The book is wrong?

Am struggling with whether to put a complaint in to a certain college instructor.

Here is the story.

Enrolled in a summer school class to learn more about my chosen field (construction).

There was only one other female in the class besides me. She was somewhat vocal in asking questions during the 3 classes I attendend. The 4th class she did not show up and I wonder if it is because the instructor would not answer her questions in full and made her look like an idiot.

On the 4th class, me being the only female now, asked why I got a few questions wrong on the test we had.

I read verbatim in the textbook why I came up with the answer I did. The instructor actually said "Well, the book is wrong" I responded with "this is what you told us to study for the test" he replied "you should have looked into it more, here, I will look further in the book to prove you wrong."

He started talking to himself, flipping through other pages (that he had not told us to read yet) mumbled incoherently. I was upset, and had it. He was a jerk to begin with, but I already had a college degree and dealt with a few jerk teachers. I was taking this class for self improvement in my job, not a college degree.

Walked out, deciding I was not going to pay for an idiot instructor because I wanted something to do at night more than watching tv.

So going to withdraw from class officially today. My boyfriend and father both say I should file a complaint.

I usually just "move on" when dealing with idiots. But they say that he needs to be sod out and not treat people that way. Plus they (even as men!) think it was sexism involvled and he wanted the two women out of the class. Which indeed, happened.

What say you? Should I file a grievance?

In my Freshman year of College I took the Anthropological course "Man, Myth and Magic". I was immediately told by all my friends that I showed my course list to that "no male has ever lasted longer than a week in that class! The professor is a man-hater!" Still not discouraged, I gave it a try. Sure enough, she took every chance she could to belittle the few males in the class until they all dropped out. I, and another close friend, chose to stick it out, and we were the only males that ever did. We didn't take anything she said or did personal, and just bit our tongues and focused on the course.

At the end of the Semester, the professor had a ritual ceremony on the last day of class for the sole purpose to award my friend and I certificates that made us "Honorary Women". In her mind, she couldn't come to terms with the fact that we were men, and that perhaps not all men are bad. So, it was easier for her instead to make us "women".

After that Semester, I took a couple of other classes from her and they all went very well. We developed a very good rapport, both in and out of class. She turned out, in the end, to be one of my more favorite instructors from college.

Sometimes professors are jerks. Professors are people, and most of them have been stuck in the Academic World for so long that they are throwbacks to a different Age. Some have personal issues (like my professor that I mentioned had gone through 3 husbands, all of which ended up serving life sentences in prison for the things they did while they were married to her, and after finding that out, I could empathize with why she would have such a negative outlook on men.), but it's important not to take them personal.

Think about the hundred or so students they see every Semester. Most of their students don't want to be there. Most of their students don't care about the material. Most of their students are more concerned with their grades (whether they earned it or not). Most of their students are not properly educated to begin with and somehow shamefully made it into college despite being barely literate. After a while, the Professors stop caring about their students, just as their students don't really care about the class or the material.

The first two weeks into a class especially, the professor is going to be harder than they would normally. During that time if you show a genuine sincerity and interest in being in class and learning the material, and display an above average understanding of what is being presented in class, are respectful and considerate even despite his attempts to belittle you in class, then the professor will eventually warm up to you and things will change for the better.

But then again, they might be a jerk through and through and won't.

Still, you are paying for the class, and you don't *NEED* to be there, and thus you don't really *NEED* to take his b.s.

Personally, I would ask for a meeting with the professor outside of class. Discuss with him your concerns. If he doesn't address them or take them into consideration, then drop the class. If he continues to belittle you, even though you chose to be respectful to him, then consider a grievance.

reply to post by wclv13


I've had this happen plenty of times. At least your instructor admitted the book was wrong. I am not female, but I can see why you suspect the sexism. I personally would not have dropped the course, or filed a complaint. I would have taken the opportunity to debate him daily!

Since you are already out, then notifying the dean somehow (call, letter, or visit) is probably justified, and could be constructive!

reply to post by fraterormus


Thank you, I needed reasurance that I was not crazy. Instructors are people just like everyone else. They all got their own issues.

I was just shocked and appalled thinking they should be "above" that stuff since they are in authoritive powers.

Loving ATS, helps me more than tarot cards!

Made my decision, not going to file a grievance. Maybe other students need to learn lessons from him. Albeit they may not be the lessons they came in there for!

Cheers

I normally agree with you on the fact that idiots should be left to do their own thing...but when it comes to professions that help serve the public or other people - they need to be fixed.

A qualified teacher should be teaching the CORRECT material, or telling you where the correct material is. Maybe the teacher is just sexist - who knows. Sounds like an idiot.

I have had many questions on test in the past...some I mis-read the wording, some I got points back, and some I had no idea what I was doing. So if you were RIGHT, and he was WRONG, then you need to file a complaint.

The only thing I will say is this...if he specified a certain method that does work, or requested something in particular, you are at fault. It seems that isn't the case here.

Just because someone writes something down, it doesn't necessarily follow that it's true. There are plenty of books that are wrong.

That said, if you were asked to study that book, and the instructor disagrees with your work based on the book, he should have given more detailed explanation why it was incorrect. It's part of the learning process to question things. Scoring you poorly based on his perception of the book is another matter.

I am dealing with a bad professor in my summer course as well. lets get through it and become better people because we had the guts to stick with it.

reply to post by Happyfeet


Only because of your handle am I responding. Hits me home. dang, I am soooo vulnerable now about this class and you come along.

*rethinks it all*

weird how that can happen eh?

My sociology professor corrected the book several times in class. I don't know what the big deal is. If the book is wrong then the book is wrong... take good notes... pay attention in class... don't just drop out because the book was wrong... that's not smart IMO.