The Adjunct

A new comment was left about me on ratemyprofessor.com:

This class is a challenge so u better be ready to work hard. He is a very hard grader and wants near perfection on essays. He tends to ramble and say “uh” about 50 times, but he is helpful. You have to work hard to get a good grade, if u do mediocre work u will get a C

“The class is a challenge so u better be ready to work hard.” Given the rest of the student’s comment, I feel this is meant to convey a negative aspect of the class, but I am very happy to hear that my class is a challenge and that my students need to work hard. “He is a very hard grader and wants near perfection on essays.” Again, I am proud that I am not an easy grader who doesn’t expect great work and great effort from students. An easy grader who accepts any piece of shit essay is who we need less of at college, not more of.

I’d also like to respond to the following: “You have to work hard to get a good grade, if u do mediocre work u will get a C.” Why shouldn’t you have to work hard to get a good grade? I understand frustration from students at working hard just to pass, but this student seems annoyed that hard work is expected in order to get a good grade. If students who do mediocre work in my class are indeed getting a C, then I really have fucked up, and I’m sorry. Mediocre work should get a D, not a C. I know this student intended to convey that mediocre work should score higher than a C, but I am forced to respond by making my criteria for passing more strict.

Oh, and finally: “He tends to ramble and say “uh” about 50 times, but he is helpful.” So the fact that I am actually a helpful teacher is countered, with apparent equality, by the fact I say uh a lot. Do you know who else says uh a lot? The president. Why? Because he’s fucking smart and wants to make sure the words he is using are the absolute best to convey the often complex thoughts he is trying to express.

You know who doesn’t…uh…care if you do…uh…mediocre work? Uh…uh…McDonald’s.