Anything weird happen to you lately?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the appropriateness of a tutor writing in a student's math book, particularly one that is new and unmarked. Participants share their personal experiences and opinions regarding writing in books, the implications of such actions, and the responsibilities of both tutors and students in these situations.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses frustration over a tutor writing in their new math book, questioning the tutor's reasoning.
  • Another suggests that the cost of the book should be deducted from the tutor's pay.
  • Some participants share their own habits regarding writing in books, with one noting the value of margin notes from previous readers.
  • A participant recounts a negative experience with a student writing in a book they lent, questioning the rationale behind such actions.
  • There is a suggestion that instructors may have valid reasons for lending books to students, based on personal experiences.
  • One participant humorously reflects on their transition from studying STEM subjects to accountancy, indicating a sense of disorientation.
  • Another participant speculates that the tutor may not be a legitimate tutor but rather a representative from a textbook company aiming to reduce the resale market.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on the appropriateness of writing in books, with no clear consensus on whether the tutor's actions were justified. Some defend the practice of writing in books, while others strongly oppose it, indicating a division in viewpoints.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference personal experiences and varying attitudes towards book ownership and respect for property, which may influence their perspectives on the issue.

Jurrasic
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Over here:
The tutor started writing all over my math book in pen to demonstrate a problem! Why would a tutor do that? Especially to a perfectly clean new unmarked book that you may want to sell.
 
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What an ***.

Take the cost of the book out of his pay.
 
Some people like to write in books. I don't. I write on paper and throw everything out in the garbage when day ends. But, I do like writings on the margins particularly if they are written by someone intelligent.

I remember once going through a really old library book that was filled with writings on the margins. All comments were very helpful understanding the material. However, I noticed at one point I knew something better than what was written in the margin. So, I added a small line something along the lines, "refer to ..."
 
I would not write on someones book but I write and highlight on my books. I never sell my textbooks though. I buy only books I want not the texts assigned by the profs because I had some really bad experience with them (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521876222/?tag=pfamazon01-20> .I try to find the best text so I can keep it as a further reference.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I would have them replace your book.
 
DaveC426913 said:
Take the cost of the book out of his pay.

QuarkCharmer said:
I would have them replace your book.

I love these "do something you might not have any authority or power to do" responses.
 
KingNothing said:
I love these "do something you might not have any authority or power to do" responses.
Why would he not have the authority?
 
Jurrasic said:
Over here:
The tutor started writing all over my math book in pen to demonstrate a problem! Why would a tutor do that? Especially to a perfectly clean new unmarked book that you may want to sell.

What are the odds that whomever you sell the book to will check every page for writing?
 
DaveC426913 said:
Why would he not have the authority?

When I was a student in college, I had no control over the pay of the tutors. I guess he could be referring to a private tutor, or he could be the professor in charge of a school tutor's pay.

TS, what exactly is your situation? Have you hired this tutor?
 
  • #10
KingNothing said:
I guess...
So you're criticizing comments you have no reason to assume are in error.

You just committed the very offense you were so quick to deride.

Which I love.
 
  • #11
Jurrasic said:
Over here:
The tutor started writing all over my math book in pen to demonstrate a problem! Why would a tutor do that? Especially to a perfectly clean new unmarked book that you may want to sell.

A few months ago, I lent a text to a student. After he returned it, I found that he had written in pen on many pages. Why would a student do this to an instructor's book?
 
  • #12
George Jones said:
A few months ago, I lent a text to a student. After he returned it, I found that he had written in pen on many pages. Why would a student do this to an instructor's book?
I think a better questions would be :
Why would an instructor loan a student one of his books?
 
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  • #13
bp_psy said:
Why would an instructor loan a student one of its books?
Now now, George is a people too...:biggrin:
 
  • #14
Sorry...
 
  • #15
bp_psy said:
I think a better questions would be :
Why would an instructor loan a student one of his books?

I've had instructors loan me books before. Last spring when I was retaking calculus 2 (as a refresher) my instructor lent me a book to go over power series. Our book was abysmal, I was a good student who did all the homework, showed up during her help hours whether I had questions or not (I was working on homework), had great grades, and expressed an interest for more information where I was weak.

I'm one of those people who always respects the property of others, so I could support loaning to myself. I also consider most people to be disrespectful idiots, so I doubt I could ever be the person loaning a book out. That would just be stupid. :P
 
  • #16
Jurrasic said:
Over here:
The tutor started writing all over my math book in pen to demonstrate a problem! Why would a tutor do that? Especially to a perfectly clean new unmarked book that you may want to sell.

Why didn't you yell, "stop!" That's what I do when someone writes on my papers. Then I hand them a new sheet of paper and let them write whatever they want.
 
  • #17
Jurrasic said:
Over here:
The tutor started writing all over my math book in pen to demonstrate a problem! Why would a tutor do that? Especially to a perfectly clean new unmarked book that you may want to sell.

That's just not on. Regardless if you wish to sell it or not, they have no right to start writing on your book.
 
  • #18
Accountancy exams. I was wondering what happened to my life. I go from studying physics, math, chemistry to accounts. Debit. Credit. Golden rules. Who am I? :p
 
  • #19
Jurrasic said:
Over here:
The tutor started writing all over my math book in pen to demonstrate a problem! Why would a tutor do that? Especially to a perfectly clean new unmarked book that you may want to sell.

He's not a real tutor, he's a representative from the textbook companies trying to reduce the resale market and drive sales of new product.
 

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