My stepfather used to say that anytime you get a new boss, you should ask what his or her greatest pet peeve is and then never do that thing.
I’ve relayed the story to many students. I’ve even used it as a lead-in to discuss some of my own pet peeves, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I thought about using it to help students succeed in my classes and others.
Trust me on this one, a lot of professors have the same pet peeves. Understanding these annoyances can help you in many of your classes. In the spirit of setting you up for success, here is this academic year’s edition of 12 Ways to Tick Off Your Professor.
1. Losing or failing to read the syllabus
Professors spend hours planning, updating and tweaking each course’s syllabus.
I spend an average of four hours on a syllabus, even if I’ve taught the class before. I take the document seriously because I consider it a contract between myself and the students in my class. I outline all of my expectations in the syllabus and assume I am setting students up for success. Most other professors do the same.
It really makes professors angry when students don’t read the syllabus and ask questions about items specifically addressed in the document. Keep it. Love it. Cherish it. Live it.
2. Taking value away from classmates
No student should be allowed to impede another student’s learning. This most commonly happens when students make loud noises (on purpose) or talk to others during class. This rudeness really gets me worked up. Students who take value away from other students are removed from my class—immediately.
3. Inappropriate use of technology
Texting during class probably is my biggest pet peeve as a professor. It’s just so rude and distracting. It makes my head spins in a complete circle all Exorcist style. We’re not so important that we can’t make it through a single class without communicating via technology.
4. Missing deadlines
Everyone in media works on deadlines. I teach media practitioners. There’s not much more to say about that from my perspective.
5. Discussing grades in class
This is the student equivalent of discussing how much money you make with your coworkers. It’s just poor manners and a bad idea. It shouldn’t happen.
6. Coming to class without supplies
It makes no sense when students come to class without pens or paper. You will need to write something in every class session. Perhaps nothing grates on my nerves worse than students who come to class unprepared and beg supplies from classmates. This shows arrogance and a lack of concern about the course and your peers.
7. Asking the print
I can’t stand it when students come to class to ask permission to print. The assignment is “done,” they just need to print it. If it’s not printed, it’s not done. You missed your deadline (See No. 4). Just a bit of advice, if you wait until right before class to print, printers across campus will spontaneously combust. I guarantee it. Professors want you to print in advance.
8. Giving excuses
Professors aren’t interested in hearing all of the reasons you can’t do something. Just do it. When I hear excuses, I automatically think “everybody’s got problems.” I can’t help it. My pity meter is broken.
9. Being late
My father says, “if you’re five minutes late, you might as well be five hours late because it means the same thing.” It means you didn’t care. You think whatever you were doing is more important than what is scheduled. Being late is a sign of arrogance. Be reliable. Show up on time. Being on time also sends an important message. It says “you can rely on me.” It shouts competence, which professors love.
10. Asking ‘Did we do anything?’
It’s rare that a student makes it through an entire semester without missing a class. Many of these absences are legitimate with causes like illness or car trouble. Whether the absence is excused or not, the approach to gathering information about the missed class session is one of professors’ greatest pet peeves.
You should never ask your professor something like, “I was absent for the last class session. Did we do anything?” Most professors have the same mental response to this question. It’s something like, “No. You weren’t here, and we just couldn’t go on learning without you.”
So, how do you find out what you missed in the class? Ask the professor the right way. Say something like “I was absent for the last class session. I got the notes from Amy. What else do I need to do to catch up?”
Being proactive about asking for notes or assignments from other students and asking this question correctly alters the professor’s response from snarky to helpful.
11. Not problem solving
Students have more access to information than ever before. If you don’t understand a concept or the way something works, look in your notes and textbook first. If you still don’t understand, try consulting what my coworker calls “the Google machine.”
Don’t get me wrong, professors want to help you, but they also want you to take an active part in your learning.
You can have a more informed discussion with your professor once you’ve clarified what you don’t know and separated what you understand from what specifically still confuses you.
In other words, don’t run straight into your professor’s office every time you discover and issue. Try to solve your own problem before you ask for help.
12. Sighing and whining
Sometimes it seems students think that if they sigh and whine when a professor starts to give an assignment that the professor will forgo the work. It’s almost like they think the professor will say, “Oh, I was going to give this assignment. I planned it all semester. But, since you sighed, I’ll just skip it.” It doesn’t happen that way. You probably just tick the professor off.
In relation to this topic, sitting in the professor’s office and whining also does not help you accomplish your goals. The time you’ve spent griping could have been used toward solving your problem instead of wasting you and your professor’s time.
13. Unprofessional communication
Your professors are not your friends. This means you should communicate with them professionally, face-to-face and via email. Professional email communication means having a subject line, using real words and forming complete sentences.
I know it’s a lot, but it really all amounts to professionalism. Students reflect in the classroom how they will behave in the workplace. The prompt, prepared and professional students are the ones professors want to recommend for great jobs.
ProfKJM says
How about coming in late AND walking directly in front of me when I’m talking?
KimUlmanis says
I’ll admit to being guilty a few times (things do happen, not that that is a good excuse mind you), but I strive to be polite, considerate and respectful to my classmates and instructors at all times.
Nothing irks me more when my peers are carrying on conversations with each other during class discussions. The other peeve is the jerk who came in 10 minutes late and expects me to get up from my chair so he can squeeze in and get a seat in the same row I am sitting in.
profkrg says
ProfKJM Yep. That would tick me off.
profkrg says
KimUlmanis The tardy thing happens, but it’s a problem when it happens so much that it becomes a distraction.
I have no problem telling a student to leave if he/she is consistently distracting to classmates. That’s just not ok.