Anxiety has been my unwanted
shadow for a few years now. It has prohibited me to do the things that I want
and need to do. In class, because of my fear of being wrong and making a fool
of myself, I would never ask questions. Talking to a teacher was not a choice
for me. Although I am in college now and my anxiety is now somewhat non-existent,
talking to professors can be somewhat intimidating depending on who it is. Ellen
Bremen, in her blog Before You Demand
What You Believe You Deserve, Ask Yourself These Questions, talks about the
how-to’s and the what-not-to-do’s when talking to a professor about extra
credit at the end of the year.
In
her blog, Ellen Bremen discusses the
“awakening” of college students at the end of the semester regarding their
grades. They visit their professor’s offices or email them in masses in demand
for better grades or extra credit (Bremen). Although Bremen comes across as
discouraging to students to talk to their professors at the end of the
semester, she still recommends that they should talk to them. However, Bremen
advices college students to reflect on their true work ethic before talking to
a professor, especially if you’re asking at the end of the semester, and
provides a list of questions to think about. This “isn’t about blame” though,
this is about reflecting on your performance and behavior in class. If you didn’t
fill-in-the-blank during the semester, then you need an explanation. Bremen
finishes the blog by reminding the reader to “see the bigger picture.” Grades
are not all that is important in life. Breath. If the grade you got was that
bad but you know you did not work your best, reflect on it and change your
habits. Make it a learning experience rather than something to freak out about.
It
seems like one of the most important things about talking to a professor is
honesty. It may sound like Bremen wants you to blame yourself for your grade
but that’s not the case. Being honest with your professor and maybe talking to
them at the beginning of the semester might help. She references to the scenario
when the student demand a higher grade because they need a 4.0 GPA for a
scholarship. She responds with “Why am I just now hearing about this?” For
future reference, if I know that I struggle in a particular subject, maybe I can
go to my professor and ask how to succeed in their class. If on the syllabus
and the calendar, I see extra credit, highlight it and make it a priority to
turn it in. Things like this put one in a better position if by the end of the
year you truly need extra credit.
Regardless
of your academic standing, it is always good to know how to talk and ask
questions to your professor. Bremen advices to ponder on your performance. Did you
go to tutoring if you didn’t understand? Did you take advantage of earlier
extra credit opportunities? Did you skip class or come to class late? These are
questions a professor might consider when you ask for extra credit right before
the semester ends. Knowing what to respond to a professor takes away a lot of
the anxiety. Something that I worry about is coming out too arrogant and defensive.
If you really think about your performance during the semester and then ask, the
chances of sounding defensive are lowered. That is something that this blog
cleared up for me, making me feel a bit more comfortable talking to (scary or
stern) professors in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment