Question

I had a professor who was unnecessarily disrespectful when I came in late to turn in my final (the class was three hours). I brought up that one of us is paying to be here and one of us is being paid. Is that a fair rebuttal?

Answer 1

It's understandable that you felt frustrated and disrespected by your professor's behavior. While your rebuttal might be technically accurate, it's crucial to consider the context and the dynamics of the student-professor relationship when addressing such issues.

While it's true that students pay for their education and professors are paid to teach, asserting this point directly to your professor might not be the most productive way to address the situation. Engaging in a confrontational response can potentially escalate the issue and damage the rapport between you and your professor.

Here are some alternative approaches to consider:

1. Choose a Calm and Private Setting: If you feel the need to discuss the incident with your professor, do it in a private setting where both of you can communicate without an audience.

2. Express Your Concerns Respectfully: Share how you felt about the incident and how it impacted you. Avoid accusatory language and focus on your feelings and perspective.

3. Ask for Clarification: Politely ask for an explanation or clarification about the professor's reaction. It's possible that there were other factors contributing to their response.

4. Discuss Expectations: Seek to understand the professor's expectations regarding punctuality and how they would prefer students to handle late submissions.

5. Offer a Resolution: Propose a solution for handling similar situations in the future, such as discussing late submission policies or finding ways to communicate delays in advance.

6. Seek Mediation: If the issue persists and you find it challenging to communicate with your professor directly, consider seeking mediation or discussing the matter with the department head or academic advisor.

Remember that open communication and mutual respect are vital in any educational environment. Both students and professors should strive to create a supportive and positive learning environment. If you encounter a difficult situation, approaching it with a focus on understanding and constructive dialogue will generally yield better results than engaging in confrontational or antagonistic responses.