- #1
- 2,593
- 5
Recently I attended a tutorial conducted by a professor in an introductory course. After the lesson, a female student approached the professor for the answer to the last few parts of a question in the tutorial which he did not cover due to time constraints, saying that the answer may be derived in similar fashion as the previous parts of the same question. I happened to be there because I was the last to leave apart from her because I had some questions for the professor.
While he did explain to her and gave her the answer to some of the questions, upon further inquiry by her, he refused to give the answer. He then raised his voice noticeably, telling her he didn't have the time nor the patience to entertain her enquiries for the question, saying that if he had to cover every single part to every question in the tutorial no matter how trivial it may seem, he would be wasting his time and that the answer was quite evident to anyone who would be willing to think just a little harder on the question. He then continued scolding her, claiming she should have been able to take the initiative to figure it out on her own after looking through the first few parts of question and the corresponding answers provided by him.
For those curious he was saying something like:
"I don't the time to go through every single question here! If the question has forty parts and I give the answer to 20 of them, you should be able to discern the pattern among them to complete the rest on your own. This is what is expected of a university student even in the first year! You only need to think a bit harder to get it, it's not even that difficult! Show some initiative!"
He went on and on ranting for some time while I stood by, not wanting to incur his wrath. The girl appeared subdued and then mumbled a reply "I'm not sure if I understand the material enough to derive the correct answer..." before trailing off. She then left soon after.
Although a little shocked at what transpired, I then asked my questions while pretending nothing unusual happened before.
I do not know the female student at all, not even her name. But I can't quite help but feel that the professor was very unhelpful and unprofessional in willing to help a confused student understand better. I understand that this is a first semester course and therefore the material covered would not normally be difficult. But is this behaviour by him justified in any way? How common is this? How many here have had the same experience and what would you have done if you were in my shoes then?
While he did explain to her and gave her the answer to some of the questions, upon further inquiry by her, he refused to give the answer. He then raised his voice noticeably, telling her he didn't have the time nor the patience to entertain her enquiries for the question, saying that if he had to cover every single part to every question in the tutorial no matter how trivial it may seem, he would be wasting his time and that the answer was quite evident to anyone who would be willing to think just a little harder on the question. He then continued scolding her, claiming she should have been able to take the initiative to figure it out on her own after looking through the first few parts of question and the corresponding answers provided by him.
For those curious he was saying something like:
"I don't the time to go through every single question here! If the question has forty parts and I give the answer to 20 of them, you should be able to discern the pattern among them to complete the rest on your own. This is what is expected of a university student even in the first year! You only need to think a bit harder to get it, it's not even that difficult! Show some initiative!"
He went on and on ranting for some time while I stood by, not wanting to incur his wrath. The girl appeared subdued and then mumbled a reply "I'm not sure if I understand the material enough to derive the correct answer..." before trailing off. She then left soon after.
Although a little shocked at what transpired, I then asked my questions while pretending nothing unusual happened before.
I do not know the female student at all, not even her name. But I can't quite help but feel that the professor was very unhelpful and unprofessional in willing to help a confused student understand better. I understand that this is a first semester course and therefore the material covered would not normally be difficult. But is this behaviour by him justified in any way? How common is this? How many here have had the same experience and what would you have done if you were in my shoes then?