Professors calling you dumb
 

Does anyone else get this a lot? The first time was when I jokingly mispronounced a greek word, and an old professor called me a moron in front of my entire greek class and new professor. That was awesome.

Today, a professor asked me "if I ever do any of the readings" because I couldn't remember what source a random factoid came from. When I explained to her that I do do the readings, but can't recall random factoids of material I've never seen before, especially when put on the spot, (in her defense this happens semi-frequently, but when I contribute stuff it's good, I just can't handle the pressure of recalling random info) she launched into some diatribe about how she was just trying to teach me how to make generalizations from texts and understand general concepts, despite the fact that she asked me a very specific question. Basically, instead of apologizing, the tone of the conversation was that I'm an idiot with zero reading comprehensions or academic skills. Of course, she then went on in class to forget what sources things were in, and to make a really grossly wrong statement that she had asked me about earlier (haha called her out on that one though!)

I AM SO [censored] TIRED OF CONDESCENDING PROFESSORS. I'm sorry that I'm not interested in knowing 50 dead languages like you do, or how to pronounce them even though no one speaks them, or in learning all about the culture and religion of some society over 4000 years ago, and I'm sorry I can't remember their Sumerian names (before anyone asks, I need these classes to graduate) off the top of my head.

I'm sorry that I don't even want to be in school anymore, but my parents will kill me if I drop out and I'll never get a good job, because college diplomas are just $160k pieces of paper that you need before you can get a job that's not at McDonalds, and even then it's kind of useless because everyone and their mother has some stupid college degree (scientists and engineers, you're cool). [censored] YOU [censored] YOU [censored] YOU [censored] YOU, you condescending pricks who spend their entire life learning something completely useless and never going into the real world but instead spend it in school, and think that entitles them to insult my intelligence. [censored] YOU AND MAY YOU SUFFER THE WRATH OF THE IMPENETRABLE QUICKENING.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

Oh, this is just a fantastic -- and accurate -- post.

Those who can't do, teach.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

Ask if he belittles undergrads because of his latent insecurities or the problems in his marriage.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

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Ask if he belittles undergrads because of his latent insecurities or the problems in his marriage.

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wow dude, you are dead on. The first prof is married, but his wife lives out of state, and he is deathly afraid of both bees and milk!

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

Wow. You mean picking on people who're clearly inferior in whatever area means that you are likely uncomfortable with yourself?

Move over pysch major douches... I'm gonna start giving counseling.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

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Oh, this is just a fantastic -- and accurate -- post.

Those who can't do, teach.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol except college professors CAN do because they have to do active research.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Oh, this is just a fantastic -- and accurate -- post.

Those who can't do something useful, teach.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol except college professors CAN do because they have to do active research.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is that better?

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

Poppa,

I notice the profs doing that with the younger students. I haven't had them do it to me yet (they probably assume since I'm older I take it seriously). I told a prof he needed to apologize when he made a girl cry by telling her maybe university wasn't for her. At that moment I saw my A disappear.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

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At that moment I saw my A disappear.

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Man don't even get me started on that! Prof's need to learn to seperate liking someone from the caliber of work they do.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Oh, this is just a fantastic -- and accurate -- post.

Those who can't do something useful, teach.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol except college professors CAN do because they have to do active research.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is that better?

[/ QUOTE ]

You're saying that important research isn't important? Obviously not all profs do important research but a lot of them do.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Oh, this is just a fantastic -- and accurate -- post.

Those who can't do something useful, teach.

[/ QUOTE ]

lol except college professors CAN do because they have to do active research.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is that better?

[/ QUOTE ]

You're saying that important research isn't important? Obviously not all profs do important research but a lot of them do.

[/ QUOTE ]

Science profs: yes

English Profs: not so much

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

Only prof I've run across who has openly called his students stupid was my thermodynamics professor this semester. Mind you, he didn't single anyone out specifically, but whenever he got an email from someone asking him something he deemed retarded, he would openly address how stupid he felt the question was mid-lecture, but he didn't name names. I'd feel terrible if it was me, and go tell him to go screw himself afterwards, though.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

if u arnt interested in any of the material why are u taking the course?

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

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if u arnt interested in any of the material why are u taking the course?

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I don't know about OP but for me there were lots of dumb classes that knock out a lot of different kinds of requirements that no normal class would do.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
At that moment I saw my A disappear.

[/ QUOTE ]

Man don't even get me started on that! Prof's need to learn to seperate liking someone from the caliber of work they do.

[/ QUOTE ]

no chance this could happen...

as for the prof, tough break man, some are just pricks and u just have to get through the course...

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

during my "on call" day in Evidence, I and Ms. Lee (another on call student) were debating the answer to a problem when the prof just interrupted me and said "eviljeff, perhaps Ms. Lee is available for tutoring". I just shut my mouth and turned a little pink while the class laughed. some gunner raised his hand and started arguing my side with the professor, taking a bunch of [censored] for it. only time I've actually liked gunners.

anyway, the prof was kind of a dick in general, but he was entertaining. he had a Boston accent and when someone got something wrong his classic move was to point at them and exclaim, "disbahhhhd!" (disbarred).

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

Blind grading. Its where its at. Just write down my random 10 digit numbe ron the top of the exam and away we go.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

HAHAHA. If you think your undergrad profs are bad about being rude and condescending, I suggest sitting in on a law school class. You have no idea...

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

This is just a guess, so sorry if it doesn't apply to you... but any time I've seen a professor infer that someone is stupid (never seen it said straight up), that person is a constant [censored]-up in class and it's not just one act of mispronouncing a word that causes a professor to lash out.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

Keyser,

Fair enough. If they were to say "you're a bad student" or "you're bad at greek," I would be like "hells yes I am," and I'll admit that I am not the most talkative or contributive (new word!) person in class. But to straight up call me a moron or accuse me of not doing the reading when I forget simple facts (it's not like I don't know what's going on or can't contribute to the discussion in general) ESPECIALLY when they also can't remember simple facts and make stupid mistakes is over the line and is grade A douchebaggery.

I'm the first person to admit that I don't care about school anymore and just want to make it another few weeks to graduate. It just really infuriates me when professors feel the need to go out of their way to try and insult you or embarass you in front of the class, it doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever.

Personally I could care less how smart or dumb kids were (or are) in class as long as they put in some effort. If they told me they were just there to fulfill a requirement, fine, I'm not going to ride their ass for stuff I know they don't care about. And if they wanted to tell me that I slack off a lot or don't work hard enough, that's fine - it's true and I would agree with them. But when I am putting in some work (and the greek class, I busted my ass and he knew it) and just forget stuff or am not the best at it, you don't need to call me an idiot. It makes me want to give them something like "The Theory of Poker," give them a week to read it, and then pwn them at poker and then call them retards and mock them until they cry. Lack of interest or skill in one field doesn't imply stupidity, and professors like these think it does and get all high and mighty and now I'm just ranting again so I'll stop.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

I'm semi-ok with this in Professional School. After all, I'll be pissed if my lawyer, or worse, my doctor doesn't know what's what.

That said:

1) Some profs suck. I've had profs who've made other profs (and students LDO) cry.
2) Some have complexes ("I have a PhD. I am so awesome and brilliant...unlike all of you").
3) Sometimes people aren't cut out for university, and I don't believe it's doing them a disservice to point this out.
4) Thank you for clarifying that science professors (and I'll lump _some_ math/comp sci professors in with this -- as that's somewhat where I'm headed) have important jobs.
5) I think some research is crap, but most fields have something meaningful at least tangent to it. Even if "meaningful" means "nice to record and pass along to future generations" and not necessarily "advances the human race" or "that requires brain function."
6) Some profs just can't communicate, and this causes many to (among other things) seem abrasive when they don't mean to be.

Lastly, it's harder than you may think to not play favorites. That's human nature. You want the annoying kid to mess up, and you want the girl next door to come through (meaning do well on the exam, obviously). Fair? No. Changeable? No. But, now that you are so well aware of what you're prof's style is (LAG?), you can adjust your style accordingly.

GL.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

dude, I was hoping to see a lot more student bashing reports. sucks at the time, but fun to read.

mine: math prof is returning tests. "100 for NOZO. Just shows the rest of you that you don't have to be smart to do well."

sweet.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

Nozo,

I got a 50% on a greek final once. It curved to a C but the professor put "well, half isn't bad" at the end. For the record stuff like this doesn't bother me though, I think it's pretty funny.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

ive never had that issue with a prof, maybe im smart? maybe? ok, probably not but still never happened.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

At the beginning of this semester I had a prof assign some homework to be done in a certain computer program. Well I couldn't get it to come out so I went to his office for help. He was busy and told me he'd look over it later and I could just turn it in how it was for full credit anyway.

The next day in class he walks in looks at me and starts giggling and shaking his head..."So easy! What's wrong with you, how do you mess that up?". Someone else expressed they had problems as well so he decided to show the class how to do it. Pulls it up on the computer...and ERROR! He gets the same error and gives up after not being able to figure it out after like 10 minutes.

Turns out the file (which we were given) was referencing another file that didn't exist. It was pretty funny to see him berate me for something stupid and do the same thing in front of everyone.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

www.ratemyprofessor.com

look for good professors.

take their classes.

hope they don't call you dumb.

problem solved.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

[ QUOTE ]
www.ratemyprofessor.com

look for good professors.

take their classes.

hope they don't call you dumb.

problem solved.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wish this site had been around when I was in college.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

Go to the prof's office hours, and have a conversation with him. Act like a mature adult and if he acts liek a d-bag, then you go to his department head, if they won't do anything, you continue on up the chain. If it's that big of a deal to you.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

[ QUOTE ]
mine: math prof is returning tests. "100 for NOZO. Just shows the rest of you that you don't have to be smart to do well." sweet.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hate that [censored], good or bad grade it's no ones [censored] business what I get on an exam unless I feel like sharing it with them.

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

Does anyone else here believe that some work can be subjectively marked to the point of the marks being innacurate?

All the way through my school life teachers have always given me low marks (c's), due to whatever reasons, but everytime an independent exam came id get top marks.
Its possible i tried harder on the ones that mattered but i dont think thats true.

Now when it comes to university, im still getting 'averagey'
sort of marks that i know im better than, but i dont know what i can do to get better.

Basically my question is can u get screwed by subjective marking?

Re: Professors calling you dumb
 

[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone else here believe that some work can be subjectively marked to the point of the marks being innacurate?

All the way through my school life teachers have always given me low marks (c's), due to whatever reasons, but everytime an independent exam came id get top marks.
Its possible i tried harder on the ones that mattered but i dont think thats true.

Now when it comes to university, im still getting 'averagey'
sort of marks that i know im better than, but i dont know what i can do to get better.

Basically my question is can u get screwed by subjective marking?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would assume you're very bad at telling TAs and Professors what they want to hear.