Question for College Students

[jetpunk2000]

Hey guys, I need a bit of advice. I'm currently in my senior year as a secondary education major in math. One of the requirements for the mathematics major for secondary students is geometry. Unfortunately, the professor who normally teaches the course took a leave of absence in June, leaving the math department struggling to find a replacement. (Apparently they did know about it prior to June, but waited until then to actually do anything.) Now, out of the entire faculty of about 12 math professors, only 2 were qualified to teach this course. :confused:

One was a former high school teacher who was only promoted to full time professor this semester. The other seems like a very bright man, but has real issues with communication. Basically, he is very soft spoken and has a thick accent, which when you combine the two, makes him virtually impossible to understand. The one who has the communication issues was chosen to teach the course. The main issue is that the material is a very big chunk of the HS curriculum, and if the man who is supposed to teach us the stuff can't communicate it effectively, how are we supposed to teach it to our students.

I'm meeting with the assistant chairperson tomorrow, and I believe this was her recommendation. She just assumed the position in July after the aformentioned professor left. I like her, she likes me, and I think she is a very big ally to have as both a reference and a mentor. At the same time, I have to let her know that she is going to have very big issues with this class, as I am not the only one who has expressed their displeasure. The question is, what is there to say. I don't think I can demand the professor be removed since we're already a week in, but I do want my displeasure to be known.

[samifan24]

I would just try to communicate how important this class is to you and how you were disappointed with the school's dragging-their-feet mentality concerning finding a replacement. If the chair likes you, she'll probably listen to you since you are a senior within the major and this class/their appointment of this professor to teach the class affect you directly. If your school truly cares about their major, your chair will at least listen to your predicament.

[Passacaglia]

Of course we know which one was chosen to teach the course

I'm guessing the older one, but I'm not sure.

I have a smilar problem with my student teaching, also in math. My advisor has recommended against a teacher that I like, so I have to choose someone else as my mentor teacher. What I'll probably do is observe the teacher I like during my off periods. Maybe you can do the same thing -- supplement your work by getting help from the younger teacher.

I wouldn't say anything to the assistant chairperson while I was still a student. I'd probably wait until I was out of the class to say something.

[jetpunk2000]

I'm guessing the older one, but I'm not sure.

I have a smilar problem with my student teaching, also in math. My advisor has recommended against a teacher that I like, so I have to choose someone else as my mentor teacher. What I'll probably do is observe the teacher I like during my off periods. Maybe you can do the same thing -- supplement your work by getting help from the younger teacher.

I wouldn't say anything to the assistant chairperson while I was still a student. I'd probably wait until I was out of the class to say something.
Thing is, I'm not the only one in the class. Most of the students won't be able to do such a thing because of other commitments or classes. We have a relatively older student body than most colleges around here and therefore a lot of working students who don't have much free time. And if half of your class is going to the other guy to get help, there is a serious problem.

[clintl]

It's been a while since I've been a student, but I'd go with what samifan said. Probably won't do any good, as I doubt they would change professors. FWIW, I saw some pretty interesting things with teaching assignments when I was in school. My favorite was when I was a grad student in electrical engineering, and involved a friend of mine who was also a grad student. He tried to get into an upper division undergrad class one year, but it was full, and undergrads had enrollment preference for the class (I happened to be the TA, so I knew all about it). The next year, they didn't have an available faculty member, and they often used grad students as instructors that situation. And because he had high ratings as a TA, they asked him to teach the course he had never taken and couldn't get into the year before! By all accounts I heard, he did a good job, too.

[jetpunk2000]

It's been a while since I've been a student, but I'd go with what samifan said. Probably won't do any good, as I doubt they would change professors. FWIW, I saw some pretty interesting things with teaching assignments when I was in school. My favorite was when I was a grad student in electrical engineering, and involved a friend of mine who was also a grad student. He tried to get into an upper division undergrad class one year, but it was full, and undergrads had enrollment preference for the class (I happened to be the TA, so I knew all about it). The next year, they didn't have an available faculty member, and they often used grad students as instructors that situation. And because he had high ratings as a TA, they asked him to teach the course he had never taken and couldn't get into the year before! By all accounts I heard, he did a good job, too.
Sounds like my school. The thing is, I like the school, and I like the faculty. It just seems like they were very shortsighted here and didn't realize that this is an important course for an education major to actually UNDERSTAND, not just get a grade. Their concern was that the other guy gave out too many A's. Well, what good is it if you have half a class getting C's and nothing out of it? Just because the guy might not give out the hardest tests doesn't mean he isn't a good teacher.

[Passacaglia]

Maybe I'm not sure I see the problem. I mean, lots of professors have poor communication skills. You don't have to learn about communicating in that class -- just geometry. Bad professors happen.

[jetpunk2000]

Maybe I'm not sure I see the problem. I mean, lots of professors have poor communication skills. You don't have to learn about communicating in that class -- just geometry. Bad professors happen.
Bad professors happen, but normally you have a department with staff that can support the students. In this case, literally nobody besides these two know this material. Which means, if you don't get it here, you're not gonna get it from someone else. It's an unfortunate predicament, and in reality, the class should have been postponed until they found someone suitable to teach the course. Just a FWIW, the professor didn't even have the textbook on the first day of class, nor did he know it was available in the bookstore.

[timmynausea]

I figured from the thread title this would be a question about beer bongs or keg stands or something.

[samifan24]

Bad professors happen, but normally you have a department with staff that can support the students. In this case, literally nobody besides these two know this material. Which means, if you don't get it here, you're not gonna get it from someone else. It's an unfortunate predicament, and in reality, the class should have been postponed until they found someone suitable to teach the course. Just a FWIW, the professor didn't even have the textbook on the first day of class, nor did he know it was available in the bookstore.

Well hey, I just got a new professor for a class in my minor who has "only been at this school for 2 months" and she does not have a phone number or email address. Bad professors happen, oh do they happen. :rolleyes:

[kcchief19]

First, I think you're heading into this with the wrong approach. You can do anything about the hand you're dealt, you just have to deal with it. Statistics was a required class for journalism majors at Missouri, and all of the Stat 31 classes were taught by TAs with English as a second language. It was painful, but if you wanted to graduate you had to dwal with it. No choice.

That said, if you want your displeasure with the situation known without costing you, I'd recommend that you address the subject very subtly. Don't be confrontation -- just in the course of the conversation say something along the lines of, "I like Prof. X, but I'm going to have to work hard in that class because I have a hard time understanding him."

You're absolutely right in wanting to be be civil in this situation. This sounds like someone who could be an excellent reference/mentor and you don't want to lose credibility. I can tell you that "complaining" about it won't help because obviously the situation won't change, the chairperson won't care what you think and it will make you look like a whiner.

Bottom line -- don't let this distract you from your goal. Trust me, if you're going to teach secondary math, you're going to have a lot more challenges bigger than this in the future. Look at it as a learning experience. :)

[RPI-Fan]

Just read the book, over and over again. If you're as committed to learning the material as you are bitching about the situation, you'd be able to learn it so much better from just making a point to demonstrate complete knowledge of the textbook.

[JonInMiddleGA]

The question is, what is there to say.

Not much, as far as I can tell from your description of the situation.

I mean, you could say just about anything you want ... but I can't think of anything that's going to do you/the rest of the students any good at all, and several things that might hurt your in some way in the long run.

So, I'll commisserate with you that the situation as described does indeed seem to suck ... but my advice would be just suck it up & deal with it.

[Desnudo]

I don't think I can demand the professor be removed since we're already a week in, but I do want my displeasure to be known.

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!

[sterlingice]

Statistics was a required class for journalism majors at Missouri, and all of the Stat 31 classes were taught by TAs with English as a second language. It was painful, but if you wanted to graduate you had to dwal with it.
Anyone else find this funny? http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif

SI

[duckman]

Anyone else find this funny? http://dynamic2.gamespy.com/%7Efof/forums/images/smilies/tongue.gif

SI
Shame on you! Picking on a lowly college student. :p

[sterlingice]

Shame on you! Picking on a lowly college student. :p I am a lowly college student so I can beat up on my own. :p

This reminds me, it's time to see what happened to the World Series thread since I'm arguing with my star pitcher :)

SI