Tell me I'm not a jerk

[ashling]

OK, OK . . . with a subject line like that I know I set myself up , but hear me out . . .

I had to send this letter to a student today . . .

and now I feel like a jerk.

This student sent me an email that he/she noticed the last assignment referred to page numbers in the text. The student did not realize that a text was needed for the course (which, by the way, ends next week.)

here is the letter:

The syllabus is the very first document on the class site for a reason. The following is copied from the first page of the course syllabus and is prominently displayed there:

"Required Materials: The textbook for this course is American Government: Roots and Reform, 2011 edition, by O'Connor, Sabato, & Yanus. There are earlier and special editions (some of which additionally include Texas) available, however you will be held responsible for the information in the above edition and no other. Additionally, a variety of other readings and multimedia will be made available throughout the course. "

Additionally, you may have noticed that each new topic named in the instructional folders is followed by a chapter number.

The assignment was posted on June 17. It is due today. As the syllabus also warns, if you wait until the last minute your chances for success will have been seriously diminished. I am afraid there is nothing I can do for you except to advise you to read the instructor's syllabus closely the next time you take this course.

And, yes, the Sabato in the list of authors is that Sabato . . . (I so hate this book!)

[MiddleFingerMom]

1. You are not a jerk,

[Paulie]

2. A+

[MissB]

3. Just wait until his/her Mom calls!

Kidding.

You are not a jerk. Hopefully the student learned a valuable lesson.

[Honeycombe8]

4. Good letter. Polite, but to the point. With a bit of joke at the end. :) nt

[pipi_k]

5. Not

a jerk.

How the hell do students think they're going to get by in the world if they don't read and follow directions?

That goes for anyone, really, but especially students.

What...a course with no textbook? Seriously?

sigh...sad...

[olddots]

6. you are not a jerk

are O'Connor , Sabato & Yanus playing anywhere this summer ?

[ashling]

11. I don't know, but I'm sure this is one of their hits:

[font size = 4]TAKE YOUR CHEAP TOUPEE AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR ....[/font size =4]

http://notlarrysabato.typepad.com/doh/2009/08/take-your-cheap-toupee-and-shove-it-up-your-.html

[elleng]

7. Seems like there IS a jerk in this story, ashling,

but it AIN'T you! NICE of you to 'invite' him/her to take this course 'next time.'

[HarveyDarkey]

8. You're not a jerk

Happy now?

[petronius]

9. You're absolutely not a jerk; the letter is clear, polite, and to the point, and in

my experience it does no good at all to sugar-coat these things. The student failed in a basic responsibility, and is reaping the consequences. And I'd be willing to guess that the student is bullshitting you: s/he didn't 'just notice' that there's a text, s/he deliberately tried to slide by without buying/reading the text, has now realized that is a flawed strategy, and is desperate for more time on the last assignment in vain hope of a passing grade.

(The caveat here is that I assume you have fulfilled your end of the bargain, and transmitted the syllabus-related information to students at at least the minimum level required by your institution...)

[Xyzse]

10. I've had worse for less

You're not a jerk.

[In_The_Wind]

12. You are not a jerk.

Some students are still growing up. If this gets her to pay more attention to detail in the future ... it is a lesson she needs to learn to become a success in life.

IMO: You did her a favor by not cutting her any slack.

[RILib]

13. the other side

Sure, she should have maybe grasped from the lectures that a text was in use? You made references in the lectures to the book?

I am less sure that "each new topic named in the instructional folders is followed by a chapter number." means some isolated number had any meaning.

However I routinely skip the first page or so of blather in documents because the author is thanking everyone under the sun and that page contains no actual information.

Who among us has not produced a paper in the last two days of a course, not necessarily because of goofing off but because of being swamped with other classes.

[sarge43]

14. No. You wouldn't even make the qualifying rounds

Your student on the other ...