Comments on: Dreamwork – “The Seminar” – Stage Two http://armchairmagician.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/the-seminar-stage-two/ Think of me as Aleister Crowley with a Nikon D80 (and self-respect) Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:12:32 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Hemlock http://armchairmagician.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/the-seminar-stage-two/#comment-55 Hemlock Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:48:21 +0000 http://armchairmagician.wordpress.com/?p=213#comment-55 Fiona—I think especially in high school, it has a lot to do with the parents. If they push their children for more marks (e.g. "Oh, you <em>only</em> received 99%?") then that child learns really quick that half an hour of wasting class time can be the difference between their parent's approval and disapproval. I bombarded the poor lecturer with emails! I first explained why he received the mark he did, then asked her if she thinks it's best we just roll over on this one and give him the extra 1-2 marks anyway, then went back and stood my ground and said I have to insist he deserves no more than 5/10. This student is actually quite good at being contrite when he needs to swindle things from his superiors, but his pettiness shines through rather evidently. He wrote me a long email after my first response that in some ways accepted his own fault but also articulately persuaded why he felt he deserved more, without imposing his sense of self-importance on me. After I read that email, I actually began to think he is not as disrespectful as he seems. Unfortunately, he couldn't help himself and sent a further angry email, cc'ed the lecturer, that basically threatened us that he would appeal unless we increased his mark. You are totally right. If he does get his increase, he'll spend the rest of his life demanding and complaining his way through it. Fiona—I think especially in high school, it has a lot to do with the parents. If they push their children for more marks (e.g. “Oh, you only received 99%?”) then that child learns really quick that half an hour of wasting class time can be the difference between their parent’s approval and disapproval. I bombarded the poor lecturer with emails! I first explained why he received the mark he did, then asked her if she thinks it’s best we just roll over on this one and give him the extra 1-2 marks anyway, then went back and stood my ground and said I have to insist he deserves no more than 5/10.

This student is actually quite good at being contrite when he needs to swindle things from his superiors, but his pettiness shines through rather evidently. He wrote me a long email after my first response that in some ways accepted his own fault but also articulately persuaded why he felt he deserved more, without imposing his sense of self-importance on me. After I read that email, I actually began to think he is not as disrespectful as he seems. Unfortunately, he couldn’t help himself and sent a further angry email, cc’ed the lecturer, that basically threatened us that he would appeal unless we increased his mark.

You are totally right. If he does get his increase, he’ll spend the rest of his life demanding and complaining his way through it.

]]> By: Fiona http://armchairmagician.wordpress.com/2008/12/05/the-seminar-stage-two/#comment-54 Fiona Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:19:05 +0000 http://armchairmagician.wordpress.com/?p=213#comment-54 Oh my, some of your students are really quite a handful. Ever since high school I had a pet peeve for mark-scabbing students, and especially those who would waste half the class time arguing over a mere one mark. Will you drop a hint to the lecturer that he really deserves 5/10? If he gets his way, I fear that he'll be back next year with double the attitude. Oh my, some of your students are really quite a handful. Ever since high school I had a pet peeve for mark-scabbing students, and especially those who would waste half the class time arguing over a mere one mark. Will you drop a hint to the lecturer that he really deserves 5/10? If he gets his way, I fear that he’ll be back next year with double the attitude.

]]>