Stu is in my logic class... nominally.
Stu comes in late, leaves early and is generally not engaged.
Today, I finally said something to him --and I wouldn't let him sign in.
After class today my uber-tutor told me Stu is coming to her unprepared... mostly it seems that her tutoring hours are more convenient than class time (sorry Stu...), so, he thinks it's uber-tutor's job to teach him what he can't manage to show up for.
So -- I told uber-tutor that I'd handle it, and Stu should come to see me.
Turns out, Stu doesn't have the book yet. Class started January 12 -- it's now February 23 -- 40 days after class started. Stu tells me that he had to pay rent first etc... then he'd buy the book. Folks, I have a custom text that is less than $50.00.
Of course, Stu wasn't motivated or connected enough to round up an old version on Amazon -- for $14.00...
When I asked Stu if there was a reason he was consistently late, he told me he was "intimidated by the material" --
I told Stu it was now his obligation to get caught up, on his own. I taught it once in class, he missed that opportunity. He's going to have to a) get the book, b) read the book, c) figure out how to do the work -- before the exam next week.
I also told him that he can't see uber-tutor until he does the work necessary to catch up.
Really -- I don't expect Stu will be finishing the class... and, I'm ok with that. I suspect Stu is going to have to learn the hard way --- and pulling his head out of his backside is a start.
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6 comments:
I've had students like that. Usually, they're failing their other classes as well.
I always wonder why they are in college.
I've students like that too. It's a real head scratcher.
This? Is exactly why I am letting my oldest fail--better now when it's cheap than later when it is EXPENSIVE.
I simply *love* the way you've ended this post. Yeah.
I'm all for "student success" -- but, I really do think that the best thing for some students is failure.
Logic is hard. The administration thinks it's hard enough to warrant in-class tutors.... but, they don't think it's hard enough to reduce the class sizes so I can hold their hand effectively.. .
Stu can't even take advantage of the tutor because he hasn't made any effort on his own.
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