ever have an instructor just melt down in class?

milksteak · Nov 15, 2011

UGH.

Seriously, if you have a problem with the instructor, TALK TO THEM FIRST!!!

I cannot stand people who do this.. they are too cowardly to go and voice their opinions to someones face, but have no problem telling the DEAN or ******* writing emails (so tactless).

Grow a pair, jesus christ. Ive been having this issue w/ a student in my clinical and its the most irritating, juvenille behavior.

If I were your instructed I'd be ****** at your class too. Its deserved.

ParkerBC,MSN,RN, PhD, RN · Nov 15, 2011

i am going to get blasted with this, but i am okay with it. most students don’t understand the role of an instructor. we are there to facilitate learning. there are a number of ways to do this. your instructor reads from the book. if i had any money to bet, i am sure she is not reading every sentence. in that case, she is covering the most important parts of the chapters. hopefully, she prepared the exams before her lecture. this way, she makes certain the content is covered and that the students are prepared for the exams.

i don’t read from a textbook. rather, i use the author’s powerpoints and lecture. what i lecture on is also in the text. in fact, the lecture follows the textbook closely. i have students who write notes on their powerpoints and others who highlight the sections in their textbook. my exams are already made before i prepare for my lectures. i do this for two reasons. first, it ensures that i am meeting the learning objectives for the chapter. secondly, it helps me to be certain that i have not missed anything important during lecture. my exams are no surprise. those who pay attention do well.

i agree with the other poster. there is a chain of command that should be followed. in fact, i am sure if you look the grievance policy up in your nursing student handbook, you will find the chain of command policy. you should speak to the instructor first. as far as snatching the exam from the other student, were you there to see it? the other student “told” you their perception of the situation, right? i have found that often times, perceptions can be distorted and body language misinterpreted. i always take it with a grain of salt.

here is the dilemma i think you will face if you pursue this. first, not only are you going over your instructors head again, but also the program dean. now, you are burning two bridges. this move may not produce a favorable result. it will also create a reputation for the class members, one that will not be good. i have seen this many times and believe me, the students have yet to win. another poster stated that students are the “paying customers”. this mentality is why our educational system is in its’ current condition. you pay for an education. we facilitate the information and what you do with it is up to you. if you do not do well, pass nclex, or fail out of a program, it ultimately is your responsibility.

i would encourage you to keep your head down and let everyone else fall into the trap. keep up on your readings and study. don’t worry about other people’s experiences. they have created them, not you.

i hope it works out.

EveRose · Nov 15, 2011

I would think twice before going over not only your instructor's head but also the deans. Particularly since the semester isn't even over yet. I don't understand why you considered that the dean broke confidence, just what exactly did you expect them to do? They were brought a problem with an instructor and then took the issue to the instructor. As for your instructor they were blindsided by a complaint they knew nothing about and didn't have a chance to address. How would you react if your boss chewed you out over a problem you didn't know about?

If I were you I would go to the instructor and ask for advise on how to study to pass the tests, what material to go over etc. I would be more concerned with my failing grade than rather or not to go forward with any complaints. Just my:twocents:

igus2666 · Nov 16, 2011

You are not alone with some of these out of control teachers. Some people are so for themselves that they do not see his/her own s.... U have the right to complain if u are not getting the results that u pay for. If u all have proof that your teacher is not acting like she suppose to y not turn in the evidence. U all can send it to the dean without given your name. Just make sure u keep a copy. I know time are hard and everyone need his/her job, but fair is fair. If u are not willing to teach or help your students y be a teacher, that is a wast of your time and money. :nono:

suga_junkie, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2011

At the end of every semester, my university sends out unit surveys to every student, which they encourage us all to fill out (we get a million reminders!) The surveys ask us our opinion on the content of each unit and the instructor's quality of teaching. They ask us to be constructive of course, but they're all anonymous. I know the instructors read them and they often encourage us to fill them out too as most of them are very open to suggestions to improve their teaching. I guess I'm really lucky to have this system, I didn't realise so many people struggled with horrible instructors! Makes you wonder why they get into teaching :uhoh3:

CrazierThanYou · Nov 16, 2011

At the end of every semester, my university sends out unit surveys to every student, which they encourage us all to fill out (we get a million reminders!) The surveys ask us our opinion on the content of each unit and the instructor's quality of teaching. They ask us to be constructive of course, but they're all anonymous. I know the instructors read them and they often encourage us to fill them out too as most of them are very open to suggestions to improve their teaching. I guess I'm really lucky to have this system, I didn't realise so many people struggled with horrible instructors! Makes you wonder why they get into teaching

Every college I have attended and every college that I know anything about has these surveys. They're useless. I don't think they even get read.

While I will agree that it is advisable to follow the chain of command, if an instructor's behavior is atrocious, I don't think they deserve to be notified first. What? You think they don't realize they're complete jerks? Is that going to "open their eyes"? Negative.

We have an instructor who has been known to scream in students' faces, call them names, and belittle them in front of everyone. I'm SURE she is aware this is not appropriate behavior. I'm not in her group, but if I was, I would not have enough respect for her to notify her before going above her head.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Nov 16, 2011

It sounds like everyone needs a clean slate. If this is the teachers first time teaching she might be a bit overwhelmed and when everything she does is criticized it might become to much. At the same time the students are upset and frustrated and both sides having such high emotions is not good. Maybe there can be some middle ground and a fresh start given.

kayak133 · Nov 17, 2011

Let's just say that in my former school of nursing, a professor broke the academic integrity guidelines of the college and school of nursing by allowing students to change their answers on a test. Not just throw a question out here or there, but to pick up the pencil, eraser down, scrub off the incorrect answer and mark the correct answer because the instructor did not agree with what was being taught in class. She approached me after class and asked me, in front of other students, if I had changed the answer on the test. I told her I didn't, and she kind of looked at me in surprise. This was her first semester as a prof as well. I did discuss it later with her via email, and she advised me that...because the way that she was being told by senior instructors on how to teach the course, she would not allow students to fail. She also admitted that she felt bad about her decision to allow students to change her answers as well. She understood my issues. I came very close to taking this concern to the dean. I stopped by the nursing school counselor before going to the Dean with it. He told me not to discuss it with the Dean because should the other instructors find out that they may retaliate against me. Don't you love that? I did think highly of the Dean at my former school...because she made herself available and worked to solve problems. At any rate, the instructor stayed on for another year or so. Just one thing to add: it isn't easy being a teacher the first year...irregardless of whether you are an elementary school teacher or college professor...I used to be a teacher...I cried almost every day in my first job, but I got results. What I don't understand about nursing is that you almost have to become inhuman to become more human.

suga_junkie, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2011

Every college I have attended and every college that I know anything about has these surveys. They're useless. I don't think they even get read.

That's unfortunate. We've had changes implemented in units because of student's feed back. In fact the units I started with are different now because they regularly evaluate and improve them. Any instuctor worth their salt would take constructive criticism on board and improve their teaching. Makes you wonder why they'd do them otherwise!

Glutton-4-Trauma, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2011

I agree with the posters who said to speak with the instructor directly. I would hate to have a co-worker or classmate complain about me to a supervisor or an instructor without speaking to me about what's bothering them first. Personally, if I had an issue with an instructor I would arrange a meeting with him or her and explain the issue I have with them in a constructive and tactful manner, as it's not what ya say, but how ya say it. If he or she was not receptive, I would then take it a step further and speak to their boss. If all else fails, you better believe I would be speaking to the Dean about the problem.

kayak133 · Nov 17, 2011

The school I went to used extensive surveys. Not only did we grade the course instructor, but the clinical instructor...and the facility. Our semesters were split into 3 courses...so every five weeks it was the final exam and the survey that rivaled the final exam in complexity. Some of the changes we could see. The school I am referring to is Mercer County Community College in Trenton. I think even in their petitioning process for a seat in the first nursing class they have come an exceptionally long way.