God Save Me: My Student is Hopeless

[Total Refected Power]

There is a summer student in the lab and to whom I have been assigned. He is a college student who has impeccable academic credentials but the worst set of "hands" I have ever seen!!! Plus he is a little arrogant. A deadly combo. My patience has been thin these days and I am trying to be polite but I am not sure he will ever produce anything useful, hence it is a big waste of time.

Remember, nothing is "free".

 

[Pastore]

What are you trying to teach?

 

[MrBond]

I'm a little clumsy in the lab, but I'm getting better then I used to be. I think it was the overly expensive glassware we had to replace if we broke it in college.

But I'm not arrogant

 

[SSP]

<< What are you trying to teach? >>



Something that involves a &quot;good set of hands&quot; and a lab. hmmm....

 

[Urinal Mint]

I think this is how Frankenstein was first put together.

 

[Dually]

Perhaps you need to communicate better.

 

[vi edit]

Be thankful it's not a meth lab...BOOM!

 

[Pastore]

Computer lab? Science lab? I can think of a lot of labs...

 

[MrBond]

<< Be thankful it's not a meth lab...BOOM! >>


If this is a wet lab, and I bet it is, there are many many ways to make it go BOOM!

 

[Thegonagle]

<< Perhaps you need to communicate better. >>


And tell him not to be so arrogant, damnit! He's not the freaking king of the world.

Joe <-- Who hates people who act arrogant or &quot;better than thou,&quot;
^^^^^^^^
and who's blatantly copying Eakers.

 

[Total Refected Power]

It is a research lab where we use wet chemical techniques. So he is not a &quot;paying&quot; student. The idea is that we train someone, they get experience and we get some data from the work. It is supposed to be mutually beneficial. However, there is a total disconnect between the theoretical and experimental and he lacks basic motor skills it seems. Most students at this point are almost independent in a narrow project at this point (I have had several) and he is very far behind.

 

[TonTo]

have him count ALL the periods in a book.... a prof made me do that once.... as far as i'm concerned... that NetWare book had 3 periods...

 

[Demon-Xanth]

<< have him count ALL the periods in a book.... a prof made me do that once.... as far as i'm concerned... that NetWare book had 3 periods... >>



heh, my HS electronics teacher had you stay during lunch and sort resistors that were in a big box. When you were done he'd just slide them all back into the box


...and that post had 14 periods

 

[Dually]

If a teacher ever tried any of that stuff on me I would tell them to go to hell and then go talk to the Dean of Faculty. Not all kids can learn the same way. Are you teaching him or are you assigning him?

 

[Total Refected Power]

Are you teaching him or are you assigning him?

I am holding his hand as much as possible. At the same time some independence is required. He is hardly a &quot;kid&quot; as within a year he graduates college! I have had several students in the past and all did well so my approach is sound. Again, he is here at our sufferance. Some people just don't have it and at what point does it become unproductive for both parties?

 

[Jumpem]

TRP, you sound like a pretty cool professor. Perhaps, just sit him down and have a chat with him. Explain (as kindly as is possible) what it is about his way of doing things that frustrates you. Try to get him to see from where you are coming from, and yet at the same time be compassionate and concerned for the student.

 

[Tiger]

We're not talking about Highschool here.
The kid is in College about to graduate.
You'll do more harm than good by mollycoddeling this kid. He needs to learn that in the real world there is the right way or the highway.

Talk to him one more time and spell it out in clear, plain, english.

I've had to teach several people to weld over the years.
The ones that do the best are the ones that are willing to listen and dump the attitude at the door. I've had a couple who just wouldn't do things the way they should be done. When asked why the answer was invariably &quot;Well, we did it this way at XYZ company&quot;. Your not working for XYZ company anymore and you need to do things like this to ensure the final product meets specs.

Most caught on, some didn't. Those that didn't were shown the door in quick order.

 

[linuxboy]

Hmm

This is a toughie. Do you have respect in his eyes? If you do just tell him to stop screwing around and stop being an arse. Kill his attitude and you can mold him any way you like.

Cheers !

 

[Yo Ma Ma]

Maybe he is brain bombed or something, does he seem to have the shakes?

 

[Total Refected Power]

I just think he is the ultimate book worm who never played with Legos or made plastic models. Plus, he has no common sense and the moment he has trouble he comes running for help. I am a very compassionate person and try to realize that it takes time but it has been tough with this fellow. Tomorrow is another day!!!

 

[Dually]

Okay I got the more info that I needed. You need to talk with him and explain if he doesn't give his 100% then its over and if he is giving his 100% and its not working then its over.