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spectre · 04-24-2007, 04:20 PM

As a few people on the board already know, I'm in a class that's very similar. The class is a 300 level CS class. It's a class which has pretty tough material to start, but the professor has made it pretty clear that she doesn't want to be approached, and the TA isn't much better. The professor's first test had an average of below 50%, and a few people took her practice test to professors from the CS department, and most couldn't do the practice test, and the few that could do it couldn't finish it in just over an hour (the class period). Keep in mind these are people with Masters and PhDs in CS. Our last test average, from what the TA is telling us anyway, was below 10% with the highest grade in the class still being below 50%. She just informed up that she won't be giving the tests back, she'll just decide whether we passed or failed, then mark it down. (Yes that's right, we just have to take her word that we failed.) Most of us have read the chapters from the book six or more times (the book being one that was designed as a guide for the professor to base the class on for an honors 400 level class). The TA will refuse to answer most of our questions, implies that we're lazy idiots, then bitches at us for not asking him any questions. He's also refused to help us on certain topics because he feels it's a waste of time despite the professor emphasizing that we will be tested on the material and most of the class having no idea how to do those problems. There's also poor communication between the two of them. The professor actually told us once, "I looked at your homeworks and it looks like some of you were graded too harshly. I know he's mad at me and I hope he's not taking it out on all of you."

Word of advice for next time, as soon as you see these trends, go in to the head of the department immediately, and have as many others from the class go in as well. Also, find other professors from the department and talk to them. It reflects poorly on the department when a professor acts like this, and the other professors will be pissed if their department is viewed in a negative light due to a bad teacher.

04-24-2007, 04:20 PM	#8 (permalink)
spectre Junkie	As a few people on the board already know, I'm in a class that's very similar. The class is a 300 level CS class. It's a class which has pretty tough material to start, but the professor has made it pretty clear that she doesn't want to be approached, and the TA isn't much better. The professor's first test had an average of below 50%, and a few people took her practice test to professors from the CS department, and most couldn't do the practice test, and the few that could do it couldn't finish it in just over an hour (the class period). Keep in mind these are people with Masters and PhDs in CS. Our last test average, from what the TA is telling us anyway, was below 10% with the highest grade in the class still being below 50%. She just informed up that she won't be giving the tests back, she'll just decide whether we passed or failed, then mark it down. (Yes that's right, we just have to take her word that we failed.) Most of us have read the chapters from the book six or more times (the book being one that was designed as a guide for the professor to base the class on for an honors 400 level class). The TA will refuse to answer most of our questions, implies that we're lazy idiots, then bitches at us for not asking him any questions. He's also refused to help us on certain topics because he feels it's a waste of time despite the professor emphasizing that we will be tested on the material and most of the class having no idea how to do those problems. There's also poor communication between the two of them. The professor actually told us once, "I looked at your homeworks and it looks like some of you were graded too harshly. I know he's mad at me and I hope he's not taking it out on all of you." Word of advice for next time, as soon as you see these trends, go in to the head of the department immediately, and have as many others from the class go in as well. Also, find other professors from the department and talk to them. It reflects poorly on the department when a professor acts like this, and the other professors will be pissed if their department is viewed in a negative light due to a bad teacher. __________________ "Fuck these chains No goddamn slave I will be different" ~ Machine Head