The "Education" Thread

[Einherjar86]

I have yet to conduct any real research on the subject, but my whole argument rests on the idea that epic literature has evolved and changed over the years and, in order to survive in a more modern world, had to be adapted and changed to fit with the growing popularity of prose, specifically the novel. I was going to conclude by mentioning how fantasy literature is the modern epic literature by analyzing the generic conventions found in typical epics. Obviously things have changed (no summoning of the muse for instance) but as a whole they are very similar.

This book won't talk about modern fantasy literature, but you should check it out for your research:

http://www.versobooks.com/books/620-modern-epic

 

[Jimmy... Dead.]

Ein, whenever I read your post I do so with a really strong Inflection. Not saying it's a good or bad thing, just sayin'. Would you say this is true irl? aka when you speak do you notice "normal people" making funny faces or possibly clenching their fist?

 

[unknown]

 

[crimsonfloyd]

General question for everyone: In college did you find that most professors accepted late work? And those teaching college: do you accept late work?

My guiding teacher in my high school placement is failing a bunch of kids because she has a zero-tolerance policy on late work. Her reasoning is that she's preparing them for college. While I also never turned work in late (just not my nature) I remember tons of my friends turning work in late, getting ridiculous extensions, etc. I feel like the whole "when you get to college they won't accept late work" story is a myth.

 

[unknown]

my late policy is a 5% reduction for every day (not business day or class session) that the assignment is late. While this discourages some students from submitting assignments at all, I remind them that some points are better than zero points. There are a few assignments which I absolutely do not accept late work (in-class essays and finals)

 

[Matt]

I have turned in hundreds of late assignments. Most college professors are very lenient, unless you're at Harvard I guess.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

my late policy is a 5% reduction for every day (not business day or class session) that the assignment is late. While this discourages some students from submitting assignments at all, I remind them that some points are better than zero points. There are a few assignments which I absolutely do not accept late work (in-class essays and finals)

I'm the same, but I take of 10% instead of 5%.

 

[HamburgerBoy]

With my students I'm usually pretty lenient and will often let them turn in/finish their lab reports the following morning. If it's a one-time thing I'll even let them turn it into me the following week. I had to give a handful of students half credit for being a week late on an assignment that they had three weeks to complete. I just kind of decide on the spur of the moment and try to be consistent with my other students for that given week. By coincidence I got my first evaluations back today, and aside from one student they were all positive (and several students remarked on what a sweet and kind young TA I am ). This upcoming semester I'll try and be more of a hard-ass.

M.S. in Biochemistry btw. Already having doubts about continuing with a PhD, but I don't know what the fuck I'm going to do otherwise. My initial goal in high school was M.S. and then J.D. to practice patent law, but I'm not even considering that now. Mostly I'm just sick of the time spent on campus and the time spent at home worrying about whether or not I should be studying or doing labwork or reading papers or preparing for hosting group meetings or whatever. I'd welcome the average 40 hour workweek grind even if the work was monotonous and of mediocre pay, if it meant I didn't have to think about it the moment I set foot outside of work. Even a stable 70 hour workweek would be an improvement. I'm starting to become slightly interested in the pharmacy school route, although I have no idea what I'll need to do that. Basically I'm just a manchild with no ambition or willpower, being led around by parents and professors that I am afraid to question.

While I also never turned work in late (just not my nature) I remember tons of my friends turning work in late, getting ridiculous extensions, etc. I feel like the whole "when you get to college they won't accept late work" story is a myth.

And yeah, this was my experience as an undergrad.

 

[Einherjar86]

Ein, whenever I read your post I do so with a really strong Inflection. Not saying it's a good or bad thing, just sayin'. Would you say this is true irl? aka when you speak do you notice "normal people" making funny faces or possibly clenching their fist?

You mean out of jealousy?

 

[Dak]

That thing about college was probably accurate before all you pansies got in there.

 

[Jimmy... Dead.]

You mean out of jealousy?

Partially yea and because you're the type of person when you speak people can actually hear dashes and semicolons.

 

[Baroque]

General question for everyone: In college did you find that most professors accepted late work? And those teaching college: do you accept late work?

My guiding teacher in my high school placement is failing a bunch of kids because she has a zero-tolerance policy on late work. Her reasoning is that she's preparing them for college. While I also never turned work in late (just not my nature) I remember tons of my friends turning work in late, getting ridiculous extensions, etc. I feel like the whole "when you get to college they won't accept late work" story is a myth.

I don't accept late work for most of the semester. At the end of the semester I usually end up caving and giving them a 50-60% credit opportunity for missed homework. I don't particularly like failing people. But I do. I want students to put in the same effort I did as a student.

 

[Einherjar86]

I grade late assignments based on their merit, and then lower the final grade by a half-letter corresponding to each day that it's late (including weekends; I accept email submissions).

If the assignment is so late to the point that it receives an 'F,' I don't bother grading it.

 

[Dak]

you're the type of person when you speak people can actually hear dashes and semicolons.

 

[unknown]

it's pretty amazing though. No matter how many opportunities I give to turn in late work, I still average between 3 and 8 F's per class.

 

[Carpe Mortem]

As someone just recently returned to college after a four year partying hiatus from responsibility, I see a lot of younger folk who don't do their work, or talk all through class, sit on their phones, etc. It's not only disrespectful to the professor, it's really a waste of money.

But of course their parents probably paid and forced them to attend straight out of high school. I don't think anyone should have to face expensive, life-altering decisions like what career path to put money into right when they graduate. They just plain aren't ready unless they want to be there.

 

[Zephyrus]

I have no mercy for students who don't put in any effort and then expect my clemency later on. I also have no scruples about failing them if they deserve it. The mode score of my classes so far has been a B or B-, which is above average, so having a few F's balance out my grading distribution helps me look good to my superiors.

 

[Matt]

Do you guys keep attendance? I've always been of the opinion that since I'm paying for the class, I should be allowed to not attend if I wish. Attendance points is ridiculous too, the only thing I should be graded on is my work quality and scores.

 

[Einherjar86]

I take attendance. I usually allow a certain number of absences, and if the student surpasses that number I begin taking off points. A large part of my course is discussion-based; participating in class discussion demonstrates to me that you have completed the work on time and have put in the effort to understand it.

 

[Zephyrus]

Do you guys keep attendance? I've always been of the opinion that since I'm paying for the class, I should be allowed to not attend if I wish. Attendance points is ridiculous too, the only thing I should be graded on is my work quality and scores.

That depends on the format of the class. A purely lecture-based course does not usually include attendance in the grade (though some profs do make it so). Some of us, especially TAs like myself, teach much smaller class sizes that usually involve discussion-based/collaborative learning. These can be recitation sections of a lecture course or things like English 101/Rhetoric.

I make participation in my Rhetoric class, which consists of only 18-20 people, comprise 15% of their grade. 3/5 of their participation grade is for simply showing up. I've noticed a direct correlation between participation/attendance and performance on assignments. And it's nurture as much as nature. I've had students struggle early on but because they made the effort to show up, they significantly improved. The opposite also applies. High achievers in my class declined somewhat in their performance because they began to accumulate absences like the proverbial hare vis-a-vis the tortoise.