trouble brews
Big Trouble in Little China.
I had a minor mishap in class today which has left me seething with righteous
indignation. Below is an email I have just written to my supervisor, in the
event that I get in trouble for this thing.
Hi Brian,
I'm writing this to you because I think there may be repercussions to it, but
I kind of lost my cool before my discussion group today (Thursday). Not at
any of the students, mind you, but I feel I should explain.
In TB 219 [Tory Building, Room 219], the room you had booked for me to have my
groups in, there is a language class, either Mandarin or Cantonese, right
before the group.
Classess are supposed to finish at 425 and be out of the room by 430,
especially if there are people waiting to come in, right?
Well, consistently since the beginning of the discussion groups, this class
hasn't finished on time at all. They are usually still talking at 435 and
take at least ten minutes to get themselves out the door. My discussion
groups aren't very long, and this cuts severely into our time, much to both
the students' and my irritation. The language students then have a tendency
to congregate outside the door, talking very loudly, for a long period of
time. I have asked them on more than one occasion to leave.
I have tried, in the past, walking in and addressing the class there (while
looking directly at the professor, who ignores me completely) by saying
something like, "Guys, if you don't mind? I have a class to teach now." Of
course, this was to no avail. I was completely disregarded.
More recently, I have taken to ushering my students into the room at about
435, plopping my stuff down on the front desk, and staring at the students and
teacher until they slowly meander out the door.
Today, something snapped.
I arrived at the room at about 427 or so, and found the class still in
session, and some of my students already waiting outside the door. They
rolled their eyes at me and I went to the washroom, hoping the class would be
out by the time I returned. They weren't.
So I walked in as usual, and plonked my stuff down on the table, and then
assumed a very irritated pose, crossing my arms and looking around at the
students, who were still chatting, sitting at their desks, talking to the
professor about inane subjects -- you name it. I addressed the class,
finally, rather loudly. I think I said something along the lines of, "Would
you PLEASE get out. I have a class here. NOW."
Some of the language students passed me and gave me dirty looks as they
wandered out. There were three others at the back of the class who appeared
not to have heard me at all. I moved to the door and held it open for them,
staring at them. When they finally glanced up, I made a sweeping gesture
towards the door as to usher them out (it was about 440 at this time). I got
some giggles from my students, but very little notice from the other students,
who finally left, only to join a gaggle of students already there, who were
discussing how rude I was being. They were assembling a plan to harass me by
talking very loudly outside the door, and not leave.
The phrase I kept hearing was, "how rude!" This is when I got angry. In a
mocking tone, I said, "how rude!" myself, and slammed the door. I sat down at
the table and the students and I agreed that we were tired of them taking up
so much of our time. I apologized to the students present for being angry,
but they told me I was justifiably so.
But the language students didn't leave! They remained outside the door,
peering in at me as I sat there. I even heard the professor say, "I don't
CARE what time it is, that was very rude!"
ME! Rude! When I had tried so many times to be polite!
In any case, I have a sneaking suspicion that she will probably confront me
when I hold my last group there next Thursday, and, even though I still feel
like I was not in the wrong, I would like to avoid a squabble between a
professor and a lowly TA, because I have a feeling I will not come out on the
winning side.
I think I will just ask the two students who come next week if we can meet
somewhere else instead. We've been discussing meeting soemwhere else to
observe groups in behaviour, anyway, so this might be an easy solution.
I just thought I'd let you know, just in case this professor finds out whose
class it was and contacts you.
I hope I did (more or less) the right thing. If you could let me know, that
would be great, and set my mind at ease.
- Alison
Posted by Ally at November 24, 2005 06:12 PM