Do I have a right to be upset with my instructor??

stevenking, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2005

I'm concerned about my grade after bombing a test last Thursday. I emailed my instructors that afternoon (on Thurs) asking if any of them will be available anytime this week for a 1:1 meeting with one of them Re: my grade. Spring break started Thursday after class, but as far as I know, the instructors were going to be around on friday.
No response yet, so i figured that maybe none of them checked their email.
just a few minutes ago I went to my college website to look at the calendar, and one of my instructors posted some "announcements" yesterday. In order for her to be able to do that, she has to sign in with her email.
Is it asking too much to get a response?? Even a "No, I'm sorry, I won't be able to sit down with you this week. How about when class resumes?" type-a response.
I would like to address this to her, if you guys think there is a need to do so. This particular instructor is a meany from hell who definetely has her fav's - and I'm not one of them, but that's besides the point. Lets be a little professional, you know.
Advice please.

Upset - uh, not enough context and history to make an informed opinion. If you're taking classes virtually - then you're at their mercy. If you're going the B&M method, then I assume you know where this person's office is located (and possibly *know* their posted office hours).

Might be time for a pop in.

Affectionately,

The Kingster

smile123 · Mar 7, 2005

I'm concerned about my grade after bombing a test last Thursday. I emailed my instructors that afternoon (on Thurs) asking if any of them will be available anytime this week for a 1:1 meeting with one of them Re: my grade. Spring break started Thursday after class, but as far as I know, the instructors were going to be around on friday.
No response yet, so i figured that maybe none of them checked their email.
just a few minutes ago I went to my college website to look at the calendar, and one of my instructors posted some "announcements" yesterday. In order for her to be able to do that, she has to sign in with her email.
Is it asking too much to get a response?? Even a "No, I'm sorry, I won't be able to sit down with you this week. How about when class resumes?" type-a response.
I would like to address this to her, if you guys think there is a need to do so. This particular instructor is a meany from hell who definetely has her fav's - and I'm not one of them, but that's besides the point. Lets be a little professional, you know.
Advice please.

Hold it. Think about this from a time management perspective. If you had 100 emails in your inbox and knew you had to post some announcements for your class, and only had 10 minutes, would you expect to post your announcements and get to your inbox? No, I don't think so.

I have had a pretty full inbox and go to the ones that I really need to respond to. Or I know I have to send out some info to other people and I disregard my inbox until I have more time. Please give this prof the benefit of the doubt. I would find out her office hours and approach her in person. If you bombed the test, chances are, there are some others as well. She may have accessed her webmail from a different location (if she's on spring break too) or had someone else do it for her. The last thing you want to do is become emotionally upset; that's not the right response either. Hope that helps.

Smile123

Altra, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2005

I would like to address this to her, if you guys think there is a need to do so. This particular instructor is a meany from hell who definetely has her fav's - and I'm not one of them, but that's besides the point. Lets be a little professional, you know.
Advice please.

It's admirable that you want to meet with the instructor to get to the root of the problem, AEB the bombed test.

However -- as harsh as this might sound -- right now you are the person who has a problem to solve. The instructor isn't. It's not up to her to drop everything to make sure she meets with you ASAP. Maybe she's insanely busy, or maybe she's sitting around twiddling her thumbs ... it's impossible to say. But no instructor is going to react well and feel warm & fuzzy about a student who comes into the office or class and questions his/her professionalism.

Hope you get things worked out.

KrisRNwannabe · Mar 7, 2005

From your post it sounds like you have mulitple instructors. could it be that the instructor that posted the message doesn't have much authority when it comes to grades? we have multiple instructors but one of them heads the department so she is kinda the go to lady. maybe they are waiting for the head or something to talk first. not much can be done over spring break, so i would just wait until you get back. then go talk to whom ever has the most authority during the office hours.

LydiaNN · Mar 7, 2005

I routinely pop into my e-mail to send off messages without reading the messages that are waiting for me. Keep in mind, too, that she might have had an assistant send those messages out by prior arrangement. At any rate, I would say that you need to be a little more patient before you assume your message is being ignored.

mariedoreen · Mar 8, 2005

If this were me I would look at it this way:

Spring break hits Thursday afternoon. From this point until we return to class I am SOL... instructors may or may not be on break from the college, but they are definitely on break from me and my peers. Which means, I would not expect them to answer me if they don't want to deal with it until we return back to class. The waiting sucks, I agree -- I've been there. But IMO the best you can do is hit them up at their earliest posted office hours ASAP when you get back from break.

Definitely do not say anything. This is one pot you don't want to stir.

lil' girl, LPN · Mar 8, 2005

I agree with everyone else, you should wait until break is over. Your instructor deserves her/his break as much as you do. I know it is hard to wait, but sometimes waiting brings good things. Good luck.