[specialneedsmom]

I am taking a class right now for credit at a local college, to enhance my vocational opportunities.

Beginning of semester, the professor tells us his email address and cell phone number to contact him if necessary. At one point, I send him a text early on in the semester, to ask for clarification on something. He did not respond to the text. I then followed up with an email. I followed his rules for sending emails to him, which is, to put the course name and section number in the header of the email. Again, no response. Checked and double checked and tripled checked email address, it went through on my end marked as "sent". Never heard back. I let it drop and decided to forge on ahead with no answer to my question.

A week ago, had to take an online test, there was a glitch in the system that I needed to ask him about, and apparently other students had same problem when taking the test online. I emailed him about it, didn't hear back. Came to class the next day and asked him if he got my email, "nope".

He has cancelled two lectures this semester due to personal reasons. No makeups were offered.

Now, he had us email an assignment to him, which I did. How do I know if he did or did not receive this? He doesn't respond to anything.

Also, I don't know if this is relevant or not, but we started out with about 18 students, we're now down to about 4 students who come to the class on a regular basis. I've never seen that many students drop out of a class before.

Should somebody talk to him about this?

[ChipperMonkey]

I had problems with an instructor who didn't respond to emails and I ended up talking to my advisor about it. I'm registered with disability services so I know that my advisor does more in terms of advocating for students than a normal advisor. Do you have an advisor who can help you?

[specialneedsmom]

Originally Posted by ChipperMonkey

I had problems with an instructor who didn't respond to emails and I ended up talking to my advisor about it. I'm registered with disability services so I know that my advisor does more in terms of advocating for students than a normal advisor. Do you have an advisor who can help you?

I have an advisor, can certainly go talk to one but I am sure my professor would find out that I am complaining about him. However, I can say my grade is going to suffer as a result of this professor bailing out on classes. I am falling behind in the material. Also, years ago I failed a class because I just never picked up what I should have learned. I don't ever want to repeat that failure again.

Did you ever find out why your instructor wasn't responding to your emails? I honestly wonder why people don't respond to emails

Originally Posted by specialneedsmom

I have an advisor, can certainly go talk to one but I am sure my professor would find out that I am complaining about him. However, I can say my grade is going to suffer as a result of this professor bailing out on classes. I am falling behind in the material. Also, years ago I failed a class because I just never picked up what I should have learned. I don't ever want to repeat that failure again.

Did you ever find out why your instructor wasn't responding to your emails? I honestly wonder why people don't respond to emails

The syllabus is basically a semester-long contract between the prof and the students. Yes, it is subject to change but not without advanced notice. This prof sounds like he is reneging on the contract. You are paying for the class (or someone is). You have every right to speak to an advisor, or whomever else can do something about the issue. At this point in the semester, I don't know that there is much they can do--I had an issue a few years ago in a trig class where we went through 3 profs in 3 weeks, one didn't even show up for class and the grad assistant taught for two classes. It was a cluster; I'm terrible at math, and the differences in teaching styles/methods made it impossible for someone like me to follow along. I dropped the class during midterms because I was so behind I couldn't catch up. I sent a letter to the head of the math department and the dean, and they were basically like, "Yeah, we know. Sorry. Here's your Incomplete." But you should still talk to someone.

The prof is allowed to miss class once, even twice--they get sick days, too. But there should be make-up work offered or notes posted. And not responding to communication is just lazy and unprofessional.

PS I just graduated and if any of my profs had behaved this way, my entire cohort would have been in the director's office so fast...

[Miswimmy1]

Is there a way that you can go up to him either before or after class and ask if you can meet with him one on one? You can talk about any concerns you have or clarify any questions about the material and he won't be able to get out of answering (hopefully).

I have been in a class where every single person dropped the class (I was the second to last person to drop and the last person dropped the day after me). It might just be that he's a flakey instructor and few people are willing to waste their time. I know that I wouldn't.

I thought had a thought. Is your professor old? Maybe he's just not with the technology of the time lol. I think it's very odd that he gave out his personal cell phone number. I was told that even if professors do that, don't take them up on it.

I guess if worse comes to worst, you could get the administration involved. Go talk to the dean or something.

Originally Posted by Miswimmy1

I think it's very odd that he gave out his personal cell phone number. I was told that even if professors do that, don't take them up on it.

My profs did that but we had like, 30 students in my cohort. Rules of my program were such that if a student had to get a hold of a prof for an extenuating circumstance, email was probably not going to be quick enough (that, or they wouldn't check their email until office hours and we tended to start our day way before and end them way after that, lol). In my gen eds though, no. My professors gave their office numbers/emails and that's it.

[eeyorestail]

I would not text a prof even if they gave me their cell number. Have you tried calling the number?

Profs should respond to emails, but many have hundreds of students and so can't be expected to reply instantly. If you are worried about him receiving assignments many email apps allow you to request a "receipt" when an email is opened. If he later claims he did not receive the assignment you show him this.

Cancelling two classes in one semester is really not a lot, and I have rarely had a prof make up a missed class unless there were special circumstances.

Does he have office hours? Sounds like it is best to talk to him in person. If he does not have office hours it seems like you have been able to talk to him before/after class.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[specialneedsmom]

Originally Posted by krminnj

Cancelling two classes in one semester is really not a lot, and I have rarely had a prof make up a missed class unless there were special circumstances.

Actually, the class only meets once a week. So yet, its pushing limits to cancel 2 classes, in my opinion. Its not like a class that meets twice a week , or 3 times a week. That would be different.

And I think most people would try texting a professor if he gave you his cell number, and wasn't answering his emails. I don't expect him to reply "instantly", I do expect him to reply at some point in time. He's never responded to anything. He never responded to the emails I sent him back in September. That is not the same thing as someone demanding an instant reply.

Its clear you do not understand my situation at all, so please do not post to me anymore. Thanks.

[Perna]

I would be more alarmed that there were so few people in class now and would rethink whether I wanted to get out of that class if still possible now and take it at a different time with a different professor? Unless it is his first time teaching, I would think the school would be aware of this professor's class size problems and other people may have complained. I'd definitely talk to your advisor. Why do you think your advisor would tell/talk to the teacher? How big/limited in scope is this school? Is this a for-profit school or "public"/properly accredited one?

[specialneedsmom]

He's not a new professor. The college is actually a community college, they do offer two year degree programs. The classes tend to be small, not large with hundreds of students. Most classes, I'd say around 10-50 people (50 max). Its a public college.

I think he is just somewhat lazy. Him cancelling class and not responding to messages makes me think he doesn't care. I don't put up with his kind of behavior with people I know outside of school, say, in social situations. If someone doesn't respond to my contacts, after a period of time, I pretty much drop the association with that person. I just don't find it acceptable. I think if a person doesn't want to respond, they should be honest about why.

I'm now considering getting some tutoring which is going to cost $$$ which I don't have right now.

[ChipperMonkey]

Originally Posted by specialneedsmom

I have an advisor, can certainly go talk to one but I am sure my professor would find out that I am complaining about him. However, I can say my grade is going to suffer as a result of this professor bailing out on classes. I am falling behind in the material. Also, years ago I failed a class because I just never picked up what I should have learned. I don't ever want to repeat that failure again.

Did you ever find out why your instructor wasn't responding to your emails? I honestly wonder why people don't respond to emails

Yes, it was a bit like tattling on the professor but I had no other choice. I'm not sure why he was flaky with emails as he was deaf and honestly that was the best way to communicate with him. (I was taking an expressive communications class that didn't teach sign language nor were we allowed to use it in class.) Yes, there was a phone interpreter service that we could use to talk to him on the phone, but he was always so busy that it was impossible to pin him down.

[specialneedsmom]

Originally Posted by ChipperMonkey

Yes, it was a bit like tattling on the professor but I had no other choice.

Same here. I'm down to my only choice, that is tell someone at the college what's going on with him. To be honest, the few times when I have "tattled" on a teacher or professor, they've always found it. It got back to them, even when I stressed confidentiality with the person I confided in.

I'm already going to get a B in this class when I could have made an A.