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I am returning to school after 31 years and am currently taking two classes. For one of these classes, the professor keeps bringing up (casually...or apparently casually) emails that students have sent him, and students coming to see him after class to talk about various things.
He made at least three mentions in today's class of emails he is expecting to get from students railing against some ideas he had (he said this in a partially-joking way but the idea of the emails coming was obviously one that was literal).
Am I supposed to be talking to this guy??? I talk in class constantly (answer questions/ask questions). My hand is always up. He brings up interesting ideas about the subject and I very often seem to have things I want to add or ask, so I do. So...there's that.
But I've only sent him one email so far, and that was to clarify what the homework was because I got home and realized I hadn't listened at that very last part when the students were all shuffling our books and getting out the door.
Weirdly, as much as he goes on about students contacting him outside of class, as soon as the class is over he's looking down at his table or literally rushing out the door, almost forbiddingly - you're scared (or I'm scared, anyway) of interrupting that to speak to him. Likewise, I've seen him several times in the student cafeteria when I was grabbing a coffee. He literally RUSHED right by; he didn't even make eye contact. I can't figure this guy out - he talks in class as if he's applauding students speaking to him outside of class but then (to me, anyway) he makes it forbidding to actually do so.
Am I missing something here? Am I going to get lower grades for not thinking of something to pull him aside for after class? I get plenty of talking and asking and listening done during class (because I've been assuming that's the point of the class - anyone can just sit down and read a book and then Google what other people think of it; we'd need no school at all if this were all there was to it) and as far as homework, I'm doing that thinking for myself. I can't imagine what I'd randomly pull him aside for or send an email about without it sounding like "Wow, everybody else is doing this so I should be doing it too, let me brown-nose the teacher here." What am I supposed to email him, a cute kitten meme? A knock-knock joke?
Weirdly, as much as he goes on about students contacting him outside of class, as soon as the class is over he's looking down at his table or literally rushing out the door, almost forbiddingly - you're scared (or I'm scared, anyway) of interrupting that to speak to him. Likewise, I've seen him several times in the student cafeteria when I was grabbing a coffee. He literally RUSHED right by; he didn't even make eye contact. I can't figure this guy out - he talks in class as if he's applauding students speaking to him outside of class but then (to me, anyway) he makes it forbidding to actually do so.
He does not want to be disturbed during his limited lunch break!
I am sure he has office hours posted somewhere.
If you have a question, stop by then.
If not, don't waste his time.
He does not want to be disturbed during his limited lunch break!
I am sure he has office hours posted somewhere.
If you have a question, stop by then.
If not, don't waste his time.
Okay. Thank you.
This was actually before class (early morning).
Just trying to do the right thing here, and what the teacher wants. Yes, he has office hours posted but I didn't think "good morning" and a nod would be dedicated to those hours only, LOL.
(Just being facetious but also letting you know that I definitely am not expecting this dude, or anyone to just drop what s/he's doing to leap into some long discourse with me. It's this man's focus on how students contact him all the time that have made me wonder about this all, really...otherwise, I'd just have thought he was a very private man or perhaps uncomfortable in a non-classroom setting and wouldn't have thought twice about it.)
I am returning to school after 31 years and am currently taking two classes. For one of these classes, the professor keeps bringing up (casually...or apparently casually) emails that students have sent him, and students coming to see him after class to talk about various things.
He made at least three mentions in today's class of emails he is expecting to get from students railing against some ideas he had (he said this in a partially-joking way but the idea of the emails coming was obviously one that was literal).
Am I supposed to be talking to this guy??? I talk in class constantly (answer questions/ask questions). My hand is always up. He brings up interesting ideas about the subject and I very often seem to have things I want to add or ask, so I do. So...there's that.
But I've only sent him one email so far, and that was to clarify what the homework was because I got home and realized I hadn't listened at that very last part when the students were all shuffling our books and getting out the door.
Weirdly, as much as he goes on about students contacting him outside of class, as soon as the class is over he's looking down at his table or literally rushing out the door, almost forbiddingly - you're scared (or I'm scared, anyway) of interrupting that to speak to him. Likewise, I've seen him several times in the student cafeteria when I was grabbing a coffee. He literally RUSHED right by; he didn't even make eye contact. I can't figure this guy out - he talks in class as if he's applauding students speaking to him outside of class but then (to me, anyway) he makes it forbidding to actually do so.
Am I missing something here? Am I going to get lower grades for not thinking of something to pull him aside for after class? I get plenty of talking and asking and listening done during class (because I've been assuming that's the point of the class - anyone can just sit down and read a book and then Google what other people think of it; we'd need no school at all if this were all there was to it) and as far as homework, I'm doing that thinking for myself. I can't imagine what I'd randomly pull him aside for or send an email about without it sounding like "Wow, everybody else is doing this so I should be doing it too, let me brown-nose the teacher here." What am I supposed to email him, a cute kitten meme? A knock-knock joke?
I'd love any input...thank you...
You're overthinking it. You don't HAVE to do anything other than study, write your papers well and pass your tests--and hopefully do better than just passing. The rest is optional. You aren't required to be buddies with your teachers, talk to them after class or send them emails. That other students do is nice but it's not required.
My sons all used their professors' office hours and it always paid off big, both in grades and letters of recommendations. Office hours is when the professor really gets to know you.
Jerzz, it's entirely possible that the young ones don't understand something about the assignment, the material, his analysis, or whatever. Older students tend to understand and assimilate the info better, due to having much more life experience than the teens and early 20-somethings in class. I wouldn't worry about it. You participate in class, that will get you some points. If there are papers to write and you have questions, or need help picking or fleshing out a topic, you can see him during office hours.
My sons all used their professors' office hours and it always paid off big, both in grades and letters of recommendations. Office hours is when the professor really gets to know you.
I agree.
BTW, unless you say a quick "Loved your lecture yesterday" or nod "Hello", IMHO, don't talk to your professors in the college cafeteria.
Last edited by germaine2626; 09-02-2016 at 07:02 AM..
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.
I never really bothered besides the semester and a half I did research under a professor.
Even then, I only talked to him in person maybe 5? times. My "Research" was mostly setting up and maintaining a website that contained a survey, finding the right people to complete the survey, persuading them until they did, getting that data on excel & using R to analyze it, and then giving him the results and data. then he got to take credit for everything I did. I saw his research paper the other day. I wasn't even mentioned despite the fact the paper had my calculations and my unmodified graphs. Also, I wasn't even paid. If I did something like this as a consulting job, I could have made quite a bit of money.
then again, academia.
Last edited by stellastar2345; 09-02-2016 at 09:10 AM..
I am returning to school after 31 years and am currently taking two classes. For one of these classes, the professor keeps bringing up (casually...or apparently casually) emails that students have sent him, and students coming to see him after class to talk about various things.
He made at least three mentions in today's class of emails he is expecting to get from students railing against some ideas he had (he said this in a partially-joking way but the idea of the emails coming was obviously one that was literal).
Am I supposed to be talking to this guy??? I talk in class constantly (answer questions/ask questions). My hand is always up. He brings up interesting ideas about the subject and I very often seem to have things I want to add or ask, so I do. So...there's that.
But I've only sent him one email so far, and that was to clarify what the homework was because I got home and realized I hadn't listened at that very last part when the students were all shuffling our books and getting out the door.
Weirdly, as much as he goes on about students contacting him outside of class, as soon as the class is over he's looking down at his table or literally rushing out the door, almost forbiddingly - you're scared (or I'm scared, anyway) of interrupting that to speak to him. Likewise, I've seen him several times in the student cafeteria when I was grabbing a coffee. He literally RUSHED right by; he didn't even make eye contact. I can't figure this guy out - he talks in class as if he's applauding students speaking to him outside of class but then (to me, anyway) he makes it forbidding to actually do so.
Am I missing something here? Am I going to get lower grades for not thinking of something to pull him aside for after class? I get plenty of talking and asking and listening done during class (because I've been assuming that's the point of the class - anyone can just sit down and read a book and then Google what other people think of it; we'd need no school at all if this were all there was to it) and as far as homework, I'm doing that thinking for myself. I can't imagine what I'd randomly pull him aside for or send an email about without it sounding like "Wow, everybody else is doing this so I should be doing it too, let me brown-nose the teacher here." What am I supposed to email him, a cute kitten meme? A knock-knock joke?
I'd love any input...thank you...
Well, I can't speak for any other professor, but most do have office hours and that is when you should (if you are not doing well in class or just want to chat) go see them. Email can obviously happen anytime. However, right after class or when you happen to see them is exactly when to NOT bother a professor. I can't tell you how many times I've had students stop me in the hall about something while I am trying to get to my next class on time, or stop me on the way to lunch and then I end up not having time to eat. So he's probably trying to avoid being talked to at inconvenient times - when it will make him late for something - while encouraging people to use office hours or email, which are not inconvenient.
My sons all used their professors' office hours and it always paid off big, both in grades and letters of recommendations. Office hours is when the professor really gets to know you.
Absolutely true. You get higher grades if you go to office hours, if for no other reason than to show you are interested and care about the material.
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