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Post by bookaddict on Nov 14, 2006 17:00:44 GMT -5
I have a problem with a specific professor. Every time I write a paper on Native issues, he tells me i'm biased. I always look at the sources and write depending on their facts. I honestly am not trying to take a position. This is the 3rd time he's told me this. I really feel uncomfortable with him, I don't want to ask him any questions because I feel like he's always judging me. He knows i'm Native American and I think he has a problem with me. This is the second class i've had his as a professor....and I really hate him now.
What should I do?
Oh, this last paper the T.A wrote some comments, nothing about being Biased. Then he writes extra comments all about me being biased. Oh, and the fact that I should "lighten up a little."
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 14, 2006 17:05:45 GMT -5
i can't really say what you should do, but he's probably only feeling you're being biased because of your heritage. i don't know why people have to act like that. maybe you could have your TA read things before you turn them in and explain what your teacher keeps saying and see if they see anything like that when they read. if the problem persists, you should talk to the head of the department he teaches for and see what they can do to help you and the prof. and you can ask the prof himself why he feels that way, why he feels you write slanted like he says. it sucks that this is happening. if this was a movie i'd say have one of your friends turn it in and see if they get the same kind of criticism/grade for it that you would. but life isn't hollywood...
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 14, 2006 17:08:39 GMT -5
Our T.A just showed up...I have no clue who it is. He just hired someone because of the marking.
It really sucks because I am trying so hard not to. However, I feel like anything I write he'll say that. I feel like the only thing that would satify him is if I would write horrible things about Natives.
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 14, 2006 17:12:03 GMT -5
i can see how he could want you to bash yourself, but it's a mystery as to why. did he say this sorta stuff when you last had him as a prof? you may be able to find one of his colleagues that teaches the same kind of class and have them read your things and see if they also see the same as he does. (this is why i'm not gonna be an english teacher...too many different ways to interpret so much stuff)
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 14, 2006 17:15:10 GMT -5
This is for history... I really don't know what to do, but I don't feel comfortable anymore. He started this the last time I had him, and all the trouble started when I told him I was Native American. I'm thinking of going to the Native center and asking them what I should do. Have them read it or something.
Last time I wrote a paper on residential schools, and he felt that I did not have enough "positives." However, everything I read had no positives! it wasen't me, it was my sources.
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 14, 2006 17:17:45 GMT -5
Before that I had a oral where i have to talk about two peoples residential school experiences. So I picked two people, did research...and they had a bad experiences. So...I did an oral on their experiences. Because it was bad I was biased...
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 14, 2006 17:21:02 GMT -5
this man sounds racist/stupid therefore he shouldn't teach
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 14, 2006 17:22:11 GMT -5
I know.... If it was once or twice i'd forget it. However, it's the fourth time. I had asked him a question at the beginning of this class...and right away he told me not to be biased. It was a simple question about the essay!
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Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
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Post by Isa on Nov 14, 2006 17:22:14 GMT -5
I think Kristie has given you very good advice, I would also try to have a second opinion, whether it's the TA or maybe another professor. I had the same problem once - I wanted to make a comparison between the fate of the people in the book and the fate of French Canadians, but when I presented my topic my prof made it pretty clear it wouldn't fly. He did not want to get into a French/English Canadian argument, so I gave it up and wrote on something else. Then later I was talking to another prof about my topic and he said that it would have been a really great paper and I felt bad for not going through with it. I think instead of saying you're biased, your prof should appreciate the fact that you're giving your personal opinion as a Native - I'm sure that on this topic he's got more to learn from you than you from him.
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 14, 2006 17:25:26 GMT -5
This last paper...I honestly just read my sources who are credible historians and took some notes. Then i wrote my paper, I left out my opinions.
At school there is a department that handles the rights of students. I'm thinking of going to see him, and see if i'm over-reacting or not. I still have all the stuff from the other class...so I have proof that this is repeated. It's confidential and they should give me advice.
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Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
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Post by Isa on Nov 14, 2006 17:28:14 GMT -5
That sounds like a good plan. Montreal is so multicultural, I'm sure they've had to deal with similar issues before and will be able to help you out and give you good advice.
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 14, 2006 17:29:10 GMT -5
thanks! it's so fusterating
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Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
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Post by Bina on Nov 15, 2006 13:48:52 GMT -5
What a racist! He´s the one being biased about the matter. What does he want you to do? Wear a mask? Sometimes people are so unfair I can´t decide if I want to punch something or burst out crying. I think going to the departement is the sensible thing to do and I don´t know how openly you discussed your problems with your professor but there is the slightest chance that you can shock some sense into him by talking openly and telling him that you feel discriminated because of your heritage and that you don´t understand what he is asking of you. I don´t know how it´s in Canada but in Germany people(at least the educated) are still very careful with racial discrimination and as soon as one mentions it they are much more open to discussing problems.
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Post by bookaddict on Nov 15, 2006 13:57:06 GMT -5
He's the only person i've had a problem with. It clearly makes me uncomfortable, and i'm still not sure what to do. I know that I did nto write a biased paper, I know I do what I do in every other class. I know all the other professor have had no problems with my writing. I think he is small-minded, and should not be a professor. Since we only have a few weeks left to the class, and the TA will grade the teachers...i'm tempted to just leave it alone. Why? because I don't want to go to class and feel that he's watching or judging me. Perhaps, after the class is done, i'll do something.
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Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
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Post by Bina on Nov 15, 2006 14:10:11 GMT -5
Yeah, you could talk to him when you´re finished and maybe he´s trying to get a rise out of you in class. I had a teacher in school who was very weird and his class was horrible, he asked too easy questions and had about three expressions he used every class. And one day I felt so sick, I had a fever and everything and dragged myself to class and he made us read death of a salesman and then mentioned what was important ans it was exactly what he wrote on a sheet he had given us some time before. No variations! And no one was paying attention or answering his questions and he asked me why that was the case and he was really baiting me and I told him his teaching was boring. The next test we got back he had given me a C akthough I was always A or B. And there was nothing wrong with my test except that I didn´t use his favorite expressions! I guess I brought it on myself but that taught me how petty teachers can be.
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