Need to Rant about my Evil Teacher!!!

[envisionary333]

Ok. So I am in college training to be a photographer, and I am required to take a course titled "Western Art and Architecture." I took this class first in the Winter Quarter of my first year, but I ended up having a lot of personal problems being so far away from home (I'm from Seattle) and going through a rough winter. I had to withdraw from the class about 2/3 of the way through it. I took this class again last Winter with a new teacher, who happens to be the only person I have ever met on this planet with no personality whatsoever. I think Art History is a very interesting subject, but when explained in the same, flat, informational tone for two hours straight it get can pretty boring. Nevertheless, I took great notes and did very well on the tests through the whole quarter. On the day of the final exams, I got a migraine and couldn't take the test, so I failed.

Now, I am here in summer school taking the class AGAIN with the same terrible teacher. I showed up early on the first day to explain my situation. I told her I could bring a note from my doctor as well as my neurologist to explain my continuous struggle with migraines. I told her that I could give evidence of my MRI, emergency room visit, and several neurological exams. I brought all my notes and tests from the last time I took the class to show her. I then asked if I could please just take the final exam rather than having to attend every lecture to hear information I already know.

SHE SAID NO! She said "It just doesn't work that way." And if I miss more than two sessions (which are every day for two hours at 8 am) I will fail the class! And since this is the only class available to me right now, I could fly home and see my family if she would let me just take the final exam and be done with it! Never in my life have I been so frustrated with a teacher. I seriously think she enjoys watching me suffer.

 

[MilwCavyMom]

I'm sorry. Have you tried talking to someone else in the dept or another professor? Maybe there is something else you can do.

I had a bad professor in college too. She was a really nice woman, but in a small school with only a handful of women professors and as the only minority professor, she took on this thing about race being a huge deal. NO ONE else in the school cared except for her. Plus her classes were hard. It was like she was trying to prove her self by being extra tough.

I hope things work out of you. I'm sorry for the migraines too.

 

[sarahnmadison]

I don't know the rules at the college you are at but they should have been able to allow you to retake the test in some method (through the teacher, a proxy, etc.) if you have the medical records that you were in the hospital at the time of the test.

Personally, I would fight to be able to take the test. A few years ago, I was hospitalized for 5 days and had to miss out on a test. My teacher was more understanding (I even took my hospital paperwork because I didn't want to look like I was making excuses) and I got to retake the test. If the teacher had said no, I would have taken it up the chain at the college.

 

[Melissa82]

Go to the college councellor. They should be able to help you.

 

[Luvthempigs]

If it is a public school you may be covered under the disability laws. Private schools are not required to help with disabilities in the same way as public schools, though.

Look into what the ADA has to say and talk to your school. I also had to deal with this once, I failed a class because of kidney stones. It was a private university so I had no choice but to go back and take it again.

However, if she makes an exception for you she might also feel like she must make an exception for everybody. That's why she's probably saying that you must be there every day- I also think that you should attempt to attend every day, in real life, a job, you're not going to want to always be there, but you have to do your best.

BTW- how many meds have you tried for your migraines? I fought mine for years, they started when I was in 4th grade, and never got relief until I was prescribed Maxalt. I'm not a big med taker, but this stuff is a lifesaver.

 

[Coopdog]

I would make an appointment with the Dean of the department and explain everything to him/her. Take all your paperwork, etc. and go through it step by step. He can over-rule the professor if he/she feels it is a just excuse. Hopefully you will be able to just take the test and not repeat the course for a third time. Good luck.

 

[hydrohoki]

Ok my opinion isn't going to be the popular one..

Why didn't you bring all of this up at the end of winter quarter. Why did you wait until now? If I was teaching, I wouldn't consider it now either. While that might seem harsh, she can't make an exception for you without making an exception for everyone else. You'd be amazed at the lies and attempts I got out of my 200 students in my time as a TA. I required a Deans note, that was a rule as much as I hated I had to stick to. Otherwise, students can get you in lawsuits for not being fair. If the excuse was legit, the student could get the documentation and I would do my best to help them out.

 

[envisionary333]

I agree that I should have brought it up earlier. It was at the end of the quarter that my status migraine began and it pretty much overshadowed my schooling. I had to withdraw and spent all my time in pain, in and out of the doctor's office. At that point I wasn't even sure if I was going to be back in school at all during the year. I didn't say anything at the time because it had already been made clear that there are no make-ups or excuses allowed. I was hoping to have a different teacher later who I could explain the situation to. Unfortunately I will have to stick it out- there are no other teachers doing this course in the summer. I know that it is my fault to some degree, I just find it frustrating because the common-sense realization that I don't need to relearn the exact same information goes against school policy which doesn't see individual students in individual circumstances. I was lucky that the chair of the photo department is allowing me to move into my third year despite having not completed my Spring Quarter photo class, since I had to withdraw because of the migraines and the summer photo class has been filled in advance from last September. I suppose I thought that a similar exception would be made in this case.

 

[PurplePoe]

I can relate. I busted my hump to maintain an A in my organic chem class, pulled the all-nighters in order to prepare for the final, and guess what? My car decided to not start AT ALL the day of the final and I had no one to take me to it. The professor (as well as the entire chem dept) had the same no make-up policy, and I ended up with a C. I am so glad I am DONE DONE DONE with college, unless I decide to punish myself even further and go to graduate school.

Poe

 

[Alusdra]

Oooo... I can empathize. I had a teacher that made this big stink about how she would let you make up anything as long as you tried... I got straight A's the whole semester but really messed up on my final (totally my fault- I didn't have any sources listed- but the topic was one that we had been discussing all semester and previous papers hadn't required sources... still my fault, but anyway...). So I ended up with a C and when I went to talk to her she completely stonewalled me. I mean, I was offering to do a completely independent research paper for her to make up for it. Nope.

Also I got mono the last 2 weeks of college... right as 3 15+ page papers, several presentations and projects were due, not to mention my final exams. My teachers told me that had it been any other year they could have accommodated, but seeing as I was graduating the grades needed to be in by a certain date (and no I wasn't in any way better by said date). I finished everything somehow... don't think I even missed any classes... but oooch! I don't remember much at all and I'm sure everything I wrote was utterly horrible and they gave me pity grades. What a time to get mono... (no drinking for senior week... no exercise....)

In your situation I'd go to a higher up. It's not like you don't have the documentation, eh?

 

[TX_2_Pigs]

I don't need to relearn the exact same information

On the other hand, surely you didn't completely absorb every single piece of information presented in the previous 2 classes. Yes you took great notes, but unless you wrote it down verbatim, you missed something. And since class participation varies from class to class, I am sure there will end up being at least one thing you will learn. Same class, same teacher, different students, different questions, new information. Heck, you've already learned something: you can expect your case to be an exception, but it won't always be.

Good luck with the class.

 

[Res Judicata]

At least you get to take the class over. I have to live with my bad Legal Research and Writing grade thanks to my negligent partner who electronically submitted the rough draft of our appellate brief rather than the polished copy. My professor said it wouldn't be "fair" to allow me to submit the final copy due to a lot of excuses I won't bore you by listing here. I did have a friend suggest I should take her to small claims court and sue her for negligence for affecting my grade point average.

Do you have an office of student disabilities? I get extra time on tests because of my documented disabilities. All I had to do was take in a note from my doctor stating the diagnosis and what could be done to put me on par with the non-disabled students and I got what I needed. And the best part is I'll get extra time on the bar in two years.

 

[envisionary333]

On the other hand, surely you didn't completely absorb every single piece of information presented in the previous 2 classes. Yes you took great notes, but unless you wrote it down verbatim, you missed something. And since class participation varies from class to class, I am sure there will end up being at least one thing you will learn. Same class, same teacher, different students, different questions, new information.

I take VERY thorough notes. I probably wrote down at least 85% of what the teacher said (in shorthand, of course) and as I sit in class, I can literally follow along with everything she says in the notes I already have. Believe me, this is information that I already know. And no one participates in this class because everyone hates it. It's just the teacher talking and showing slides for the entire thing. Since I have the exact same teacher, and she says the exact same things, I really do already know the information. In most classes I would learn something new, but not with this type of class.

 

[Res Judicata]

I take VERY thorough notes. I probably wrote down at least 85% of what the teacher said (in shorthand, of course) and as I sit in class, I can literally follow along with everything she says in the notes I already have. Believe me, this is information that I already know....

Things to do in class since you know the information:

Websurf -- if you have wireless in the classroom and a laptop.
Nap
Write letters to friends
Draw wicked little pictures of your horrid professor
Cop a snotty attitude if grading is anonymous
If possible sit way in the back and slip out the back door after you've signed in (if you have to do that. I had a friend who did that in Property and Contracts)
Ask a lot of absurd questions
Answer all her questions perfectly (if she asks any) just to annoy the snot out of her.

 

[envisionary333]

LOL! Thanks Res Judicata, I needed a good laugh. I was starting to feel really bad about this whole thread like I am the worst person in the world for complaining.

Since there are only eight people in the class I really can't avoid confrontation. My laptop is broken and I'm trying to fix it so I can bring it to class and "take notes." It won't work without the cord plugged in, the battery won't charge, and there is nowhere to plug it in by the desks. I'm a bit of a "goody-goody" type student and I literally can't stand to disrespect a teacher in any obvious way, to be honest. The laptop thing I can handle though!

 

[piggerz]

I am so glad I am DONE DONE DONE with college, unless I decide to punish myself even further and go to graduate school.

Poe

When I finish my bachelors- that's it. No more school for me. I'm tired of it.
Piggerz

 

[Sugar]

Hello,

Teachers, I hate them. I went to school for many years, was bullied by the teachers and I am now homeschooled because of it. I may be younger than you and not ready for colleg but I know how that feels!

 

[envisionary333]

I'm sorry to hear that. I wouldn't go so far as to say I hate all teachers, though! I have had some wonderful teachers that have changed my life for the better.

My class went to an art gallery to look over some work, and I got a chance to talk to my teacher about my situation. She was very understanding and explained that if it were up to her, she would let me just take the test and move on, but she can't do that because of school policy. I was really glad I got a chance to talk to her, and I feel bad for being so upset at first. I was just frustrated because I want to go home to Seattle so badly, but know that I will be going later on in the summer I'm fine with it.

 

[Luvthempigs]

Somehow I find it hard to believe that you were bullied by ALL your teachers. Teachers usually have 30+ students to worry about, why would they single you out? They usually don't have time. Lots of students think that they are being picked on when the are not- they don't realize that they are doing something too.

 

[seagirl96]

Do you like sudoku or crossword puzzles? You can do those things very quietly and inconspicuously under a notebook while listening with half an ear. If you're artistic in other ways, you can draw or write poetry. These are all things I have done when bored out of my tree by the droning voice of someone who reads the text I already read or covers material I know backwards and forwards. If you make an intelligent and appropriate comment from time to time, your Professor shouldn't feel disrespected or ignored.

My boss once gave a two hour talk that he had had me read the script for twice, on material that I knew, and to make it more painful he has an unfortunate stutter. I wrote aletter to a friend, did the day's crossword puzzle and started on a poem while giving my boss encouraging glances and nods on important points. I wasn't so bored and he appreciated my support.

I'm really sorry you don't get to go home.