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Nah, most instructors can discern between genuine scholarly interest and somebody schmoozing for brownie points. Being truly dedicated and diligent never goes outta style.
You admit that you talk constantly in class. Too much of this doesn't always go over that well. He may have thought you would take up too much of his time at lunch.
I have found that being an active participant in class discussions goes over very well with instructors (assuming it's on point, on topic, and respectful of other participants...no interrupting, being disrespectful of others' points, etc.).
It goes over less well with younger peers in the class who choose not to participate actively.
You admit that you talk constantly in class. Too much of this doesn't always go over that well. He may have thought you would take up too much of his time at lunch.
I have found that being an active participant in class discussions goes over very well with instructors (assuming it's on point, on topic, and respectful of other participants...no interrupting, being disrespectful of others' points, etc.).
It goes over less well with younger peers in the class who choose not to participate actively.
It seems like a lot of the time, when the professor asks us to answer a question no hands go up. I wait and if nobody has an answer, that's when my hand goes up. I don't want to be hogging the class but so far it seems like the times that I simply don't have the answer are rare. So as a result I just feel like I'm always talking.
I guess I could just sit there and not answer but it's so uncomfortable, the professor looking all around the room and...silence. I don't just answer with garbage, if I really don't know I stay silent but was I said, that hasn't happened much yet. The material is thought-provoking and I am very thorough with my homework. It could be some students don't speak up out of shyness although they do know the answers...I really don't know. I only know that playing dumb wouldn't seem to be more appealing, to me, than kissing up, so...if I have input and input is directly being asked for I wait a couple seconds to watch for other hands, then up mine goes.
On the other hand there are definitely times that other students have a lot to say and then I listen and often take notes as people bring up some very good points. I described in another thread how I was the one with a question and a chunk of the class knew the answer. I don't know...just trying to get and give input and learn from this class, really. And get all my homework done! (There's a lot!)
you also get higher grades by you know, doing well on tests that you studied for on your own time. Like you're suppose to do.
That's nice, too. But if you are a B+/A- student, the tipping point will almost certainly be up if you showed interest and visited the professor. However, that's not the only reason. Professors will often give good advice and extra information. If you go before a test, for example, they will often give you ideas for what is most important to study. I have been teaching in colleges and universities for over 20 years, and while perhaps not every single professor can be counted on this way, it is definitely true for the majority. I even know some people who went on to brilliant careers after visiting a professor during office hours and expressing interest or asking for extra help, and ending up with a mentor. In fact, one of the top researchers in her field went to see a professor during office hours as an undergrad because she was confused. He was so taken by the fact that she really wanted to learn that he gave her a lot of extra help - so much so, that to this day she credits him for her success in the field and says that if she hadn't gone to see him that day, and he hadn't been so generous with his help, she could not have reached the point she is at now.
So go see the professor if you really want to do well. If you think doing well in college is all about points on tests, then you have totally missed the point. That really doesn't impress us that much.
some people use office hours to get help on work, get to know the teacher, etc. I never saw the point in either of these activities. If you don't understand the material either get a tutor or drop the class. You shouldn't be harassing some teacher.
I'm pretty sure none of my college professors (or even high school teachers) remember my name. I prefer it that way, but some people don't like it.
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Hmmm, I certainly hope that your professors and teachers "remembered your name" at the time, otherwise how could they write references for you for entrance into college or graduate school? Or references for scholarships or awards? Or references for professional jobs? Or similar things?
Several times I applied for a job, awards, or grant years after I received my graduate degree and I still needed references from one, or preferable more, of my University professors. Wow, I am certainly glad that they remembered me well enough to write glowing recommendations. In one case, it was five years and in another case it was ten years after I received my Masters degree. Now that amount of time was probably pretty unusual, but often you need multiple references for a least a year or two after graduation.
BTW, I did not go to a tiny, little college, my former University had over 40,000 students.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mnseca
That's nice, too. But if you are a B+/A- student, the tipping point will almost certainly be up if you showed interest and visited the professor. However, that's not the only reason. Professors will often give good advice and extra information. If you go before a test, for example, they will often give you ideas for what is most important to study. I have been teaching in colleges and universities for over 20 years, and while perhaps not every single professor can be counted on this way, it is definitely true for the majority.
I even know some people who went on to brilliant careers after visiting a professor during office hours and expressing interest or asking for extra help, and ending up with a mentor. In fact, one of the top researchers in her field went to see a professor during office hours as an undergrad because she was confused. He was so taken by the fact that she really wanted to learn that he gave her a lot of extra help - so much so, that to this day she credits him for her success in the field and says that if she hadn't gone to see him that day, and he hadn't been so generous with his help, she could not have reached the point she is at now.
So go see the professor if you really want to do well. If you think doing well in college is all about points on tests, then you have totally missed the point. That really doesn't impress us that much.
I have a similar story. My college roommate visited one of her professors, when she was taking his class as a sophomore, because she was confused about something that he said during a lecture. She had a genuine interest in the field and a few months later asked him for a summer job doing "grunt work" (basically washing out beakers & keeping his lab clean).
He was very impressed with her work ethic that summer, as well as her brilliance in the sciences, that he asked her to continue working for him having increasing responsibilities. To make a long story short he became her major professor as an undergraduate and later her mentor and supervisor when she completed her doctorate. They ended up doing research together when she became a full professor, with his strong support, at the same University. And, to think that it all started because she went to ask him some questions during his office hours.
Last edited by germaine2626; 09-02-2016 at 06:43 PM..
A lot of professors are socially awkward. If his behavior is not welcoming but he *says* he wants you to contact him outside of class, contact him outside of class. (Office hours are best.)
I have found that being an active participant in class discussions goes over very well with instructors (assuming it's on point, on topic, and respectful of other participants...no interrupting, being disrespectful of others' points, etc.).
It goes over less well with younger peers in the class who choose not to participate actively.
Nobody who goes to a college would give a damn about what younger people in the class think, especially those who don't participate. College isn't high school, and people pay too much to go to college and have too much at stake to act like 10th grade fools.
You're right, OP. Most profs don't grade by office visits, they grade by participation in class (which you are acing), and performance on assignments and exams. You cannot schmooze your way to a better grade. However, students who are having trouble with some aspect of the material or assignments can get valuable help that will help their grade if they take the advice. But if you don't need help, what would be the point of going? What would someone say in that circumstance? What would the topic of conversation be? The profs don't hold office hours just to shoot the breeze.
Agreed.
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