First Year Students Fall 2014 How's It Going

[music]

Since dropping my 4th course I can actually get my work done by Friday night. I've gone from feeling horribly overworked to feeling guilty about being able to do other things on the weekend :/ Planning to counter that by getting back into my own research on one of my two free days, and practicing my instrument again.

[Monochrome Spring]

We had panel reviews of our GRF proposals in class today and I got a great review from my classmates! So, any guilt I had about not working as many hours as my classmates is gone, because I am still producing high quality work. Great way to start the weekend.

[seeingeyeduck]

I did really well on my first midterm, but I think the second one went less well. I had my first milestone in a departmental class and it went really well, but now there is a looming deadline for a draft of a paper. I'm not too stressed about it since it is draft, but I would like to get it as complete as possible so I don't have to worry about big changes right around finals time.

 

The last couple of weeks have been a bit weird. I got into a mode where I just wanted to work independently on my projects and haven't really felt as much like keeping up with the constant rounds of coursework, which is partly why I did less well on the second midterm, I think. I missed a few classes in the 2u class I'm auditing due to a weird shift in my sleeping patterns and felt pretty bad about that as the instructor is super nice and the class is really helpful. But at this point, I'm just glad it's the class I'm auditing and not ones I'm taking for units.

 

I'm trying to just give myself a bit of room to work on what I want to work on before taking a couple of weekends to really catch up. I've always found it hard to manage the times during the term when I just feel like I need a few days' breather but of course the coursework never relents. I don't think I've been making good use of the weekends since they usually end up being time with my spouse and errand running time. Time management gets tricky for me since so much of what I do involves scheduling with subjects that have their own different schedules and attending events that also have variable schedules so that I can't really develop one regular schedule.

 

That said, it's been an amazing few months. I think I'm really invested in this program in a way that I never was with undergrad, and the classes I get to take all help me develop thinking and skills that I really need. It doesn't feel like anything is "mandatory" or that I'm required to take anything I don't like. But it's also sinking in how fast it'll go! Only two years!

[geographyrocks]

I have a professor that "gives" points on an exam rather than takes points away for wrong answers.  So you could give the right answer, but if you don't provide enough details (the details he wants you to provide), you get less credit.  He never told the class about his odd version of grading so the class average for the midterm was around %40. 

 

Has anyone had a professor that did this? 

Had he specified what he wanted before the test, I wouldn't be so irritated.  The person who received the highest score does not get the material at all (She said this herself).  She only received the highest score because she provided as many details as possible because she didn't actually know the right answer. 

[Threeboysmom]

I'm so excited I got my term paper back from one of my classes and I got an A on it.    The professor gave it to me prior to giving me our midterm which covered 17 chapters of 20 chapter book.  Hopefully I aced the midterm as well.  Now I'm off to catch up on laundry.... Tomorrow you can find me reading and writing you know the grad school two step.  LOL!

[ss2player]

I have a professor that "gives" points on an exam rather than takes points away for wrong answers.  So you could give the right answer, but if you don't provide enough details (the details he wants you to provide), you get less credit.  He never told the class about his odd version of grading so the class average for the midterm was around %40. 

 

Has anyone had a professor that did this? 

Had he specified what he wanted before the test, I wouldn't be so irritated.  The person who received the highest score does not get the material at all (She said this herself).  She only received the highest score because she provided as many details as possible because she didn't actually know the right answer. 

 

Ah, the ol' "throw spaghetti on the page and see what sticks" tactic...it's unfortunate that sometimes works on professors as it in no way reflects actual learning. Can you bring it up with the dean or department head?

[geographyrocks]

Ah, the ol' "throw spaghetti on the page and see what sticks" tactic...it's unfortunate that sometimes works on professors as it in no way reflects actual learning. Can you bring it up with the dean or department head?

It's an unusual situation because the class is being taught by a "baby" (only a couple of years since earning his PhD) professor who generally teaches basic science to education majors.  This is his first undergrad/grad level class with a classroom full of science majors.  My adviser, who is the regular professor for this class, has asked me previously what I thought.  I'm wondering if he might bring it up again during our meeting today since I'm sure he's heard the midterm results by now.

The class doesn't seem to like his teaching style much (and I'm sure the opinion is worse now that we have our midterms back).  I know that many of the undergraduates are failing due to the midterm.  They scored more in the 20%-30% range before the ~30 point curve.  Even with the curve, most are in the failing range.  

I guess I should bring up with my adviser, but I hate being THAT person. 

[ss2player]

It's an unusual situation because the class is being taught by a "baby" (only a couple of years since earning his PhD) professor who generally teaches basic science to education majors.  This is his first undergrad/grad level class with a classroom full of science majors.  My adviser, who is the regular professor for this class, has asked me previously what I thought.  I'm wondering if he might bring it up again during our meeting today since I'm sure he's heard the midterm results by now.

The class doesn't seem to like his teaching style much (and I'm sure the opinion is worse now that we have our midterms back).  I know that many of the undergraduates are failing due to the midterm.  They scored more in the 20%-30% range before the ~30 point curve.  Even with the curve, most are in the failing range.  

I guess I should bring up with my adviser, but I hate being THAT person. 

 

Don't feel bad about it; if your professor is worth their salt they will WANT feedback, good or bad. It really helps them improve the curriculum and do their job well. Good luck and give us an update!

[Eigen]

Pedagogically speaking, you're *supposed* to give points for correct portions of the answer, rather than taking away for missing portions. 

 

The idea is that if you take points away from some total, you're starting from the baseline assumption that everyone has 100 points, and you're taking them away. Alternatively, if you give points for correct work, it fits with students earning the points they are given for something correct. Just to be clear, a technically correct but incomplete answer isn't really a "right" answer.

 

The problem seems to not be the fact that he's grading "correctly", but rather that he's not being clear about what he wants.

 

From what you've said here, I'm not exactly sure what you want to bring up to your advisor? It sounds like you guys aren't used to a different teaching style, and don't know how to adjust? Have you talked to the teacher about it?

 

If you have more concrete complaints (the material on the test didn't match the lectures, his lectures were disorganized/didn't cover the material well/his questions were unclear), then by all means tell your professor. But keep in mind you are also likely playing into a power struggle between a new TT faculty member and a tenured faculty member teaching the same class, and that can be a really awkward position to be in. 

[geographyrocks]

Yeah, one problem is that he is not very clear in what he wants or how he will grade something. Although, I'm not talking about partially correct answers.  I'm saying that the answers are correct, but he wants detail that doesn't need to be included for the answer to be correct. 

Another problem is that other people are saying that they aren't following his lectures very well.  I don't think they're horrible, but I've had this type of class before, and I'm very familiar with the subject matter.  He tends to dwell on things that are simple and breeze through the complicated portions (generally partial differential equations).  I personally think he does this with things he is less comfortable with teaching. 

Either way, everyone is pretty unhappy with the class.  I think it would behoove him to have an impromptu, anonymous mid-semester survey.  I suggested that to my adviser which was probably the only helpful thing I said.  I sometimes babble like an idiot when I'm uncomfortable. 

Additionally, since this guy is so new, end-of-year student surveys could have a negative impact on future job prospects. 

Edited October 29, 2014 by geographyrocks

[Munashi]

Welp, I've got my first midterm tomorrow morning.  Wish me luck, everyone!  Hope you're all well.

[Threeboysmom]

Welp, I've got my first midterm tomorrow morning.  Wish me luck, everyone!  Hope you're all well.

Good luck!

[maelia8]

After I did a presentation and led discussion in seminar yesterday, the professor wrote me an email saying that I did a "really superb job" and that I will be "an exceptional teacher"!!!! So incredibly happy, as teaching is the reason why I got into this whole business in the first place (not that I don't like research, but teaching is really my passion). I am so lucky to be at this institution with these incredible people.

[Threeboysmom]

Good for you maelia8.

[schoolpsycher]

Feeling a lot more capable after my TA wrote on my paper, "I nearly cried while reading this" and said, "You have a gift for explaining difficult concepts and making them accessible." Definitely going to re-read that comment whenever grad school is getting me down.

[Threeboysmom]

^^^^schoolpsycher^^^^  I'm sure that was a big boost in your confidence.  Way to go! 

 

 

My quote button is not working on my laptop for some reason.  My laptop is dying...

[GCool]

^^^^schoolpsycher^^^^  I'm sure that was a big boost in your confidence.  Way to go! 

 

 

My quote button is not working on my laptop for some reason.  My laptop is dying...

 

You have a quote button on your laptop? That's impressive.

 

If you mean clicking "Quote" here in the forum isn't working, I'd update Flash. If it still doesn't work, I'd use a different browser. If it still doesn't work, I'd restart your computer for updates. And, after all that, THEN your laptop is for sure dying.

 

This is an interesting read as someone who's trying to make a case for himself to get in somewhere. Good luck to all of you.

[Munashi]

Update: Pretty sure I did alright on that stats midterm!  I guess we'll see once grades are in..  Happy Halloween, all!

[The Wayfarer]

Had a meeting with my advisor on Thursday to discuss my research and she suggested that I submit my research idea to a conference. Even though I had to get the proposal done in 24 hours it was still nice to know that my advisor doesn't think I'm an idiot.

 

Also, been very engaged in course material lately which is good because about a month ago I had a rough couple of weeks. Finally feel like I've got my footing and I'm where I belong!

[EngineerGrad]

My first peer reviewed paper was accepted for publication this afternoon :-D yay!

[Threeboysmom]

Aced my second midterm.

[Threeboysmom]

My first peer reviewed paper was accepted for publication this afternoon :-D yay!

How exciting, congrats!

[starofdawn]

My first peer reviewed paper was accepted for publication this afternoon :-D yay!

Whoa! Already?!

[gellert]

Congratulations!

[EngineerGrad]

Thanks guys! And yeah, everything happened very fast