OH, and the A's have asked me to do a thing. I can't really explain it until it is done - but it is cool. I'll report when I have details.

Why do I suspect this involves the Shiny Green Wig?

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vw, as a creative writing teacher, I often take 3-4 weeks to get back drafts. Thoughtful comments do take time, and I have other classes and other grading, too. However, what is reasonable also is dependent on how many students he has, etc.

I understand the frustration, but I also understand the delay.

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vw, as a creative writing teacher, I often take 3-4 weeks to get back drafts.

Ok. That is really helpful information. I guess I've just been REALLY spoiled in my other classes.

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We've always seemed pretty equal opportunity, in here. I've seen Buffistas vent about their bosses, co-workers, and subordinates; teachers, administrators, students; grandparents, parents, children, spouses, and NGA status.

And yet I think it would be radically inappropriate and unprofessional for me to complain about my students in any forum where they could see it (no matter how unlikely they are to find it). It's a breach of trust, IMO.

vw, I feel uncomfortable commenting on how long it takes another professor to return papers. Sometimes I take longer to return papers than I'd like, although I always return the one paper before the next one is due.

To be honest, what takes a long time is not grading papers. One can determine a grade rather quickly. What takes a long time is commenting, particularly if one is providing comments with an eye towards revision. If his comments are thorough and helpful, you'll probably find that it was worth the wait. If it were me, I'd come see him in office hours so he can at least verbally go over the papers with you.

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Sometimes I take longer to return papers than I'd like, although I always return the one paper before the next one is due.

This is me as well.

To be honest, what takes a long time is not grading papers. One can determine a grade rather quickly. What takes a long time is commenting, particularly if one is providing comments with an eye towards revision. If his comments are thorough and helpful, you'll probably find that it was worth the wait.

Yes, I agree.

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And yet I think it would be radically inappropriate and unprofessional for me to complain about my students in any forum where they could see it (no matter how unlikely they are to find it). It's a breach of trust, IMO.

Do you really see it as the equivalent if a student is venting about a teacher? It doesn't strike me that way, but I'm not currently either.

I think we've all learned that blanket statements about one profession or another are to be avoided. But if I need to rant about our IT guy, say, I'd like to think I can do that, even though we have IT folks on the board. And I'm more than happy for them to rant back about the boneheaded things non-IT people do.

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Do you really see it as the equivalent if a student is venting about a teacher? It doesn't strike me that way, but I'm not currently either.

I sure don't, precisely because the student is not in a professional position. Similarly, I would see a doctor Buffista complaining about a patient a lot differently than a patient Buffista complaining about a doctor--depending on what was said and how it was said.

I think we've all learned that blanket statements about one profession or another are to be avoided. But if I need to rant about our IT guy, say, I'd like to think I can do that, even though we have IT folks on the board. And I'm more than happy for them to rant back about the boneheaded things non-IT people do.

This.

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To be perfectly honest, it always caught me off-guard last semester when my lit professor would get back our papers in a week with MORE than a page of TYPED comments for each person. It blew me away. That poor man must not have a life during the semester!

What takes a long time is commenting, particularly if one is providing comments with an eye towards revision. If his comments are thorough and helpful, you'll probably find that it was worth the wait.

I do realize this. I really, really do.

And actually, I wasn't really going to bitch much about my professors. I was trying to be a little funny, and clearly that didn't work. What I really wanted to vent about was how much trouble I'm having reading and retaining what I'm reading. I'm a chunk of the way through the semester with two classes that have a portion of the grade as class participation, and I barely participate, because I can't remember the reading until it's really been jogged in my memory. And by that time someone else has said what I wanted to say. And I do underline things in the text. And I do take notes. I'm just having a hard time with it.

That compounded with having no idea how I'm doing in this class has me very frustrated today. And now, on top of that, I'm feeling badly for being wildly inappropriate here on the board. Plus, I got my period today, so I know that's not helping matters.

Anyway, Burrell and Kristin, I'm certain that you are both fabulous teachers and I appreciate your feedback. I will chill.

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I'm with Brenda and Cindy.

I feel I'm missing something in Burrell's request, though -- if vw wanted to complain about how one of her profs (a specific prof, not all teachers in general), why would that be a problem?

I've bitched about my shrink here, and that seems pretty equivalent, and I don't feel I was inappropriate at all.

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I was trying to be a little funny, and clearly that didn't work.

I got the humor, vw.

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