more required class with this professor and that you would like to make sure he will grade you fairly. If anything, you will have this previous issue upfront with the dean and you can then present him with any further issues after the last class. Hopefully the dean will ask you to keep them up to date with your progress and any issues that may come up.

[Huntermom]

I think before you go to the Dean, you need to look at this from the professors point of view.

The course was on Innovation and Change. The professor said what he "thought" would be one the exam. He never committed to that format. He then gave an exam that sounds like it wasn't something you could memorize the answers and do well and perhaps hoped the students would apply what they learned in a creative way. It would be very consistent with a class on innovation and change.

If I read it correctly, you only did one of three questions and then wrote a note telling him the exam was unfair. If you only completed a third of the exam, he probably had no choice but to fail you if he was to be fair to the other students who answered all three questions. Even if her gave you full credit for the question you answered, you would only have a 34%.

When my children were young, I taught college classes. I loved the classroom work, but stopped teaching because I decided that although my students were usually great, I was tired of the rare student who would run to the Dean when they didn't get an A, usually because they didn't deserve one. College should be about learning how to think and apply your knowledge to the situation. Post-secondary school is often about theory and case studies. It probably wasn't the best class to take online as I would guess that class discussion would have been the best part of this class.

I know this isn't want you want to hear, but you may be taking a class with this teacher again. Depending on your college/university you may also find that the Dean may not be as supportive as you'd like.

I have kids in college. I hope that they use their education to learn and develop. I am happy if they get a B in a class if it's opened their minds and made them look at things in a new way. College should be about thinking, discussing and analyzing, not putting A's on a transcript. I often think people have lost the idea of education as a process, not just the end result.

Hope you resolve this sucessfully, even though the end result may not be what you expect.

[WishIwasinDisney]

Maybe I didn't explain what I really wanted to. I understand that I deserve to fail the test. I wish he hadn't sent out an email telling us what to expect and then not having that be part of the exam, but I failed the test on my own. The problem I have is the personal attack I received from the teacher. That is what I have a problem with. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[DrDolphin]

Since it is the personal attack and the ramifications you are worried about - I would definately talk to the dean w/the documentation, explaining your situation and your concerns.

I teach adults in colelge -- and I never tell students things that "may" be on the test if I have no intention of putting them on the test....

[2princessmom]

I have been in this situation and I went to my college advisor first. It was a required class and I went and met with the professor before the class started and explained that I would miss some classes due to being on the basketball team and we had arranged a plan for me to get the material etc. Then on the very first day she had names on the board and told them to exit the classroom for a variety of reasons and then she went into a discussion for those of us in sports and began to personally attack us and told us she would fail us!

I went to my advisor and he worked with the dean to allow me to take another class instead of that one.

So my advice would be to talk to your advisor if you have one and take all the emails etc and see if they can help. If you don't have an advisor then go to the dean and discuss it with them. It is very possible that he can substitute another class for you.

I believe you have to stand up for yourself when you are being attacked personally. No one has the right to treat another person in such a way. Especially a teacher! It isn't about the grade but rather how he treated you!

Good luck!

[Huntermom]

If you are concerned about your relationship with this teacher, I would email him and ask to meet with him. Do this before you go to the Dean. It shows maturity and responsibility.

I would let him know that I like to do well and when the exam wasn't what I expected, I paniced (It sounds like that's what you did). I'd also apologize and say if something you said offended him you didn't mean to do so. Say you would like him to get to know you as a student and a person, not just through your emails. You both may have misinterpreted something. If he is a decent teacher, he will meet with you.

Make sure he understands that you are not complaining about the grade.

If you are getting a degree in business, you will get more respect from your professors if you act like it's a business/professional relationship.

If you can't resolve this with him in person, than going to the DEan might be appropriate.