Can I submit some essays in SYW?

BlueLucario said:

Really, I thought some teachers don't really care. I thought all they cared about was getting paid. And they get paid A LOT.

EDIT: That's what my teachers said back in high school.

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The comment is not rude, Blue, just a common misconception. Even at the full professor level, a university professor will be paid less than he/she could earn in industry (for those for whom industry is an option: areas like business and engineering). And the ones who are not in an area where there is an industry competitor, the university system pays even less.

About caring, again it depends on the professor, but the vast majority I have know in my nearly 30 years in the business are just as conscientious about their teaching as they are about their research. For university professors, there are three components to the occupation: Teaching, Research, and Service. The typical breakdown at a research-emphasizing university (in terms of annual evaluation and determination of raises when there is money for them) is around 45% on research, 40% on teaching, and 15% on service. That means someone who doesn't give a damn about teaching is probably not going to get much raise money whenever it is available.

This is another sore subject for professors. The raises given are not regular, but dependent upon annual allotments from the legislature (for state-sponsored universities). And when given, they are rarely even equal to the cost of living increase for the year. I've been losing ground to inflation for more than half of the years of my career. When times are tight, like now, we can expect no raise, and even worry about salary reductions, which can happen, although I've never seen one.

Sorry about all the extras here. Blue, go see your professors when you need help. Introduce yourself in the first week or two of school. You may be surprised. Also realize they are humans like you, with all kinds of personality types. And they are sometimes busy. E-mail is your friend, but nothing substitutes for office visits.

BlueLucario said:

Really, I thought some teachers don't really care. I thought all they cared about was getting paid. And they get paid A LOT.

EDIT: That's what my teachers said back in high school.

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I suspect your high school teacher was being sarcastic. High school teachers know they're not paid a lot.

In my opinion high school teachers aren't paid nearly enough. And Blue how do you feel about a job where you get no overtime, and yet work a full day, and then continue to do so even after most other people would go home. Then you return home and you are STILL working marking papers and such.

These were my parents. My father was at school by 8am at the latest. Got home around 5:30pm, and was in his office at home all evening aside from dinner and maybe one television show he would watch. He also worked almost the entire summer planning for the following year, even though technically he has summers off.

My friend who teachers grade two, spent most of August fixing up her classroom and creating lesson plans.

Remember, teachers aren't paid over the summer.

Blue, while some teachers don't care, that is simply because in EVERY job there are people who don't care. But most teachers do, and most teachers get a lot of grief as if their job is easy and they are being paid an exorbitant amount. So not only are they working so hard for little pay, they also are disrespected and often treated like dirt. And they still teach.

Note-- when you go to the teacher for help, it's VERY important to ask for help in ways that show that you are willing to try and willing to work with the teacher. Do NOT go to your teacher and start with "I don't get it!" or some other variation, such as "I can't do this!" This will give the teacher a bad impression of you. Most teachers will still try to help you, but it's hard. They may think that you're not trying to understand/do the work.

Instead, go to your teacher with specific questions. "It sees on the requirements that you want our essay to be about X, but does [insert topic] meet that requirement?" Even if you don't get the assignment, there should be parts you do understand or specific things you're confused on. Explaining what you do understand (or think you got) is a way to show that you're trying.

(BTW: I'm an alternative high school teacher. Show me [or any teacher] that you're really trying, and I will bend-- not only backwards, but into origami-- to help your efforts be successful. I'm not alone in this belief. THIS is what I am paid for-- helping all my students to learn and be successful.)

BlueLucario said:

I feel bad for them now. =(. I know there are teachers on the news who are asking the government for raises.

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Blue, you have got to work on your critical thinking abilities.

1. You know how you feel. You may not be able to judge or read emotions of others, but you have them yourself. Before speaking, start asking yourself, "How would I feel if someone said or did this to me?" If you wouldn't like it, if it would hurt you, either physically or emotionally, don't say it. I mean every time you want to say or do something ask that question first. That's rule #1.

2. You obviously had contradictory (meaning the opposite of one another) data from two different sources. One said, "Teachers make a lot of money." The other said, "Teachers are asking the government for raises." The two statements do not fit together. One cancels out the other.

Did you consider why the teachers were asking for raises? Most people only do that when they feel they are severely underpaid.

When you have conflicting data like that, you have to look at what you know and have observed first-hand. Do the teachers you know act like they are making lots of money? Are they driving nice cars? Wearing fancy clothes? Do they have flashy jewelry? What kind of houses do they live in? What do they eat?

Observe. Think. That will lead you to the most likely truth.

Well thought out, strongly held opinions rarely need to be taken back. If you want to express an opinion, decide where you stand on the issue, doing a few minutes of research if necessary. Backpedaling is wishy washy.

Citing something that someone said to you once that might have been a dream is not the same thing as having an actual opinion.

Blue, the thing is, this is a cycle with you. You say something, get called on it, then apologize and expect all to be forgiven. How far do you really expect that pattern to carry you through with people? With life?

If you want friends, if you want a life outside of your room and the computer, it is up to you to change the patterns of behavior that are causing your isolation.

Once words are said, they are out there. They cannot be taken back. No matter how much you use the delete key or how much you apologize, you cannot change what has been said or done. I'm not talking specifically about this thread, but generally. Everything we say or do has an impact and effects those with whom we've come in contact.

I haven't read anyone else's replies yet, but this sounds a tad like cheating to me.

BlueLucario said:

I was asking if it's alright to submit college essays. I really want a good grade for that class. I promise to do some of the work, even grammar.

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If you have a question, ask your professor.

ETA: College is an opportunity to learn how to learn. Using AW as a crutch robs you of that opportunity.

Instead of showing us the essay, why not show a draft of the essay to the teacher? Writing is subjective. If I were a teacher, I'd prefer something that's informally written. With that said, there are plenty of profs who like a very clean essays. Neat structure, topic sentences at the front of each paragraph, linear progression from start to finish, etc. I doubt the teacher would say no. Worst case scenario, he/she won't read it but will likely be open to brainstorming with you.

Also, it's not 100% clear from your post if you're still in school and where exactly you are taking this class from. However, as someone who is a freshmen rounding off his first semester at a pretty respectable liberal arts college, I can attest to the fact that your preconception of the difficulty of the class seems out of whack to me.

Professors mainly look a clear development of an idea/theme/whatever. Sure, it's not exactly easy if you're going for the As, as Profs don't exactly hand them out. However, they're not likely to fail you just because your essay wasn't perfect either. Where you're taking the class also has an effect... A community college class will, on average, probably be easier than a class from a 4 year college/university.

And a general suggestion is to have confidence in yourself. Nobody is perfect. Sometimes we succeed. Sometimes we fail. Sometimes we get somewhere in the middle. But if we're smart, then we always, always learn. And it's that learning process that will mean more to you as a human being than any A will.

EDIT: It seems you're talking about school teachers. In that case, I'd be VERY, VERY surprised if they refused to look over a rough draft with you. Most teachers are pretty nice people. If you show a genuine interest in the class/desire to succeed, they will probably do all they can to help you along. Furthermore, essay writing in high school really isn't that bad. Always take what other kids say about a class with a grain of salt...

EDIT #2: Or not.

BlueLucario said:

Well, since everyone suggests that I should speak to the professor, I will do that. This is my first time in college, and I don't really know how all this stuff works.

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Okay. If you're in college then you have several options.

A) Have the teacher read and comment on a draft. If he/she doesn't do that sort of thing, then you can always come in during office hours and brainstorm, or maybe show him/her an outline.

B) Typically, colleges have upperclassmen who work as interns in a department. So a poli sci intern is going to be a senior who is a poli sci major. These guys are basically paid to help you with your coursework. See them during office hours.

C) Finally, more and more colleges have a Writing Center these days. In mine it's located in the library, but when you get to college I'm sure you'll hear all about it. The writing center is nice for style, etc, but less help when it comes to the specifics of the class or subject area. A lot of the people there are probably english majors though, so since this is an English class you're worried about, they could be a lot of help for you.

With all this said, the only person who knows exactly what the professor is looking for is the professor.

And while all these tools are at your disposal, it's still up to you to know the material and get the work done.

BlueLucario said:

Does it?

Well, I won't do it. But if I have a question, I can just post it. THat's not cheating is it?
When I posted this, I never knew that. I don't want to get into trouble.

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The wink does not make this a different question.

You started this thread asking if the population of AW would help you with your homework. The answer is: No, the population of AW will not help you with your homework. If you need help with your homework -- and help includes asking questions about it -- then you should ask your professor or use the college resources available through your college website and on your college campus to get the help and answers you need.

I am closing this thread now.