Note to self: if/when you become a professor, don't make ridiculous tests.
Well folks, today we got back our second Diff EQ test. Many things to talk about here. The talk of the pre-class (that is, the murmurs that take place during the 10 minutes before class) for the past few days has been all about the test. Here's some of the words I have heard exchanged:
Wtf.
I'm reaalllyyy worried about that test.
That was insane.
When are we getting them back? Wait...I actually don't want mine back.
And so forth. So yes, the consensus was that the test was difficult. What I love (hint: sarcasm) about my prof is that he seems to enjoy watching his students suffer. It would have been quite obvious to any third-party observer that this test was giving us problems. Frantic erasures, bullets of sweat, clenched fists, clawing of skin (and eyes), and let's not forget the ubiquitous blank stare -- all of these would indicate that, um, this was not going well for most.
If it were me, and I noticed this turmoil going on inside my student's naive minds, I would've addressed it the next day. I would have said, "Hey, I saw that most of you seemed pretty tense about the test...let's talk about some of the problems you had trouble with."
But no. My prof bravely shows his face the next day and jumps right on into the next chapter, without a single word pertaining to the hell we went through the day before. Not a word for the rest of the week, in fact (note: test was on Monday). Not even a mention of when he'll be done grading them.
Ugh.
Anyway, today turned out to be the promised day. Oh dear, where to begin. First of all, he hands out tests at the end of class (which I hate...why not just hand it out at the beginning since you know that's what everyone is thinking about anyway?). So after our fast and furious lecture, he finally starts to talk about the test. Only from a grades standpoint, though. Apparently he was feeling generous so he threw out one of the questions that he thought was awful to attempt. So everybody got 10 points on that one. Umm...we don't care, dude. Just tell us the curve.
"Now, the curve is.......(holding breath)......20 points." Holy crap. So 20 plus the freebie 10 is a whopping 30 point curve. And then he says there were 8 A's. Seriously???? After a 30 point curve there's only 8 A's? Shouldn't everybody have an A now?
Good grief.
So, let's review. First test = 15 point curve. Second test = 30 point curve. Pick-a-prof reviews indicate that this guy is an awful teacher and you will never do well on his tests, so just wait for the curve. My question is: why do we need to make these tests impossible to begin with? If this guy consistently has to give out 15+ point curves, shouldn't that indicate that the tests are a tad much? I get the let's-challenge-the-students mentality, and I'm all for it, but let me tell you something. Being dumbfounded by 70% of the test and making me question whether I can even add 2 + 2 does not help me learn. If anything, it hinders it and makes me feel completely incompetent. Is that the goal? It is if you're a jerk.
This is my first class that's ever used curves so I guess I'm still getting used to it. I'm very glad I'm not an engineer; I've heard most engineering classes are exactly like this. All that being said, I actually did quite well on the test. I'm not necessarily pleased, though, because it's (somewhat) hard to be pleased with a 98 when you see twenty points worth of X's on your test. Relieved is more like it. And sympathetic to those who didn't fare so well. I just don't understand why some professors get their joys out of raping students with their predatory tests.
Ranting over.
No comments:
Post a Comment