[AmaShel567]

I'm having some issues with my Spanish professor and since I felt like I couldn't communicate with him face to face I sent an email to say what I wanted to say and to give him a little bit of information. Please tell me if something is wrong with this email because his answer seemed angey and I feel as though I didn't do anything. Now I'm afraid that he is going to start treating me different in class.


With the test, it was my responsibility to obtain the paperwork required to be able to use the disability services office as a separate environment. I was told that it would be better if I consulted with you and made accommodations within the department because space is limited, but you didn't seem like you agreed that my issue is an actual problem, much less that separate testing is necessary. I'm going to be honest with you. I do have trouble with the subject itself. I told you when we discussed it the first day that I was hospitalized at the end of last year. I missed the entirety of chapters 4 and 5. I was able to get an incomplete and then take the final but I wasn't in class to really learn what everyone else did for the last month in the semester. I'm going to start going to tutoring on Tuesday mornings between 9:30 and 11:30 to try to catch myself up and to get help for things in class that I don't understand.
I kind of feel like I can't talk to you about what is going on. You told me the first day that it was time to work towards getting over it and then you told me today that I needed to learn to control myself. You said that I should talk to my psychiatrist about lowering my medication because it exasperates my concentration problems and you interrupted me when I was trying to explain something to you and said that you understood because you had a past colleague with the same problem and you didn't need my explanation. I understand that you most likely don't mean for them to, but these kind of things become frustrating. The reason I had a problem back in April was that I went off my medication without telling anyone. It really hasn't been very long so they are still attempting to find the right medication and dosage. The most common course of treatment is a combination of medication and therapy so it's really not unusual that I'm taking something for it.
I know you said that you knew what I was talking about because you knew someone but I put a link at the bottom to the National Institute of Mental Health website that has a in depth article about the disorder. It's a government site so I'm pretty sure it's right. I would just like for you to read "What is bipolar disorder?" and "What are the symptoms of bipolar disorder?". You don't have to of course. I just want to be able to feel that you understand where I'm coming from a little better. Thanks.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/bipolar-disorder/complete-index.shtml

[lotusflames]

i think your professor probably took the final bit - about the link to the website etc - as an afront. he'd told you that he knew people with bipolar and then for you to do that probabky just pissed him off a little bit.

For me, iuntil you got to that bit there was absolutely nothing wrong with your email at all! I mean, i think you did a great job at expressing yourself and the last bit was a push too far but that's just me.

[blueoctober]

AmaShel567; I don't see anything wrong with the e-mail and I think it was very brave of you to lay it all out there. Chances are he may "know" someone with bipolar, but knowing someone and really understanding the illness are 2 separate situations.

You can't "make" anyone feel anything and sometimes when a person feels they behaved poorly and are called out on it their first response is anger. In reality he is angry with himself, not you.

Is there any way that you can transfer to another Spanish class?

Go back to the disibility services and get them to enforce your accommodations. Clearly communicating with this teacher is not going to work.

[Anneinside]

Originally Posted by farmergirl

Go back to the disibility services and get them to enforce your accommodations. Clearly communicating with this teacher is not going to work.

I agree with farmergirl. I was a professor and didn't have a problem with working with student but others were not always quick to help. Disability services should contact the professor to set things up. Do it soon before any more tests or assignments are due .

[AmaShel567]

Thanks guys. I sent him a very mature email back and all I got was the word thanks. I think he was embarrassed at his behavior. I don't know. I think I'm going to ignore it this time and get what I need next time. If it happens again or he continues to treat me badly I'm going to file a grivence about him and I have his email response as evidence. In his response he said that I misunderstood him, not that he never said those things.