So I totally forgot I had this blog, which is why it has been two years, I've gotten an MA, and I've gotten married in between. Anywaaaaaaaay.
So for the love of God, sometimes my job gets on my nerves. I'm TAing for the WW2 Class for the third time this semester, and loving every minute of it. Except some. I have a student that needs extra help. Not normally an issue, except she doesn't apply themself. The student misses class (missing one class in a 3 week course is akin to missing 4 days of a 16 week course), doesn't study, looks up stuff on wikipedia, and does poorly on the exams. I've stayed late every day trying to help, but the student only meets me part of the way. The frustrating thing is that instead of working hard, or trying to apply themself, as I have many students do, the student does not put forth the effort and expects to jump from a failing grade to a quite literally perfect grade overnight. Instead of improving, the student has actually done worse, but has convinced themselves that "the next time" will be better. The student needs to drop the course, but they can't lest their financial aid get yanked for the fall. Then the student talked to a Poly Sci academic adviser (NOT her major, and we aren't Poly Sci, obviously), instead of me (forgetting, or not being in class, the day Dr. Moses and I said we would show documentaries in the classroom after class, and thus would be there, not in our offices), who apparently convinced the student that it WAS possible to ace everything remaining in the class (like, perfect scores) and pull out the grade they need. Now I'm stuck in the position of breaking the students forlorn hope and explaining that "sorry, based on your previous performance, you are most likely NOT going to get perfect scores, and beyond that, I highly doubt you can pass the class at all. You need to withdraw, but you can't, so now you have to ride the class down in a fiery inferno like a kamikaze into the side of a carrier, which we'll talk about Thursday."
I've really tried to help the student, but the effort is just not there. I know it isn't my fault, but it's frustrating when you see someone who needs help and you realize that no matter what you do, you can't change the situation. You can do everything possible on your end, but if the student won't even take the time (it's the third week and the student STILL does not have all the required texts) then there is not much you can do. I love being a TA, and still enjoy my job, but it's frustrating when you see the people who want help but don't want to put in the legwork to do it. It's like me being fat, wanting to be thinner doesn't count for a damn, even if people help me. I have to chose and then actively work towards losing weight before it happens. But I don't think that's how our society works anymore: people expect other people to do things for them, and don't want to put in the hardwork themselves to make things happen.
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As an example of the studying ability, in one instance the student missed two days of lecture, pretty much missing the entire Pacific War we had covered. She prepared an ID over the AVG, the American Volunteer Group. I read it (this is not from the exam, this is from some of her studying that she got help from). I read it, and it read as if it came off wiki or someone else's notes. The conversation went like this:
ReplyDeleteMe: "What online site did you get this from?"
Student: "I didn't, it came from notes."
(Knowing she wasn't there that day)
Me: "What is the AVG, then?"
Student: "Look at the ID."
Me: "No, I'm asking, what is it? What does it stand for?"
Student: "I don't know..."
Me: "What was their nickname?"
Student: "I don't know..."
Me: "So why are you preparing an ID when it is obvious you don't know what it is?"
Student: "Well, I got it from a study group's notes..."
Me: "Did you read the book?"
Student: "Yes!"
Me: "Then what is the AVG?"
In another example, when discussing the Doolittle Raid and I suggested things she needed to examine to put in an ID, instead of taking notes, the student asked politely "Can you write what I need down so I'll put it in the ID?"
TAs exist to help, but we're not going to do the exam for you. And what I think is REALLY shoddy about the whole situation is the student CLAIMS to have had a tutor, though the grade would suggest otherwise. Which implies either I'm being lied to, or someone in the history department (assuming, based on the Poly Sci guy, the student went to the right department), is doing a pretty poor job as a tutor.