11-28-2008, 10:05 AM
Hey,
To those of you who don't know, I'm a recently appointed university professor of music. Studies in a music faculty are a little different than most other faculties: each student spends an hour with a private voice teacher each week on their applied instrument. In my case, I teach voice and I have eight students aged 18-21.
One of my students has been a serious problem since day one. It was clear to me right from the start, even before he said it, that he has a learning disability. Which is fine, I have no problem with people with learning challenges. What I DO have a problem with, is people who are downright fucking lazy and do nothing but make flimsy excuses for why they don't have their work done.
At the beginning of the semester, I made it clear what I expected from my students: 1. a new piece of music every week, rehearsed with their collaborative pianist and ready to go at their weekly lesson. 2. a word-for-word translation of any non-English works at the beginning of the lesson.
Two things. That's it. No papers. No abstracts. No bibliographies. No dioramas. Just to know their music and have a translation handy.
Did the other seven of my students have trouble fulfilling these requirements? Not at all. Hence me not being able to understand why he never had it together. Given that anyone can learn music through simple repitition, and anyone with library or internet access can look up words to translate anything, I've been flummoxed time and again as to why he continually shows up to his lessons unprepared.
Given that his tasks regard no actual learning, a "learning disability" doesn't really excuse him from not having work done. Not like that stops him from trying to make up excuses on the spot and further waste my time.
I sent out a strongly worded e-mail to my students two weeks ago, reminding them of the criteria I had set out at the beginning of the year. And what happens today? He comes WITHOUT A TRANSLATION. AGAIN!!! I couldn't even believe it. And did he try to make up excuses? You fucking bet your sweet bippy he did!
So now here I am, time to evaluate him, with nothing but frustration and poor work ethic behind me. It's clear that a university environment is not a good fit for him at all. He just doesn't have what it takes to perform well. So, should I artificially lower his grade so that he fails out, eventually saving him a lot of money? Or should I give him the very low, but still passing grade he deserves but will ultimately do nothing for him?
To those of you who don't know, I'm a recently appointed university professor of music. Studies in a music faculty are a little different than most other faculties: each student spends an hour with a private voice teacher each week on their applied instrument. In my case, I teach voice and I have eight students aged 18-21.
One of my students has been a serious problem since day one. It was clear to me right from the start, even before he said it, that he has a learning disability. Which is fine, I have no problem with people with learning challenges. What I DO have a problem with, is people who are downright fucking lazy and do nothing but make flimsy excuses for why they don't have their work done.
At the beginning of the semester, I made it clear what I expected from my students: 1. a new piece of music every week, rehearsed with their collaborative pianist and ready to go at their weekly lesson. 2. a word-for-word translation of any non-English works at the beginning of the lesson.
Two things. That's it. No papers. No abstracts. No bibliographies. No dioramas. Just to know their music and have a translation handy.
Did the other seven of my students have trouble fulfilling these requirements? Not at all. Hence me not being able to understand why he never had it together. Given that anyone can learn music through simple repitition, and anyone with library or internet access can look up words to translate anything, I've been flummoxed time and again as to why he continually shows up to his lessons unprepared.
Given that his tasks regard no actual learning, a "learning disability" doesn't really excuse him from not having work done. Not like that stops him from trying to make up excuses on the spot and further waste my time.
I sent out a strongly worded e-mail to my students two weeks ago, reminding them of the criteria I had set out at the beginning of the year. And what happens today? He comes WITHOUT A TRANSLATION. AGAIN!!! I couldn't even believe it. And did he try to make up excuses? You fucking bet your sweet bippy he did!
So now here I am, time to evaluate him, with nothing but frustration and poor work ethic behind me. It's clear that a university environment is not a good fit for him at all. He just doesn't have what it takes to perform well. So, should I artificially lower his grade so that he fails out, eventually saving him a lot of money? Or should I give him the very low, but still passing grade he deserves but will ultimately do nothing for him?
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