# discriminating biology professor



## Musiqientist (Nov 6, 2012)

I am not doing well in that class even though I intend to get an A but since I'm taking 27 units am not adjusted to my schedule YET. I have never done this before and therefore for the first homework assignment and 2 quizzes (which will be dropped) I have not very well on them. It's only the beginning though. Anyways, due to the intense workload that I am behind on (FOR NOW) I have fallen behind and was very tired the day that she gave us 30 minutes to work on ideas for a lab report. I am usually very good at this type of thing but couldn't gather my thoughts that quickly given that day. Regardless today when she put us in groups and I met with my group member for the first time, she told my group members that we were put in the same group because it looks like we are the one's that seem like we are going to need the most help. I find this extremely insulting and degrading because this is just one assignment and it looks like she's judging us. This doesn't seem like the kind of behavior and thoughts I'd expect a qualified teacher should have so quickly without very good reason and I thought she was that type of teacher. Now I feel extremely uncomfortable and worried about the class because I feel we aren't good. She categorized us, besides it doesn't even make sense. Why would you put the one's that need most help together in one group? Your suppose to do the opposite. I know I'm being super sensitive but I've never had anything like this happen to me, plus I am under a lot of stress so this makes me feel like I won't be able to get an A in this class. I knew I sensed some sort of negative impression she had about me... Thoughts? I want to speak with her because now I am incredibly angry and worried. But I don't know if she will be responsive. She strikes me as someone who would care if she knew what my concerns were but she also needs things put in a very specific way for her to understand.


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## Word Dispenser (May 18, 2012)

Musiqientist said:


> I am not doing well in that class even though I intend to get an A but since I'm taking 27 units am not adjusted to my schedule YET. I have never done this before and therefore for the first homework assignment and 2 quizzes (which will be dropped) I have not very well on them. It's only the beginning though. Anyways, due to the intense workload that I am behind on (FOR NOW) I have fallen behind and was very tired the day that she gave us 30 minutes to work on ideas for a lab report. I am usually very good at this type of thing but couldn't gather my thoughts that quickly given that day. Regardless today when she put us in groups and I met with my group member for the first time, she told my group members that we were put in the same group because it looks like we are the one's that seem like we are going to need the most help. I find this extremely insulting and degrading because this is just one assignment and it looks like she's judging us. This doesn't seem like the kind of behavior and thoughts I'd expect a qualified teacher should have so quickly without very good reason and I thought she was that type of teacher. Now I feel extremely uncomfortable and worried about the class because I feel we aren't good. She categorized us, besides it doesn't even make sense. Why would you put the one's that need most help together in one group? Your suppose to do the opposite. I know I'm being super sensitive but I've never had anything like this happen to me, plus I am under a lot of stress so this makes me feel like I won't be able to get an A in this class. I knew I sensed some sort of negative impression she had about me... Thoughts? I want to speak with her because now I am incredibly angry and worried. But I don't know if she will be responsive. She strikes me as someone who would care if she knew what my concerns were but she also needs things put in a very specific way for her to understand.


Stay calm. You're overreacting.

I don't think she meant to be insulting. Variables at this time seemed to conclude that you _would _need the most help, but that doesn't mean you'll _always _need the most help. It's not like she was calling your group retarded or something, even if it might seem that way.

If you want to speak to her to clarify, there's nothing wrong about that. Just keep _calm_. 

You could say, ''It's been bothering me, so I just wanted to ask: Why did you say that my group needs the most help?''

But, I think the answer is obvious: You're behind. 

Even in the very beginning, your teacher is willing to assist you and make sure you catch up fast, so you don't _remain _behind. Take that as a compliment.


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## Musiqientist (Nov 6, 2012)

Word Dispenser said:


> Stay calm. You're overreacting.


That's what I thought which is why I made this thread, because I feel like withdrawing and if I do that any longer I'm gonna get supremely screwed. I was already in a horrific mood when she said that anyway and you know we 4's sometimes..._*haha~*_



> I don't think she meant to be insulting. Variables at this time seemed to conclude that you _would _need the most help, but that doesn't mean you'll _always _need the most help. It's not like she was calling your group retarded or something, even if it might seem that way.


Yes but that's probably what made it most insulting is that how could somebody not notice something like that....I must really _suck!_



> If you want to speak to her to clarify, there's nothing wrong about that. Just keep _calm_.
> 
> You could say, ''It's been bothering me, so I just wanted to ask: Why did you say that my group needs the most help?''


Yeah I think that's a good idea I suppose. I needed tips on how to do it because if I had gone to her that day it wouldn't have been pretty... 



> But, I think the answer is obvious: You're behind.


Yeah but that part isn't clear, contributing to my frustration. It's not apparent whether she's judging this one lab report based on overall performance because whether or not she is doing that means a whole lot of other shit that I don't have time for with 27 units. 



> Even in the very beginning, your teacher is willing to assist you and make sure you catch up fast, so you don't _remain _behind. Take that as a compliment.


Yeah I'm trying not to take it personally and am trying to see it as sometimes along the lines of "You might need the most help because there's a possibility you've never written a lab report or have been away from school for a couple years."
....only I know that's not my case so I'm obviously a moron.


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## ApostateAbe (Aug 8, 2013)

27 credits? Are you insane?


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## Word Dispenser (May 18, 2012)

Musiqientist said:


> That's what I thought which is why I made this thread, because I feel like withdrawing and if I do that any longer I'm gonna get supremely screwed. I was already in a horrific mood when she said that anyway and you know we 4's sometimes..._*haha~*_
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Lol.

You're not a moron, silly.

I get the impression that this is your first time going to classes of this sort, but I could be wrong.

Some things were unclear in your original post. When you say: ''30 minutes to work on ideas for a lab report.'' Do you think she based this opinion of you needing help because of the ideas for the lab report, or just being behind in the workload?

Is it possible that she said it in a joking manner? How was her tone? Was it condescending and/or directed at you in a hostile way?


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## Zombie Devil Duckie (Apr 11, 2012)

What country are you from? I'm curious what 27 units represents in terms of class load for the semester.



-ZDD


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## Musiqientist (Nov 6, 2012)

Word Dispenser said:


> You're not a moron, silly.
> 
> I get the impression that this is your first time going to classes of this sort, but I could be wrong.


I'm not sure what you mean about the classes. This is the first Biology class that where your grade doesn't seem as test based though, we do a lot of meaningless things in there that don't pertain to the material on exams.



> Some things were unclear in your original post. When you say: ''30 minutes to work on ideas for a lab report.'' Do you think she based this opinion of you needing help because of the ideas for the lab report, or just being behind in the workload?


That's what I don't know.



> Is it possible that she said it in a joking manner? How was her tone? Was it condescending and/or directed at you in a hostile way?


No, it definitely wasn't either of these. It was serious but friendly, that doesn't mean it didn't feel like more reason to be offended by it though. Condescending would only have been a bit worse because this way it feels like putting out something like this is totally no big deal and I can't deal with the situation if something like this can be so unserious.


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## Musiqientist (Nov 6, 2012)

Zombie Devil Duckie said:


> What country are you from? I'm curious what 27 units represents in terms of class load for the semester.
> 
> 
> -ZDD


I don't know if your being literal about the country thing. 

-Biology 1 (5)
-Physics for Engineers 1 (5)
-General Chem 2 (5)
-Calculus 1 (5)
-Statistics (4)
-Economics (3)


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## Musiqientist (Nov 6, 2012)

Um anyways, I just want to know whether I should watch out for anything long term and perhaps what I should do at this point exactly. This looks like a bad sign to me so I don't wanna run into anything.


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## Adrift (Apr 5, 2011)

I would ignore her completely and concentrate more on your studies. If you know the material, and the tests are objective tests, then you should be fine. It's entirely possible that your professor is a basketcase and mentally unstable and I wouldn't risk getting on her shit list.

If you must speak to her, just say "I'm sorry I haven't been keeping up with the class. I'll try harder."


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## Musiqientist (Nov 6, 2012)

Adrift said:


> I would ignore her completely and concentrate more on your studies. If you know the material, and the tests are objective tests, then you should be fine. It's entirely possible that your professor is a basketcase and mentally unstable and I wouldn't risk getting on her shit list.
> 
> If you must speak to her, just say "I'm sorry I haven't been keeping up with the class. I'll try harder."


You mean just not speak with her when you say ignore her? I suppose that's an option, only that if you have problems later and you need to speak with her than it might up with me looking like someone who is making a big story about how she wasn't being fair to me from the start. Only for some reason I wouldn't have bothered to mention it earlier and that does not look good. She doesn't strike me as that type at all though. Someone mentally unstable or nothing.


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## Adrift (Apr 5, 2011)

Musiqientist said:


> You mean just not speak with her when you say ignore her?


I mean, don't confront her about her comment because it's not going to help things.

Biology should be one of those courses where the instructor's personality and behavior is irrelevant. You're graded on tests and lab reports. If you do well on those, you won't have to worry about the instructor at all.


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## Word Dispenser (May 18, 2012)

Musiqientist said:


> I'm not sure what you mean about the classes. This is the first Biology class that where your grade doesn't seem as test based though, we do a lot of meaningless things in there that don't pertain to the material on exams.
> 
> That's what I don't know.
> 
> No, it definitely wasn't either of these. It was serious but friendly, that doesn't mean it didn't feel like more reason to be offended by it though. Condescending would only have been a bit worse because this way it feels like putting out something like this is totally no big deal and I can't deal with the situation if something like this can be so unserious.


Okay... Then, she was just being honest with you. 

Now I understand. You wanted to know whether it was based on the lab reports or not. But, that doesn't really matter. 

Still, I don't think you're gonna let this go. If you have trouble focusing on your work because of it, then feel free to approach your teacher. 

If you want to talk to your teacher... Say something like, ' What you said has been bothering me, and I can't get it off my mind. What did you mean when you said that my group needs the most help, and more specifically, me? Is it because of my lab report?'


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## Arbite (Dec 26, 2010)

The only impression your professor has of you is your poor marks in the first few assessable items of the semester. She reacted accordingly. Just talk to her about your workload and why you might be doing less than stellar.



Musiqientist said:


> I don't know if your being literal about the country thing.
> 
> -Biology 1 (5)
> -Physics for Engineers 1 (5)
> ...


Different countries/universities do credits differently. But you should drop a subject, thats a stupid workload. I'm assuming you're first year?


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## Musiqientist (Nov 6, 2012)

> Different countries/universities do credits differently. But you should drop a subject, thats a stupid workload. I'm assuming you're first year?



No second year. What makes you think I'm a first year. I'm in the United States.

I don't wanna drop even though the whole deal is quite....hectic. I refuse to graduate late. In fact I'm obsessed with graduating faster. I don't mind dumping my social life.


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## Musiqientist (Nov 6, 2012)

> Still, I don't think you're gonna let this go. If you have trouble focusing on your work because of it, then feel free to approach your teacher.





> If you want to talk to your teacher... Say something like, ' What you said has been bothering me, and I can't get it off my mind. What did you mean when you said that my group needs the most help, and more specifically, me? Is it because of my lab report?'




Yes, it's bothering me quite a lot.


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## Musiqientist (Nov 6, 2012)

Adrift said:


> I mean, don't confront her about her comment because it's not going to help things.
> 
> Biology should be one of those courses where the instructor's personality and behavior is irrelevant. You're graded on tests and lab reports. If you do well on those, you won't have to worry about the instructor at all.


Pretty much true yeah. But this kind of thing is uncomfortable.


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## ApostateAbe (Aug 8, 2013)

Musiqientist said:


> I don't know if your being literal about the country thing.
> 
> -Biology 1 (5)
> -Physics for Engineers 1 (5)
> ...


Seriously, I would drop half of those courses and add another quarter to your college itinerary. You know better than me, but I would strongly suggest it given normal circumstances.


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## Musiqientist (Nov 6, 2012)

One main concern is that this lab report is group work and if these people are the one's that need most "help" than I am not in a good situation. I *despise* this type of teacher. We are going to be scientists, it doesn't make any fucking_ sense _to split us in *groups*, I want to do my _own_? What if they don't do a good job? Which they probably won't because nobody has corresponded yet. I don't want to fix their entire report and have them get a good grade based on my effort alone. I hate this kind of teacher that insists on making things cozy. It's science for gods sake. I've never had a good experience with group work in my life. People in general are sloppy.


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