And the Stress Begins..
Let me first say, that just by starting to write this post, I'm not doing the work I need to get done. BUT, people need breaks right?
I am currently on the path or mission of writing up cheat sheets for upcoming tests. The first is an exam in actuarial sciences, though the class itself is not entirely challenging, only with respect to trying to pay attention during lecture. The professor that teaches it really just wants to do his research and you can tell he's no into the teaching stuff. The other exam, which is rapidly approaching, is the second part of a comprehensive exam for the stat program. We are allowed 6 cheat sheets, and that's what I've been working on this morning.
It's a shock to me that we are allowed so many cheat sheets in general in this program, but it has come in handy, there are several formulas and theories that are hard to remember by memorization alone. On top of my work is the work I have being a TA as well, which includes grading homework and teaching labs. The students here continue to amaze me, though really I should say their prior education continues to amaze me (and not in a good way). There is so much that is set aside because "it's not important enough" and somehow it's only important to know how to compute something and not understand the mechanics working underneath the surface. It drives me bonkers when I try to help students understand statistics.
Yesterday I worked in the tutor lab until 6:30pm, when we close. There was a guy in there who was working on confidence intervals and didn't even know why he was figuring it out because his professor just wants the numbers. He was so clueless as to how to compute it, he could barely put the numbers in the right places. It turns out he was from the economics department, taking a stats class they offer. Well, it's no wonder his professor only wanted a number; I'd like to think that any economist trying to interpret data does call a statistician because they will actually know what the numbers mean!
I hope all the best for this student, though he has a test today and I'm not sure he studied enough for it. My conclusion? With a prior education that can hardly be called that, it makes teaching at a higher level so disheartening to me, as I'm sure to other teachers as well, but I try to keep my head up; there are students who learn from me and appreciate it. They are the only ones who keep me sane enough to come back every week and keep doing what I do. Any other time I have..goes towards studying and getting my own work done so I can master statistics and leave here with a better education than some of the other students I encounter.
I am currently on the path or mission of writing up cheat sheets for upcoming tests. The first is an exam in actuarial sciences, though the class itself is not entirely challenging, only with respect to trying to pay attention during lecture. The professor that teaches it really just wants to do his research and you can tell he's no into the teaching stuff. The other exam, which is rapidly approaching, is the second part of a comprehensive exam for the stat program. We are allowed 6 cheat sheets, and that's what I've been working on this morning.
It's a shock to me that we are allowed so many cheat sheets in general in this program, but it has come in handy, there are several formulas and theories that are hard to remember by memorization alone. On top of my work is the work I have being a TA as well, which includes grading homework and teaching labs. The students here continue to amaze me, though really I should say their prior education continues to amaze me (and not in a good way). There is so much that is set aside because "it's not important enough" and somehow it's only important to know how to compute something and not understand the mechanics working underneath the surface. It drives me bonkers when I try to help students understand statistics.
Yesterday I worked in the tutor lab until 6:30pm, when we close. There was a guy in there who was working on confidence intervals and didn't even know why he was figuring it out because his professor just wants the numbers. He was so clueless as to how to compute it, he could barely put the numbers in the right places. It turns out he was from the economics department, taking a stats class they offer. Well, it's no wonder his professor only wanted a number; I'd like to think that any economist trying to interpret data does call a statistician because they will actually know what the numbers mean!
I hope all the best for this student, though he has a test today and I'm not sure he studied enough for it. My conclusion? With a prior education that can hardly be called that, it makes teaching at a higher level so disheartening to me, as I'm sure to other teachers as well, but I try to keep my head up; there are students who learn from me and appreciate it. They are the only ones who keep me sane enough to come back every week and keep doing what I do. Any other time I have..goes towards studying and getting my own work done so I can master statistics and leave here with a better education than some of the other students I encounter.
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