Should I keep going to class?

[Big Daddy Cool]

Somebody else is paying for your schooling or you wouldn't ask that question.

[davester]

This is a no brainer and I think you've already answered your own question. If the only reason you're going to school is the grades then you shouldn't be there. Sorry to be snippy, but I've taught at university level and I wished that all the students who weren't interested in learning the material and interacting in class would have just vanished in a puff of smoke.

[Jimmypoo]

[quote Todd's keyboard]

The goal of any student should be to suck the professor dry.

That's quite a statement, and certainly one that, if followed to the letter, would have me considering a teaching career at Women's Colleges and pursuing a Ph.D. in just about any area, just so I could, um... educate the students!!!

[rz]

[quote Todd's keyboard]Go to class. Sit directly in front of the professor.

When class is over plead, "Isn't there anything else you can teach us?"

The goal of any student should be to suck the professor dry.


Todd's Hoovering keyboard
I like this, because you could also use it as an opportunity to really piss off the rest of the class. Like if the teacher decides on the last day to let everyone go early, you could plead that you want to learn more. Or if he introduces some advanced concept, you could say "I sure hope that's on the final... I'd love the opportunity to learn more about that!"

[Baby Tats]

[quote mstudio]It's been a long time since I was in school, but I remember going for myself and not the instructors. Good for you that you are doing so well, but I think if you ditch the last classes, you'll only be hurting yourself.
This professor is a horrible lecturer. One of the worst that I have ever had. But he is extremely nice and is very accessible, he even gave us his cell phone number and told us that we could call until 11:00 PM any night.

[quote $tevie]I'm a little confused. Did he say "exempt from the final exam" or "exempt from the rest of the classes and the final exam"? Because those are two different things, wouldn't you say?
"The final will be optional for anyone with an A average in the other 4 areas." When prompted with a question about this, he replied that it didn't really matter to him whether or not we came to the final lectures.

[quote Spiff]No offence, but - If you are asking for a letter of recommendation from the professor, do you really need to ask the question about skipping class?
Yes.

[quote Todd's keyboard]Go to class. Sit directly in front of the professor.

When class is over plead, "Isn't there anything else you can teach us?"

The goal of any student should be to suck the professor dry.

Todd's Hoovering keyboard
There is absolutely nothing I have learned from lecture. I learned this material by studying outside of class from the assigned textbook and another textbook that I purchased. There is nothing to suck dry. His lectures are devoid of useful information.

[quote Paul F.]But I MIGHT skip ONE of those lectures if it was a particularly nice day, and I could go someplace and enjoy it....
If I was going to skip it to sleep in, or web surf, or whatever, I wouldn't...

Of course, here locally, we've had a string of lousy, cloudy, cool, rainy days..
So I've been itching for a NICE spring day!
Beautiful warm, sunny spring day here. If I don't go, I will be sitting on my front porch with my laptop, finishing up my final projects that are do this week.

[quote mikebw]Unless you have a signed agreement between you and him about the final exam I would definitely keep going. You wouldn't want to anger him and risk the possibility of him retracting that free pass on the final exam.
I have the syllabus (a contract) and also an email telling me that I am exempt.

[quote Big Daddy Cool]Somebody else is paying for your schooling or you wouldn't ask that question.
Wrong. You make a lot of assumptions. I have a previous PhD, but I decided to go back to school to get a BS in another subject. I do contract work, and with the help of the wonderful Mrs. Tats, we are doing this without loans.

[quote davester]This is a no brainer and I think you've already answered your own question. If the only reason you're going to school is the grades then you shouldn't be there. Sorry to be snippy, but I've taught at university level and I wished that all the students who weren't interested in learning the material and interacting in class would have just vanished in a puff of smoke.
I am and was interested in learning the material and at every step of the way I have shown my mastery of it. I am 35 years old and am doing something that is for me. My quandary is more of a time management (and respect) issue since I can use that time more effectively to learn material from other classes.

If it matters, this is a technical class in physics which requires the ability to solve numerical problems. The most important thing to know in this class is how to solve problems and get the correct answer. I can do that and have done that without lecture. I don't even bother to take notes anymore as I never looked at them.


BT

[PeterB]

[quote davester]This is a no brainer and I think you've already answered your own question. If the only reason you're going to school is the grades then you shouldn't be there. Sorry to be snippy, but I've taught at university level and I wished that all the students who weren't interested in learning the material and interacting in class would have just vanished in a puff of smoke.
davester nailed it. Speaking as a professor myself, I would say that at the very least you could ask the professor if he or she would mind your skipping the last classes-- if say, for example, you have other finals to study for, he/she should understand that. It shows respect that you would at least ask, rather than just not showing up to class with no explanation given.

[Baby Tats]

[quote PeterB]davester nailed it. Speaking as a professor myself, I would say that at the very least you could ask the professor if he or she would mind your skipping the last classes-- if say, for example, you have other finals to study for, he/she should understand that. It shows respect that you would at least ask, rather than just not showing up to class with no explanation given.
Good idea. I will email him now.

BT

[Jimmypoo]

At Purdue, students showed their respect to Professor Wagenblast twice. Once in the mid-late 60s and againt in the early-mid 80s. With a switchblade the first time, a pistol the second.

He finally got smart and moved to IU, were engineers don't exist and aren't having their dreams crushed by a cantankerous professor who can't relate to student or show patience in assisting their learning in a do or die critical class.

Said both my older brother, who was chasiing a EE (+15 years older than me) and friends who had the guy in 1981-1982, when I was there, they were all surprised that he didn't get shot in the middle of EVERY class.

Couldn't find a link to the guy's events - other than his recent retirement after 40 years, in 2006.

[C(-)ris]

[quote davester]Sorry to be snippy, but I've taught at university level and I wished that all the students who weren't interested in learning the material and interacting in class would have just vanished in a puff of smoke.
I wish I could have gotten a piece of paper that said I had a degree without wasting 4 years and $40k going to classes I wasn't interested in learning the material in. The only reason I went is because having a degree is a requirement for 80% of the decent technical jobs available.

People wonder about the declining quality of higher education, it is because more and more people are going to college. Unless you want to work retail, or some other low paying job, it is a requirement these days to have a 2 or 4 year degree. It isn't just the best and the brightest going to college anymore, it is every average joe who wants a decent job. Some of them don't really belong or aren't really smart enough, but the schools lower their expectations to allow them to graduate because they wan' all the money these people bring in.

Thirty years ago, it was your skills that mattered most. No one where I work that is over 40 has a degree, yet it s a requirement for employment now and you can't get a job without one.

[Todd's keyboard]

There is absolutely nothing I have learned from lecture. I learned this material by studying outside of class from the assigned textbook and another textbook that I purchased. There is nothing to suck dry. His lectures are devoid of useful information.


Once had a professor that I thought wasn't doing a very good job of lecturing. The rest of the class seemed to agree. The course was not in my major, and WAS required for my major.

Towards the end of the term I finally asked him what he thought we should be learning in his class. He surprised me by giving a very clear, straightforward answer. I found the sessions after that quite informative and enjoyable.

I believe you when you say "his lectures are devoid of useful information." In that same situation I would try to influence the structure a bit, to get more out of it.

Sounds like either way you are going to enjoy some nice, spring days.

Todd's hungry-to-learn keyboard