I'm crying and suicidal. and a bit hungry

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pengwuino
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Bit
Click For Summary
The discussion revolves around the challenges faced by educators when grading student assignments, particularly in mathematics. A teacher expresses frustration over students' inability to perform basic arithmetic, highlighting a broader concern about the preparedness of students entering higher education. The conversation touches on the emotional toll of teaching, with participants sharing similar experiences of encountering students who struggle with fundamental concepts, despite being in advanced courses. There is a mix of humor and camaraderie among educators, with some suggesting that teaching often involves revisiting basic algebra rather than the intended subject matter. The thread also includes light-hearted banter about recipes and personal anecdotes, illustrating the community aspect of the forum. Concerns are raised about the adequacy of entrance requirements at educational institutions, suggesting that even students with good grades may forget essential skills. Overall, the discussion reflects the frustrations and rewards of teaching, particularly in subjects like math and physics.
Pengwuino
Gold Member
Messages
5,112
Reaction score
20
So I began grading my students first lab assignment. It was a 175 question math review going all the way from basic addition to logarithms and basic algebra and they had a week to do it.

First person was decent enough.

This second person makes me cry. MY STUDENTS CANT DO ARITHMETIC WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH :cry: :cry: :cry:

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Please, leave me alone. I don't want to speak to anyone ever again :cry: :cry: :cry:

Also, does anyone have a good recipe for a good lasagna?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
awww, I know how you feel :(
 
I feel your pain! I remember grading a homework assignment and concluding that forget physics, some of these kids cannot string a meaningful sentence together. Brutal.

(I ended up switching several of the exams to be multiple choice--just to give me a break when I graded them. Of course, my multiple choice questions were pretty tricky! :devil:)
 
Ohhhh 3rd and 4th person sadfaced me too!
 
Welcome to the world of teaching.
1% teaching physics, 99% teaching basic algebra.
I share your pain.

It's still rewarding to see someone learn and enjoy it, even if it's only basic algebra. :smile:
 
Teehee.

Guess what? They're all future teachers.

THAT'S RIGHT, YOUR CHILDREN'S TEACHERS CAN'T DO BASIC MATH.

Home schooling my lil penguins.
 
I like Serena said:
Welcome to the world of teaching.
1% teaching physics, 99% teaching basic algebra.
I share your pain.

It's still rewarding to see someone learn and enjoy it, even if it's only basic algebra. :smile:

so true, when I work as a TA, I spend most of the time showing people how to do algebraic rearrangements and trignometric identities
 
Pengwuino said:
Teehee.

Guess what? They're all future teachers.

THAT'S RIGHT, YOUR CHILDREN'S TEACHERS CAN'T DO BASIC MATH.

Home schooling my lil penguins.
Pengy,

Do any of your students:

A: Know you are a member of PF
B: Know your ID

If yes, then tread carefully my flippered friend, some disgruntled student could use this post against you. I am semi serious here. Nothing you have said is inflamatory, but with people losing their jobs over their FB posts, you never know what will raise the ire of college administrators. Just a thought.

Rhody...
 
It would be interesting to see questions and - at least some - answers. I wonder how serious the problem is.
 
  • #10
I thought you were teachign physics.
 
  • #11
flyingpig said:
I thought you were teachign physics.

That's Peng thought up to today as well.
 
  • #12
Just fail them all and laugh at them when they cry leaving the classroom. My calculus teacher did that
 
  • #13
rhody said:
Pengy,

Do any of your students:

A: Know you are a member of PF
B: Know your ID

If yes, then tread carefully my flippered friend, some disgruntled student could use this post against you. I am semi serious here. Nothing you have said is inflamatory, but with people losing their jobs over their FB posts, you never know what will raise the ire of college administrators. Just a thought.

Rhody...

God no, I'm not that dumb. I think. Honestly, some of my students during yesterdays lab didn't realize that the packet I gave them with the instructions on how to do the lab was... well, in fact, instructions on how to do the lab. SIGH.

Borek said:
It would be interesting to see questions and - at least some - answers. I wonder how serious the problem is.

I'll put some up when I get back home :)

Borek said:
That's Peng thought up to today as well.

LAWLS D:
 
  • #14
Not good! It's really not good if your students can't master questions that can be easily tackled with algebra. Does your university actually have any entrance requirements or do they just want the tuition money?
 
  • #15
If today's students scare you, you oughta meet some of today's graduates.

I recently conducted an online "discussion" with a man older than myself, and with more degrees than myself, on a matter of history, such that, had I been this guy's world history professor, I could easily imagine him asking me questions on the order of: "Did the Nazis build the Berlin Wall to keep Varius' Roman Legions out?".

In fact, there's one on-line discussion I've had with a woman who is known to me to be a Ph.D. candidate at a European university (I'm no victim of internet fraud here: I know her independently) whom I found impossible to enlighten as to the difference between public-sector employees and private-sector employees.

As I've said, if it's just your idiot students you're afraid of, you're totally over-optimistic!
 
  • #16
turbo said:
Not good! It's really not good if your students can't master questions that can be easily tackled with algebra. Does your university actually have any entrance requirements or do they just want the tuition money?

Turbo:

Did Penguino say anything about his being an instructor at university level?
 
  • #17
BadBrain said:
Turbo:

Did Penguino say anything about his being an instructor at university level?
His students are undergraduate university.
 
  • #18
Pengwuino said:
Also, does anyone have a good recipe for a good lasagna?

I have a GREAT lasagna recipe. But it is made of AVOCADO!

:devil:
 
  • #19
Ms Music said:
I have a GREAT lasagna recipe. But it is made of AVOCADO!

:devil:
<PERK> Avocado? :!)
 
  • #20
BadBrain said:
: "Did the Nazis build the Berlin Wall to keep Varius' Roman Legions out?".

Well, what is the answer? Don't just leave it dangling like that in suspense!:confused:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #21
:redface:Hey sometimes the obvious is not so obvious...like multiplying both sides by 8, etc:biggrin:.

I tried this one sans pork and used store bought sauce and it was good
http://mylasagnarecipe.com/"
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #22
Pengy, I want to see funny answers!
 
  • #23
I once saw a student write \frac{\hbar}{2}i\geq\frac{\hbar}{2} in a third year undergrad physics course.
 
  • #24
Borek said:
It would be interesting to see questions and - at least some - answers. I wonder how serious the problem is.

micromass said:
Pengy, I want to see funny answers!

Me too! :biggrin:
 
  • #25
NeoDevin said:
I once saw a student write \frac{\hbar}{2}i\geq\frac{\hbar}{2} in a third year undergrad physics course.
That is soooo ridiculous!

I have no idea what that means lol
 
  • #26
Evo said:
His students are undergraduate university.

Ok technically this new job is at a community college so no, not university students. However, after telling my adviser about these near-Einsteins, he commented to me that he had students in our physics for non-engineers (so not even physics for poets/morons) who didn't know how to do inverses (that is, 1/x = 5/8... x =...)

Ms Music said:
I have a GREAT lasagna recipe. But it is made of AVOCADO!

:devil:

BAN HER EVO! AVACADOS MUST DIE

256bits said:
Well, what is the answer? Don't just leave it dangling like that in suspense!:confused:

Yah what a jerk! I want to know what happened!

HeLiXe said:
:redface:Hey sometimes the obvious is not so obvious...like multiplying both sides by 8, etc:biggrin:.

I tried this one sans pork and used store bought sauce and it was good
http://mylasagnarecipe.com/"

*pats Helixe on the head* there there, we all make mistakes.

Just kidding, I'm perfect. You should be ashamed.

NeoDevin said:
I once saw a student write \frac{\hbar}{2}i\ge \frac{\hbar}{2} in a third year undergrad physics course.

It has more things on the left hand side!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #27
Well, was your test anything like this one?

I would cry with you but I'm afraid that would be too homo. Even for me. :)
 
  • #28
Thy Apathy said:
Well, was your test anything like this one?

I would cry with you but I'm afraid that would be too homo. Even for me. :)

What the F*** is that test?!??! Is that a math test for people who want to be teachers?
 
  • #29
Pengwuino said:
What the F*** is that test?!??! Is that a math test for people who want to be teachers?

Use it to scare your students. (for ages 15-16)

If you want to scar them for life, go for http://xtremepapers.net/CIE/International%20A%20And%20AS%20Level/9231%20-%20Further%20Mathematics/9231_s02_qp_1.pdf" . (taken by students aged 18 - note, that I don't do this subject; wish I did though)

Saves you the trouble of typing up another exam.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #30
I am retired now. But most of my time in class was spent teaching students ... how to think!
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
10
Views
5K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
7K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
3K
Replies
9
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K