Niagaraiceman

I honestly feel for those who really do have a family emergency, and I can usually tell who is feeding me a line. With that said, I receive at least 3-4 family emergency emails a week (or something of that ilk). Last week (Finals and Research paper/final presentations due), I have had 7 (!) stating that their emergency hindered them from getting their paper into me on time. The same paper that I assigned in early February... It really is a bad apple spoils the bunch kind of thing, because I have caught several students who have lied to me straight up and I need to react appropriately.

Honestly, I am not surprised you received a snide email back. I am always courteous with my responses back to students, but If I had a nickel for every family emergency I get over the semester, well, I would have a lot of nickels. It is the replacement for the dead grand parents excuse.Believe it or not, Students lie to their instructors all the time. As legitimate as your excuse was, we receive a number of B/S excuses that we are expected to take a face value. Some ask for documentation, others are brazen enough to call students on their b/s, others just let it slide. It doesn't excuse her from being snide, but it is most likely a reaction to an inbox littered with excuses.

I have heard European Universities are much more collegial, compared to the American system at least. I try to run my classes that way, but the students aren't at that level when I get them (mostly straight out of high school, don't understand the ropes). I am probably going to end up in a support position, rather than receive a full time position teaching at this school. I am a third tiered candidate, First goes to PhD in History, followed by M.A. I am an M.S.Ed in Social Studies education (mainly so that I could teach Jr/Sr High), which works well at the community college level, but they want people with content specialty, rather than someone with firm pedagogy. It always baffled me as to why the do this, when they barely offer any history courses beyond the survey level, and thus, have very few people who are going to use history in their future academic endeavors. But, that is an unfortunate deal in my career aspirations, I am sure if I had an M.A. and didn't have a full time job, I would probably say that they were giving the jobs to the damn education majors.

Fantastic topic. I wish you all the best! I always wanted to go back to get my M.A., but the market here is so saturated, even with PhD candidates, that I figured i'd be throwing my money away. Since my ambition was to teach, instead of research, I have found a good niche in community college teaching. Now if only I could get something full time.

What is your topic?

Central New York

Tell that to those who had a tornado touch down near their house. Oh wait, that was US!

No problem

On the bottom of the posters information (bottom left), you click the star and then click add to reputation

Pat Flatley http://www.outsidethegarden.com/images/player/201.jpg

Brian Skrudland http://www.outsidethegarden.com/images/player/679.jpg Corey Hirsch http://www.goaliesarchive.com/rangers/goalie/hirsch.jpg Mike Eastwood http://www.outsidethegarden.com/images/player/179.jpg Sergio Mommesso http://www.outsidethegarden.com/images/player/522.jpg