The Instructor that shouldn't be...

nietra · March 2005

Ever have an instructor (or speaker) that really shouldn't be teaching the particular class? I happen to have two this term and I'm extremely frustrated!

I have been "doing" HR for five years (a newbee by most accounts) and am being forced into an HR Mangement class to receive my degree. I honestly think I am more qualified to teach then the wazoo the University found. The other night we were discussing FLSA Regulations and he didn't know they recently changed!!! Then last night we had a discussion about FMLA and I wanted to walk out but forced myself to correct him because I did not want him teaching the class the wrong information. He stopped me later and asked me to restrain myself during class time. I spoke with the director of the university this am and he agrees and that this guy won't be teaching again but he can't do anything this term.

I expressed my concern with him teaching a large amount of management and business majors the wrong info and felt it was my duty to correct him. He promised to get back to me before the next class period to discuss my concerns. My instructor already hates me so I'm thinking my 4.0 is going down the drain this term!

Don D · March 2005

Good for you. That took guts! Reminds me of someone else I know. 'Restrain yourself"! Indeed! I can't believe that was his reaction. You should challenge his incompetence at every turn. Sitting there silent for the sake of an 'A' will haunt you for the rest of your life. Congratulations to you!

nietra · March 2005

Thanks! The director of the university is going to sit in on the next class and we will then discuss the issues further.

You are right about it haunting me forever... there are somethings that I felt were not worth fighting over and I let slide by but now as we go deeper into the chaos I wish I would have brought up.

On the bright side my Business Law class that starts soon will be taught by a judge that sits on the Iowa Supreme Court.

Shadowfax · March 2005

Uh..I don't know how Iowa selects its Judges, but in many states, sitting on the Supreme Court simply means he was a long time political insider to whom the 'party' or the govenor owed a payback, and had absotively positutely nothing at all to do with either his capabilities or his ethics.

ritaanz · March 2005

I wonder how many of your colleages complained to the director as well.

nietra · March 2005

It's a college class full of Business Majors... I'm sure no one else really knows he is giving out wrong info. They are there to learn what it's like in "the real world" I'm there to get that slip of paper that seems to be all so important to the boss.

safety · March 2005

Look on the bright side, it could be important to a future boss!

Geno · March 2005

Be nice. I was always told that cream rises, but experience has taught me that incompetence often does too -- this guy could end up being your future boss.

geno

nietra · March 2005

I think I would rather take a burger flipping job before working for a compnay that this guy runs.

I got word today that his real life company is in major financial trouble... because they forgot to bill for services for the last 6 months!

Don D · March 2005

Additionally, I was kicked out of a college sociology class by a totally incompetent professor who had idiotic ideas. He encouraged us all to sit in a circle of chairs and speak our minds. I challenged his idiocy several times and he kicked me out. In order to get a grade; however, the dean allowed me to turn in what amounted to a term paper every week for the rest of the semester. I got a 'B'. I have always been proud that I did not sit there like a mush-head and listen to an incompetent boob who had no business instructing a group of 20 year olds. I would forever have been ashamed of sitting there smiling, getting an 'A'.

DeidreFR5 · March 2005

When I was getting my master's degree in Counseling, I had to take a Career Counseling class. The school use to be the State Teacher's College, and teaching is still their main focus. What they told us to do to assist people in finding their true profession was comical. And none of it included getting a job and working your way up. I had been in HR doing employment for about five years. When I spoke up about the real world they all looked at me like I was crazy. But, they had been in education since college - what experience did any of them have HR and the non-academic world.

System · March 2005

The guy shouldn't be teaching mainly because he thinks he knows it all. The more one learns, the more one should realize how little he/she knows. If he can't admit that he doesn't know everything, those things that he teaches that he's sure of won't even be credible. (I think that's what I mean).

I had a similar experience. We had to keep and 'honest' journal of the course we were taking in Human Relations. I thought the instructor was emotionally an overaged child. I included that in one of my journals (even said that he must be an 'undercover' clinical student). He gave me a triple "A" on the class. There are those who can take "constructive criticism."

The Instructor that shouldn't be...

Comments