CS 2910: Session 4: Unusual Students

1. Problem: students who want help with assignment not help with concept

   • Why this arises:

     • Student motivation ≠ instructor motivation
       • Students typically motivated most by grade
       • Teachers typically motivated most by learning
       • Axiom of evaluation: learning leads to good grade
       • Inverse not true: good grade does not require learning
     • Graded assignments exist (i.e., it is possible to ask for help on grade)

   • Why TAs give in to this

     Students schmooze

     Sometimes you like the student and want to give them what they want.

     Teaching is hard

     It is easier to give a solution than to teach a concept.

     Attacks on patience

     Some students (intentionally or not) just keep repeating the request for solutions, making no progress in learning, wearing down TAs endurance until they give in to make them go away.

     Emotional engineering

     Students sometimes look bored, tired, etc., when you teach but energetic, happy, etc., when you give answers; these reactions can give you an emotional boost when you give in.

   • Tactics

     • Learn the power of “No”

       • Do not defend why; that gives them wheedling fodder.

       • Examples:

         • “I’m not going to tell you that.”
         • “You can do this on your own.”
         • “That question is what this assignment is asking you to do.”

     • Force interaction

       • If your answer depends on their action, they are likely to learn and less likely to feel that a solution from the TA is the only acceptable outcome.

       • Examples:

         • “Draw a picture of the array first, then we’ll talk about it.”
         • “Open up a new file and write just that piece, by itself.”

       • Important: once you tell them what to do, do not back down or you will lose authority and encourage more whining.

2. Problem: students who didn’t learn prerequisite material

   • Why this arises: some cheated in earlier classes, some transfered incorrectly, for some the important piece was the 10% you can not learn and still get an A−, and some simply forgot.

   • Tactics

     • If you have time and ability, you can reteach the older material…
     • “This assignment depends on topic X from course Y, which you seem to have forgotten. Go back and review that material.”
     • “Here’s a website/textbook section that explains a concept you seem to have forgotten; review it and this assignment will make more sense.”
     • Or you can simply direct them to your course’s instructor instead of you.

   • Caveats

     • It takes time to learn prerequisite material.
     • Usually students approach you when they are close to a deadline, so they will resist anything that takes time.
     • Your course’s instructor should be able to adjust deadlines as needed for these students.

3. Problem: students who expect you to help them do an entire ten-hour project in the hour before it is due

   • Why this arises: because it is in the nature of most humans to procrastinate.

   • This is not your job. We do not want you to cause students without the discipline to do their work on time to get a grade that suggests they did have that discipline. Doing so misleads potential employers and weakens the meaning of a UVa degree.

   • Tactic: “You have more work remaining than you can do in the time remaining. For future assignments, come to office hours sooner.”

   • Does this mean do not help them? No, but do not change the level of aid you give just because they procrastinated; teach, not solve.

4. Problem: students who don’t read

   • Symptoms:
     • You are asked a question that the assignment writeup clearly answers
     • You see partial solutions that run counter to the assignment’s suggested path

   • Why this arises: I honestly do not know.

   • Tactics:

     • “Your question is answered in the assignment writeup.”
     • “Good question. Would you pull up the assignment writeup for me? Thanks. Now read to me section 2.”

5. Other problems (Discussion as time allows)