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What a bastard. You can just tell what a horrible teacher this is. And instead of thinking: "Hmm, my teaching method isn't working in this situation. I should revise it," he's decided to humiliate the student.
Way to go, Teach. Instill that "can do" attitude in all of your students! Screw him/her. This kid is going to go on to great things, like writing Last of the Mohicans.
Looks like a college calculus class. That "instructor" should be tarred & feathered and tossed from academia - such behavior is shameful and uncalled for.
I lol'd, and I'd definitely lol if one of my maths tests came back with this.
Not every 'F' is the result of bad teaching. It's perfectly possible that the teacher does this only for people who aren't making any effort - we can't just assume he viciously mocks troubled-yet-brilliant future Fields Medallists.
I got mostly A's in math and worked one summer at McDonald's. It was way back when they had real cash registers and counter clerks had to calculate change themselves. In spite of that, I and my high math skills were put to work at the Filet-O-Fish fryer. Sigh.
I think it's funny, only because it's calculus. If it were something simpler, or maybe a high school class, I would have to say the teacher is an asshole. I think he just happens to have a sense of humor and is probably trying to "light a fire under his ass" or what have you.
You know what, the mistake on the first problem shows a complete lack of understanding of the technique to solve it - not just a missed exponent - a total botch.
You wouldn't be insulted by the implication that the only job you'd qualify for is flipping burgers?
Not everyone can be a brain surgeon. For many people, recommending that they get a job flipping burgers would be sound advice. Based on next to no evidence, it's possible that the teacher is completely correct. There may also have been other advice given to the student prior to the test that this is meant to remind them of. Or any one of a thousand possibilities that we could never know about. Or, the teacher could be an arsehole - being an arsehole far from excludes people from being a teacher.
Yeah, they do, Mitheral -- it's kind of a press. No flipping needed, and it beeps when it's done, so it's about as passively idiotproof as you'd want McDonalds to have - you know, to ensure that all the e.coli in the "meat" is killed.
Hm, I just looked at the link. I dunno - I'm not ready to condemn this teacher.
My World History teacher, freshman year, had an abrasive, confrontational style -- and he was absolutely brilliant. His teaching load was made up solely of freshmen and the senior honors class. He was exacting and let us know, in no uncertain terms, that our education was more than a pastime. When someone ventured a poor answer in class, showing they'd not done the reading, he didn't mention McDonald's, but he would say "I'll see you down at Butch's Car Wash. I like the Super Chamois Shine."
He was harsh, but he was dead serious, as well. The message got through. Now, in life, I did know people who worked at Butch's Car Wash now and then, out of necessity. But his emphasis on learning and self-determination was not forgotten.
I am, in equal measure, as opposed to cruelty and belittling in education as I am opposed to softballing and lack of intellectual rigor in education.
Context matters, too. High school teachers use some methods that look rough. But they have to teach high school students, and the methods often work just fine on a student population that's ready to be buffeted a little, to test their adult mettle.
We're all tougher than we think, and we can survive a little needling. This sends a clear message: you aren't doing your work, and you're not developing skill in this class. What would have been a worse insult than this?
I remember when my daughter was in first grade in America, the teacher (a bitter old crone on the verge of retirement) needed help with the computer part of the curriculum. Being the kind of guy I am, I volunteered to come in and help.
Her teaching methods were APPALLING. She didn't even attempt to hide them from me!
She ripped my eldest's paper up once because she used crayon instead of pencil (this is first grade, mind).
She talked to her daughter on her mobile during class; handed out endless, repetitive worksheets; belittled and insulted students... and one day she even threw all their unsigned papers in the floor and made the students root around for theirs (like animals).
She was the worst teacher I've ever seen, and makes this McDonald's guy look like a saint. I hope the old bitch retired before she could do anymore damage.
ok I think quite a few people might have missed plinth's point, which was that this was a pretty high level calculus exam that was a complete botch - the student wasn't even attempting to solve it correctly.
this is not a first grade teacher.
this is not even an 8th grade teacher.
there's a very good possibility that this was a college prof, and at that point they're dealing with adults, not children, and certainly not precious special snowflakes. I might take it one step further and posit that this was a college prof faced with a complete fuckall of a student, and was driven to use creative methods to get their attention.
Tho I never made it to college, I was, myself a complete fuckall of a self-absorbed, lazy, unmotivated student, and a smartass to boot. I, personally, would have richly deserved such a response to some of the shit I turned in. Hell it would have probably snapped me out of my 'o god NOBODY underSTANDS me emo emo emo...' crappy attitude. or not. at least it would have gotten my attention.
ok I think quite a few people might have missed plinth's point, which was that this was a pretty high level calculus exam that was a complete botch - the student wasn't even attempting to solve it correctly.
I didn't miss the point; I was derailing.
Do I think this is out of line for a professor? Not if the student couldn't be reached any other way, and said prof had exhausted other means. Some people only respond to sarcasm.
I, personally, would have richly deserved such a response to some of the shit I turned in.
Yup, me too. The fact that I didn't end up working at McDonalds is more about luck than any kind if drive to excel, that's for sure.
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