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Thread: Angry letter time?

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    Angry letter time?

    Ok so I spent this entire semester devoting many many hours to a math class I didnt pass. I completely failed and there is no way I can pass not even with extra credit or a miracle.

    I spent many many hours in tutoring at the tutoring center. Most of the tutors are graduated and helping out or are kids currently attending and pursuing a degree in some kinda math. So Im not blaming them for me failing math but when I want help I want help. My teacher even said to go there and get help as I am trying to use all my available resources I have to pass.

    Its basically a training place for wannabe teachers and for old guys who want to help. I really feel like most of the people who work there are underqualified to help the students. I got many wrong answers to problems and bad direction too. This is a government funded program too.

    Should I write to the college b/c I dont want any other student that wants to recieve help from people who dont know shit and dont know how to teach it?
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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    Yeah.

    Not to blame them for you failing, because they won't go for that, but to let them know the help isn't available.

    I have a friend who works at my university's tutoring program. It bothers me to death that they let her tutor in classes she's never taken. Her reading the book explanation to the other students doesn't help! Get someone who took the class!!



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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    What math class is it?

    If you write a letter, keep it professional. Just be honest on what happened with you but do not be negative towards anybody.

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    Featured Member DSUsb19's Avatar
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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    I wouldn't make it an angry letter, just more of an informant disappointed or dissatisfie letter. Is it past the drop period at your school (I know it is here)? See if you can drop the class, or as a last resort withdraw from it. It's very maddening that tutors are allowd to tutor studnts on subjects they've never taken. I know the tutors here are students, and being paid to tutor as well. It sucks. Good luck TM, math classes blow, I know. I struggled my way through the required credits. Came out with that wonderful "A" for athlete.
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    madmaxine
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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    Yes, please write a letter of complaint. You sound intelligent enough that they won't dismiss it out of hand. There were a few things I wish I had complained about at my old college, but I never did. Plus, there are probably many other people in the tutorial center feeling the same way!
    If you're attending a state funded school, they've been having a very bad time lately. (I have some inside info on this, heh.) I'll be paying for private schooling since the state system is unable to offer me what I need. Back in the day CA state funded education was much better.

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    Featured Member WiseGuy_TX's Avatar
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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    Quote Originally Posted by TigersMilk
    So Im not blaming them for me failing math but...
    people who dont know shit and dont know how to teach it? I got many wrong answers to problems and bad direction too.
    ...sorry, you are blaming them. Write a letter if want to. You can also go try out several tutors until you find one you like before starting the math class again.
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    God/dess montythegeek's Avatar
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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    Not to defend anyone but math is a very hard subject to teach, and the better you are at it, the harder it is to teach it. There is a reason the SAT has both math and verbal sections--they are very different ways of thinking.

    Math is like a jigsaw puzzle. Some people just see the right way to look at a problem and others have to sort out all kinds of rules to get to the right way to look at things. The more you just see the answer, the harder it is to describe that to someone else to use.

    Good luck dealing with your problem, though.

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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    Quote Originally Posted by WiseGuy_TX
    ...sorry, you are blaming them. Write a letter if want to. You can also go try out several tutors until you find one you like before starting the math class again.
    No I am not blaming them . I KNOW its not their fault I falied. What Im trying to say is that they should have better qualified people working there. Im not a testing ground for some would be teachers. I am a person who is trying to use the resources available to me to my benefit. They are providing crappy resources..why even provide a gov't funded program if they are going to waste money putting unqualified people in it?

    Im not the only one in my class who believed this idea either. I know its a hard subject but some good direction from the tutors is helpful and is why I went to tutoring in the 1st place.

    Im just hoping theyll listen to me.
    you live like an ivy vine
    you can only survive by clinging onto trees
    that's your flaw
    put down some roots so you can stand on your own
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  9. #9
    madmaxine
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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    This is not a threadjack, but I wanted to point out the majority of people have trouble with math. However, those gifted with mad math skills seem to be uniformly smart- the most gifted mathmetician I know is fluent in 2 languages and is socially adept. He's not an idiot savant.
    I bombed on computational tests but scored high on math theory tests. So proficiency in math is not as issue of smarts, but brain wiring, like monty pointed out.
    I advise you pay for private tutoring with a person who knows how to talk to people who lack the ability to "see" the solution to a problem.

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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    Sorry again. How many tutors did you see, one?, two? out of how many available? Those same group of tutors may have helped improve math understanding for 75% of the people they worked with which says they are qualified. You may be in that 25% that it did not work for whether the problem was you or the tutor. Until you have that kind of complete info to compare against (not the opinion of a few class mates)you cannot make a generalization about all the tutors. ..and btw, i have failed classes many times before passing them and i have had math teachers who barely spoke english.

    I guess what i'm trying to say is i want to hear you say "damn the tutors, i can overcome this one way or another. I have my pocket protector on and calculator in hand and I will conquer this eventually".
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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    TM, you should consider writing a letter of disappointment like DSUsb19 stated. Different teachers/tutors/etc are effective to different people. We all are wired differently and we all learn differently. I don't know how many people are/were available to help, but they may need to consider having a better variety of tutors.

    I wish I had some better advice, but I can say that I just went through this with a poli sci class. My teacher was a pro-nazi radical freak... and to make it worse HE wrote the book we were learning out of. I failed b/c I couldn't get past his radical views and his constant comparisons to Nazi Germany. It wasn't his fault technically, but I did complain (in a very small way though) regarding this guys outlandish, insane views.

    So I completely understand that you are NOT blaming them. So if you write a letter, I don't know if 'angry' will really get the point across. It will come off a accusing them.






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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    If they gave you alot of wrong answers, that tells me they were underqualified. Don't need a comparison of their progress with other students for this - they should, at MINIMUM, be able to give correct answers or lead you to someone else in the program who can.

    You might be blaming them a little, but IMO, justifiably so. Students who need help should be able to at least get correct answers from school tutors

    I would definitely write a professional letter explaining briefly, honestly and tactfully what your complaints are - be explicit but not harsh, and specifically point out the wrong answers issue. And as madmaxine mentioned, if you're in a state school, I would also suggest you consider transferring to a private school and using all the financial aid and other resources you can get to pay for it. It WILL be worth it. From the limited experience I had, CA state schools suck some serious ass.

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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    TM, I don't blame you for wanting to express your displeasure. In fact, if I were you, I would have already done it!

    If they are saying they offer helpful resources but not providing them, then you have every right to complain. The wrong answer issue is what it all comes down to- how could they actually send someone away with a wrong answer? Seriously...they don't need to be tutoring if they do that!

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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    If the tutoring did not help, then you need to go to the college and ask them to help you figure out what you are doing wrong...or help you figure out if there is another issue with regard to comprehending numbers. Angry letters will get you no where. Show your desire to uncover the issue and resolve it with their help.
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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    Quote Originally Posted by TigersMilk
    No I am not blaming them . I KNOW its not their fault I falied. What Im trying to say is that they should have better qualified people working there. Im not a testing ground for some would be teachers. I am a person who is trying to use the resources available to me to my benefit. They are providing crappy resources..why even provide a gov't funded program if they are going to waste money putting unqualified people in it?
    How did they Qualify the math tutors? Were they volunteers or paid tutors?

    Knowing/applying math and teaching it to others are different fields.

    <Once I was asked a question by someone who was taking a remedial math course, something she had been puzzled over for weeks. It took me a half hour to figure out just what she was puzzled about; she didn't know and I'm not a teacher. Finally I gave her one sentence that cleared it up for her completely. But it had to contain the right thought.>
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    Featured Member Fawn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    I'm having the same problem, and my math teacher suggested I try the tutors at a different campus. I'll give it a shot, but I'm getting tired of not getting proper help.
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    Default Re: Angry letter time?

    Likely that you can find some online tutoring math courses. Ones I've seen appear to be easy to understand, but this was years ago. Hard for me to direct anyone since I have no idea what part of math is being studied.

    I'm not a teacher but people (HS thru college) have asked me specific math questions online to their benefit.
    I loved going to strip clubs; I actually made some friends there. Now things are different for the clubs and for me. As a result I am not as happy.

    Customers are not entitled to grope, disrespect, or rob strippers. This is their job, not their hobby, and they all need income. Clubs are not just some erotic show for guys to view while drinking.

    NOTE: anything I post here, outside of a direct quote, is my opinion only, which I am entitled to. Take it for what you estimate it is worth.

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