How Can I Do Well in One of Your Courses?
I'm so glad you've asked! Here are some of my best ideas. (You might also find some ideas here, here, and here.)
There is also a section dedicated to this in my how-to videos. I would read this and watch the videos if you have time.
There is also a section dedicated to this in my how-to videos. I would read this and watch the videos if you have time.
What's Most Important?
There are four things that will really help you in one of my classes:
Firstly, please always remember that I want to be an educator, I want to help students, and that I do everything in my classes and for my students in good faith. Indeed, I even left a very lucrative career so that I could do this full-time! I've always appreciated my students who have let me know that my deontologically-based outlook as an educator has made a positive impact in their lives. Conversely, I've always been amazed at a few students who believe that my projects, assignments, or tests are some sort of device designed without their benefit in mind, or, even worse, are the product of some sort of conspiracy against them (I've noticed, more often than not, that these students are often ones who are in college simply to obtain a degree--perhaps these types of reactions are symmetrical with this type of educational outlook?). In any case, please know that, while I might make you stretch yourself, I really, honestly believe that it's for a student's own good.
Secondly and thirdly, learn to follow directions to the letter and be sure to seek help beforehand if you're not sure....about anything. These things will help you head off the situation that won't help you in any way: post-facto complaints or manipulation. I've scratched my head so many times trying to understand how students (and, indeed, many others) can have very specific instructions placed in front of them and still fail to follow step #1. So, even if you shirk at reading those little booklets that come with your new camera, Bluray player, smartphone, etc., see if you can read the directions I give you in class. Similarly, my colleagues and I have been at a loss for the past decade or so to understand why students aren't coming to us beforehand in order to seek our help; instead, it seems students would rather use their energies complaining, arguing, or negotiating after a grade has been assigned. Historically speaking, the system isn't designed to work that way. A student's job is to learn, not to practice their post-facto manipulating skills (unless they're a law or rhetoric major, perhaps).
Finally, develop appropriate coping skills for dealing with a grade or mark that's lower than what you originally expected and develop similar coping skills for receiving assignments that are lengthier, more difficult, and/or more intricate than what you've come to expect, or instructions that differ from those you've received from other instructors at the same institution or in similar types of classes. Your abilities to cope will directly affect your abilities to improve as a student-scholar. In other words, prepare to be discomforted somewhat and handle that discomfort in a proper manner.
Remember that your nominal goal for enrolling in one of my courses is to learn something new. I understand that many students today don't believe in this as their goal is to receive a credential and take the path of least resistance toward that goal. In fact, since about the early 1990s, students, instead of valuing professors, have become socially programmed to complain about a professor if they aren't receiving the accolades to which they feel entitled. Needless to say, if you're a part of this social trend then I might not be the most appropriate instructor for you
I'm always surprised when students would rather complain, argue, or otherwise act obstinately when presented with a challenging assignment or a grade that's lower than what they've come to expect. While this type of reaction is very human, it points to a fundamental misunderstanding held by many students who believe that my evaluations and requirements of them are somehow relative and negotiable--they're not. In fact, by being in anyone's class, you've tacitly agreed to allow them to be a expert evaluator of your competency. In fact, a great deal of the population in this world will never have an opportunity to be evaluated by someone who's an expert as first-world college students do. It is, in many ways, a lucky gift of fate that allows students such as yourself to be in the position you're in.
With few doubts, most people are probably good at arguing or otherwise trying to get their way--most humans have been doing it since they were babies, which leads me back to my original point: I'm here to teach you something new, and I take that job very seriously. In that vein, if you're a student who habitually waits for bad news and then puts your energy into post-facto manipulation, I won't be the most compatible teacher for you.
Firstly, please always remember that I want to be an educator, I want to help students, and that I do everything in my classes and for my students in good faith. Indeed, I even left a very lucrative career so that I could do this full-time! I've always appreciated my students who have let me know that my deontologically-based outlook as an educator has made a positive impact in their lives. Conversely, I've always been amazed at a few students who believe that my projects, assignments, or tests are some sort of device designed without their benefit in mind, or, even worse, are the product of some sort of conspiracy against them (I've noticed, more often than not, that these students are often ones who are in college simply to obtain a degree--perhaps these types of reactions are symmetrical with this type of educational outlook?). In any case, please know that, while I might make you stretch yourself, I really, honestly believe that it's for a student's own good.
Secondly and thirdly, learn to follow directions to the letter and be sure to seek help beforehand if you're not sure....about anything. These things will help you head off the situation that won't help you in any way: post-facto complaints or manipulation. I've scratched my head so many times trying to understand how students (and, indeed, many others) can have very specific instructions placed in front of them and still fail to follow step #1. So, even if you shirk at reading those little booklets that come with your new camera, Bluray player, smartphone, etc., see if you can read the directions I give you in class. Similarly, my colleagues and I have been at a loss for the past decade or so to understand why students aren't coming to us beforehand in order to seek our help; instead, it seems students would rather use their energies complaining, arguing, or negotiating after a grade has been assigned. Historically speaking, the system isn't designed to work that way. A student's job is to learn, not to practice their post-facto manipulating skills (unless they're a law or rhetoric major, perhaps).
Finally, develop appropriate coping skills for dealing with a grade or mark that's lower than what you originally expected and develop similar coping skills for receiving assignments that are lengthier, more difficult, and/or more intricate than what you've come to expect, or instructions that differ from those you've received from other instructors at the same institution or in similar types of classes. Your abilities to cope will directly affect your abilities to improve as a student-scholar. In other words, prepare to be discomforted somewhat and handle that discomfort in a proper manner.
Remember that your nominal goal for enrolling in one of my courses is to learn something new. I understand that many students today don't believe in this as their goal is to receive a credential and take the path of least resistance toward that goal. In fact, since about the early 1990s, students, instead of valuing professors, have become socially programmed to complain about a professor if they aren't receiving the accolades to which they feel entitled. Needless to say, if you're a part of this social trend then I might not be the most appropriate instructor for you
I'm always surprised when students would rather complain, argue, or otherwise act obstinately when presented with a challenging assignment or a grade that's lower than what they've come to expect. While this type of reaction is very human, it points to a fundamental misunderstanding held by many students who believe that my evaluations and requirements of them are somehow relative and negotiable--they're not. In fact, by being in anyone's class, you've tacitly agreed to allow them to be a expert evaluator of your competency. In fact, a great deal of the population in this world will never have an opportunity to be evaluated by someone who's an expert as first-world college students do. It is, in many ways, a lucky gift of fate that allows students such as yourself to be in the position you're in.
With few doubts, most people are probably good at arguing or otherwise trying to get their way--most humans have been doing it since they were babies, which leads me back to my original point: I'm here to teach you something new, and I take that job very seriously. In that vein, if you're a student who habitually waits for bad news and then puts your energy into post-facto manipulation, I won't be the most compatible teacher for you.
Are there any steps I can take to do well in your course?
Some of these are really old school, but I can't figure out why they even went out of style.
- Follow the directions provided. This one never ceases to amaze me; I only wish I knew what caused it. People, as a whole don't seem to be able to follow directions on an instruction-by-instruction basis no matter how simple or accessible those directions are. Directions are a drag, and are often "TL;DR," but it's probably a good idea to fight the inclination to ignore them.
- Mentally construct healthy and positive ways for you to deal with a grade that's lower than what you expect or an assignment that's more complex, detailed, or longer than you had hoped. Neither your grades nor assignments are negotiations. The only control you have over your grade in my class is to do the work to the best of your abilities. Your abilities at the moment might not be enough to earn the grade you desire, but I can help you expand upon those abilities so that your outcomes will positively build upon each other. I've posted some examples of what happens when this advice isn't heeded properly.
- Don't wait until the last minute to work on assignments! This is particularly true of essay assignments (this is about as old school as it gets). My guess is that a lot of students wait until the last minute to work on assignments. This creates an environment ripe for disappointment. If you don't get things done early, you can't ask me questions, and then you're completely in the dark as to whether you're on the right track or not.
- Make sure you understand the assignment or test question—ask if you don’t; heck, ask me anything, for cryin' out loud (except to change your grade). I'm always amazed at how readily students will spend oodles of energy arguing or moaning about something after the fact that could have been cleared up with a simple question beforehand. I'm also shocked by the whispered conversations on assignment-due day akin to, "did you understand what he wanted on #2?" "No, it was confusing..." A simple question or email would have cleared that confusion up.
- Go through the grading rubric and/or questions to ensure that you have met all of the graded elements. This directly correlates with #1. I have specific instructions on how to write an intro paragraph and explain, in detail, what should be in each sentence of the intro starting with sentence number one. My rough calculations demonstrate that students fail to follow these instructions a whopping 87% of the time.
- Come see me as many times as needed before you turn in your assignment or take an exam (old school alert! It works, tho). Maybe it's texting, IM, or Chat Roulette, but my office hours are a virtual Mad Max-ian wasteland of abysmal loneliness, boredom, and ennui (well, not that bad... I have work to do) until students want to bargain, negotiate, or argue for a grade after it's been returned and already too late.
- If you think you have issues with time, ask for help with managing it or ask for official extensions through the Office of Disability Services (if applicable).
- Learn to use specific, clear, and concise language. Words are inherently powerful--violently powerful, as a matter of fact. In order to utilize this power, you have to use words with meaning. "Children did things to pass the time when they were bored" is not the same thing as "To fill hours in between lessons, children played board games, camped in the woods, swam in the lake, and sang songs around a fire."
- Avoid passive language! There are many guides on the Internet that can help you write actively rather than passively.
- Consider studying with a group of your classmates (old school alert! It works, tho).
Do you work off a set of guidelines as a professor?
Yes! Absolutely (also, see my teaching philosophy here).
- I promise to teach you about the subject at hand and to do my best to help you understand the relative information.
- I promise to do my best to give you the tools you need to succeed and to understand how you will be evaluated.
- I promise to evaluate you without passion or prejudice that no matter what your political affiliation, general personality, religion, gender/sex, ethnic background, etc. (unless cheesecake is involved?).
- I promise to be honest with you in my grading and in my evaluation of your progress. This might, and, indeed, probably will, make you uncomfortable at times, perhaps frustrated or even upset.
- I promise to make myself, to be best of my abilities, available to you however and in whatever way you need me to be there for you in order for you to succeed.
What's your take on grades, grading, and grade inflation?
I believe that you are still a perfectly normal, decent, and wonderful person even if you don’t get the exact grade you want or think or feel you deserve. Having a letter next to your name does not change who you are or mean you aren’t special, somehow. I get that you’ve been evaluated this way for years and years by just about everyone. But, honestly, grades don’t mean as much in the real world (even for grad school) as you think they do. I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true.
I do believe that research has clearly shown that grade inflation is real and that it exists; furthermore, grade inflation seems to be particularly bad in education (#2) and the humanities, including history. Data also seems to support the idea that students are studying less, and I have a sneaking suspicion that studying less also means learning less, no matter what the final grade. Grade inflation hurts all undergraduates because it essentially makes grades worthless (how can an above-average number of people be above average?), but no one wants to be left out. This is really unfortunate for all parties involved. Although it's hard to grasp this concept, grade inflation hurts you far, far more than it will help you. The more students who insist on higher grades, the more those grades lose their value. This practice also, in my opinion, breeds a sense of entitlement, which I feel is worsening, as well.
However, I also understand that at most universities both students and the institution itself have the wolf by its ears and dare not let it go. Only a few intrepid and brave institutions attempt to buck this trend. Either way, I'm not a lone crusader, and I don't push or pull a curve in order for it to fit some sort of predetermined standard. You earn you grade based on the quality of your work and solely on the quality of your work.
I do believe that research has clearly shown that grade inflation is real and that it exists; furthermore, grade inflation seems to be particularly bad in education (#2) and the humanities, including history. Data also seems to support the idea that students are studying less, and I have a sneaking suspicion that studying less also means learning less, no matter what the final grade. Grade inflation hurts all undergraduates because it essentially makes grades worthless (how can an above-average number of people be above average?), but no one wants to be left out. This is really unfortunate for all parties involved. Although it's hard to grasp this concept, grade inflation hurts you far, far more than it will help you. The more students who insist on higher grades, the more those grades lose their value. This practice also, in my opinion, breeds a sense of entitlement, which I feel is worsening, as well.
However, I also understand that at most universities both students and the institution itself have the wolf by its ears and dare not let it go. Only a few intrepid and brave institutions attempt to buck this trend. Either way, I'm not a lone crusader, and I don't push or pull a curve in order for it to fit some sort of predetermined standard. You earn you grade based on the quality of your work and solely on the quality of your work.