So I go to math class, right. On my first day...

[Shadowpawn]

I'm greeted by four pamphlets of "reading material" each about 50 pages. One of which is my syllabus. The next day, after reading the syllabus almost half the class dropped the course.

...

Oh this is going to be fun semester.

And I am NOT kidding about the 50 pages thing.

[Randomness]

What subject?

[Shadowpawn]

Linear Algebra. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linear_algebra)

[Randomness]

Well, thats about... 1-2 years out for me, I think.

But seriously... I could have fit the entirety of my calculus II notes into 50 pages (Including all the examples I copied down), handwritten.

50 pages typed, though? What did he put in there that was so long? (Not to mention the other handouts)

[Shadowpawn]

Handout one were critiques of himself by other people, given to us so we can get a feel for this guy before we even start his class.

Handout two and three were past exams for practice.

Handout four was the syllabus (which I dubbed, "The Behemoth").

Oh, my to my dismay, it wasn't 50 pages...it was 137.

It has very detailed contact information and certain procedures for contacting him.
For example, he will not respond to emails and you have to go through the hassle of using the college voicemail system to reach him.

Resources for help: Like tutoring and the like.

The Course Overview: This includes the actual syllabus, among other things.
(Like one of the crazy things in this overview is that fact that we have to have access to other books outside of the course curriculum. The purpose of this, to copy definitions out of them. WTF doesn't that have to do with math? And it's like 12 books you have to access too. One of the times I'm glad to be a pirate.)

His method for grading the coursework:
This by itself takes up 10 pages...

Amount of work needed during the regular and spring sessions.

The subject math of Mathematics: (which was thrown in here for no reason)
15 pages worth of information that I don't need.

Classroom Dynamics in which he goes over the proper etiquette for classroom behavior. (Which is insulting, we're all adults. We don't need this.)

A guide to collaborating with peers

Calendars (?)

Directions on how to read the critiques

and finally a Terms of Agreement. Yes, we have a fucking TOA in our syllabus. WTH, is this GameFAQs?

>_>

[Randomness]

So... he wants to use 13 or 14 texts in his class...
He assumes the class doesn't know a please from an f-bomb...
He figures you couldn't possibly have a clue about math, despite linear algebra being fairly high up there in difficulty and prerequisites...
He doesn't trust you to form your own opinions of him...
He can't just say curved or percentage-based or weighted or whatever...
And finally he isn't satisfied with the schools own policies for classes?

Please correct me if my sarcasm is off-target, but I'm forced to wonder what this guy is thinking.

[Shadowpawn]

So you see why half the people dropped him, right? I have to take this guy because he's the only one teaching this course. What a sad state of affairs.

[Randomness]

So, what kind of degree are you going for, and are there any alternatives to get away from him?

[Shadowpawn]

Computer Science and nooooooooooooooo, there isn't (least I want to be here for another year, that's not happening.) So I'm stuck. :/

[Randomness]

Ouch. I was kinda hoping you had a choice, that you were pursuing it for a minor or something.

[Shadowpawn]

I know right? Go me. >_>

[Sayara]

protip: Find a better college.

[Ranmaru]

Or a better teacher. ;3 On the critique, does it say he has very long syllabuses? That should be noted right away.

[Shadowpawn]

I can't find another teacher. He's the only one teaching this course, a course that I need.

@ Sayara (http://pso-world.com/forums/member.php?u=26228): Better colleges cost more. :/

[ShinMaruku]

I can't find another teacher. He's the only one teaching this course, a course that I need.

@ Sayara (http://pso-world.com/forums/member.php?u=26228): Better colleges cost more. :/
CUNY FTW and cost ain't no thing to me :P

[Shadowpawn]

CUNY? You live in New York?

[ShinMaruku]

One of my residences, yes.

[Shadowpawn]

You rich bastard. ;(

[ShinMaruku]

That's why you are in college.
So you can partake in the bread.
:E

[Larian]

Is it strange of me to say that the class looks fun? =/

[Shadowpawn]

Very strange. You should join and bask in the glory of the 2 pound syllabus!

[Randomness]

The subject sounds fun, the professor sounds like a moron.

[Sidney]

Wow. I'm glad I'm a music major! Not that being so is easy by any means, but I have yet to encounter a 50+ page syllabus. That, and I hate math! I struggled a lot even with Algebra 2. :lol: I'll stick to singing!

But if it makes you feel better, to get rid of this certain core requirement I have in my degree-plan, I had to take a whole class on Cowboys. D: It was the only class offered this semester that filled that requirement. We're spending a whole week on smoke signals. Woo.

Good luck with that class! Is he on RateMyProfessor.com by any chance?

[Randomness]

A week of smoke signals? Just learn Morse.

[Shadowpawn]

Wow. I'm glad I'm a music major! Not that being so is easy by any means, but I have yet to encounter a 50+ page syllabus. That, and I hate math! I struggled a lot even with Algebra 2. :lol: I'll stick to singing!

But if it makes you feel better, to get rid of this certain core requirement I have in my degree-plan, I had to take a whole class on Cowboys. D: It was the only class offered this semester that filled that requirement. We're spending a whole week on smoke signals. Woo.

Good luck with that class! Is he on RateMyProfessor.com by any chance?


Yeah, one of his critiques mentioned he was on that site. Most of the reviews of him are bad, very bad. Some of them even rung true. Like for example, one said he doesn't follow through with the book's examples and method of teaching. He went and did just the second day of class, his method for showing us a particular property of matrix was very different from the book's.


Cowboys huh, what was your core requirement, a humanitary class?

[Tact]

If you get to make your own smoke signals, you should send some swearing into the sky for the world to see. :wacko:

[Solstis]

If you get to make your own smoke signals, you should send some swearing into the sky for the world to see. :wacko:

Smoke signals are to be used for good, not evil. Corrupter!

[Moo2u]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v455/Moo2u/Funny%20pics/internetsig.jpg

[Shadowpawn]

HOLY SHI- A rare Moo appeared!

What do you do?

Fight
Pkmn
Item
Run

[Moo2u]

Moo2u used weapons of mass percussion.
It's super effective!