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raeanna74 · 02-12-2004, 05:59 AM

I had a professor in college who seemed to enjoy causing the students grief. I watched her tear down several female students in front of the class until they burst into tears. I watched as a roommate of mine who was doing the best she could on a project and called with a question burst into tears as this teacher ripped into with all she had for simply asking a question. Btw her question was completely legit in my opinion as well as our other 2 roommates. After she ripped into me in front of a class of 3rd grades that I was practice teaching I decided it was time to do something. Perhaps I should have done something earlier but I really didn't realize how bad it was until she tore into me. I did speak to her later after her attack on me and told her how it had been upsetting and not constructive. She got defensive and refused to listen. So I went to the dean with a calm, researched report. Before I went I talked to a few of the students who had suffered under her fury and asked if they would be willing to speak to the dean if he so wished. They were and I told the dean their names as other "references" to confirm the story with. These students weren't close friends of mine and some were actually only aquaintances that I rarely spoke with except in class so it wasn't a case of me getting my buddies together to gang up on the teacher. The dean spoke with her about her behavior and she made a general apology in class to the students. Later she spoke to me and told me how she had not realized how critical she had become. She also mentioned how she wished she's listened when I'd confronted her and she promised that she wasn't going to attack students anymore. BTW I did not go to the dean until AFTER my class was finished for the semester so that there would be no chance of any repercusions and no personal interest in my part in having the teacher canned.

Since then the teacher has kept in contact with me and her family and ours have been friendly. She seems to have mellowed out a lot. She took a short sabatical for a while when her daughter was struggling health wise and it seems to have helped. Keep in mind you need to speak specifically about your professors/bosses behavior to him in a public place so that you have a witness or two should he blow up about it. Do it respectfully and in a "constructive" way. Then if he refuses to listen or change go over his head. There's nothing wrong with tattling if you've attempted to address the issue yourself first.

I hope this wasn't too long and that it made sense. You situation sounded so familiar though. Good luck.

02-12-2004, 05:59 AM	#3 (permalink)
raeanna74 I'm not a blonde! I'm knot! I'm knot! I'm knot! Location: Upper Michigan	I had a professor in college who seemed to enjoy causing the students grief. I watched her tear down several female students in front of the class until they burst into tears. I watched as a roommate of mine who was doing the best she could on a project and called with a question burst into tears as this teacher ripped into with all she had for simply asking a question. Btw her question was completely legit in my opinion as well as our other 2 roommates. After she ripped into me in front of a class of 3rd grades that I was practice teaching I decided it was time to do something. Perhaps I should have done something earlier but I really didn't realize how bad it was until she tore into me. I did speak to her later after her attack on me and told her how it had been upsetting and not constructive. She got defensive and refused to listen. So I went to the dean with a calm, researched report. Before I went I talked to a few of the students who had suffered under her fury and asked if they would be willing to speak to the dean if he so wished. They were and I told the dean their names as other "references" to confirm the story with. These students weren't close friends of mine and some were actually only aquaintances that I rarely spoke with except in class so it wasn't a case of me getting my buddies together to gang up on the teacher. The dean spoke with her about her behavior and she made a general apology in class to the students. Later she spoke to me and told me how she had not realized how critical she had become. She also mentioned how she wished she's listened when I'd confronted her and she promised that she wasn't going to attack students anymore. BTW I did not go to the dean until AFTER my class was finished for the semester so that there would be no chance of any repercusions and no personal interest in my part in having the teacher canned. Since then the teacher has kept in contact with me and her family and ours have been friendly. She seems to have mellowed out a lot. She took a short sabatical for a while when her daughter was struggling health wise and it seems to have helped. Keep in mind you need to speak specifically about your professors/bosses behavior to him in a public place so that you have a witness or two should he blow up about it. Do it respectfully and in a "constructive" way. Then if he refuses to listen or change go over his head. There's nothing wrong with tattling if you've attempted to address the issue yourself first. I hope this wasn't too long and that it made sense. You situation sounded so familiar though. Good luck. __________________ "Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama My Karma just ran over your Dogma.