Crazy parent email from last fall

Julie,

I believe you have discriminated against my daughter, SaBreina White. That is something I DO NOT TOLERATE.

SaBreina informed me that you claim she and Sara were disruptive in class - over Sara looking at her cell phone for time. Where you docked her 9 points. You also informed SaBreina that YOU were embarrassed because you had to "call them" out in class over this situation. SaBreina did NOT have her cell phone on her and did NOT disrupt class.

Apparently you have also split the two girls up into different classes due to your claim of the girls being disruptive. Unprofessional. This isn't high school.

Also - your choice of language and calling students inappropriate names has been brought to my attention. Yes, most students in the class are adults, but not all. You have implied that students are dumb with the comments you make... which disrupts the class and makes students feel inadequate.

SaBreina has a big personality, therefore there she may in fact be vocal on her opinions. That should not be counted against her.

SaBreina is considering dropping this class because of you bullying her. This makes me very angry, that a teacher would be the problem, not the actual work. I believe a teacher should build students and their confidence up, not tear them down.

And yes, I am fully aware that you and my daughter have exchanged emails. That is why I, her mother, have decided to step in.

I look forward to your response and the schools stance on discrimination.

Carmel J. White

651-276-4812

Wonderful student email

This morning's email--what a gem.

Last night's American Nature Writers class was the "report out" for students' Field Observations. I invited the editor-in-chief of the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine because she's interested in hearing new voices in the magazine.

Hi Julie, ​

Yesterday's class was awesome! Thank you for creating a space that allows us to be authentic.  It was nice to have Kathleen about of our class to hear her feedback which lines up with yours and the gentle way you encourage us to do and be more. 

Love, love, love the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer Booklet.

I have attached my Field Note Reflection Paper.

See you next week!

Student

More cleaning up email

Student emails:

1)
Julie,

I just got a call my daughter got poked in the eye with a stick and it is scratched. I wont make I have to take her to the hospital. Please let me know what will be due on Wednesday. 

Thank you,
Student

2)
Hey Professor Daniels,

Sorry to have send this late notice but I have an family emergency so I won't be able to make it to class today. I apologize for the lack of performance but I am definitely getting the assignments. 

3)
My name is Student Lastname I start class on Monday with you. My FASFA hasn't come in yet so I am just letting you know I won't have any supplies until I get fanatical aid comes in. Thank you, see you Monday!

4)
Professor Daniels,

Thank you for getting back to me. My daughters knee is on the mend with physical therapy now. I completely forgot about emailing you on your Century email. My apologies.

To add insult to injury (literally) while my daughter was laid up on the couch, she spilled her entire bowl of soup on my lap top while she was playing games and didn't know what to do so she just closed it ad waited for me to get home from work. After it dried out, I learned that it is not going to be working again. I was able to get  new computer today, about an hour ago. The insult part is that I had y reading journals saved on it. I can re type them not a big deal but I wasn't using the "template". I have not had to do anything like this before, so if you wouldn't mind if after class I can chat with you a bit to make sure I am understanding it all. In your previous email it stated to state it to the original journal entry... Are we supposed to be doing two entries, or is that if we write it our first?

I kinda feel like a lost puppy with this right now. haha. Hoping you can help me so I am understanding what all I need to be doing properly.

Thank you,

Student Lastname

Save this

I am cleaning out my email inbox and I found this message from a year ago: I want to save it.

LIT 342 Thank You!
This is Terry Vu.  Thank you for replying. After reading Tim O'Brien " In the Field ", I feel a little bit change in me.  I like the sentence in the story that say "When a man died, there had to be blame". (p 2742) I guess  when I failed the essay, I blame your harsh grading style.  I could blame my work that require manditory 60 hours weekly. I could blame that I have to spend too much time with my son or go to the inlaw every Sunday.  Anyways, I appologize for blamming you.  I know my paper deserve a F, but hoping for a F+ instead of an F-.  That is what I meant, not that I expect to get an C or something like that.  50% is motivating.  30% is killing me slowly. hehe.  Anyway, have a wonderful week.
Terry

Another student email

Community college students have such complicated lives. Here's one story. 


"Sarah" was in my Engl 90 class, a developmental level writing class designed to get students ready for Comp 1. "Sarah" was doing pretty well; she often stayed to herself in class, tucked up at a corner computer near my desk, checking her phone for text messages all the time, writing pretty thoughtful prose.


I wrote an email to her (see the bottom), and she responded today:

Hello Ms. Daniels,

I apologize that it took me so long to respond back to this email. I have been extremely busy lately trying to get myself together. I meant to get in contact with you to tell you my situation but I guess now will be the perfect time. I had to withdraw from all of my classes due to the high level of stress I was dealing with. Not only that but I am far out in [suburb] at a battered womens shelter. After being done with being a victim of domestic violence I had to escape as soon as possible. Although ever since I withdrew from all of my courses I have regretted it so much because I really did want to finish the semester off the right way. But don't think I won't go back to college it's just going to be put on the back burner right now. I still have my dreams of earning my degree in medical field. Well I appreciate the concern and thought I tell you where I'm at in my life right now. I enjoyed taking your course ans you're a wonderful instructor to be around. Also one last thing I was wondering if you would be a reference for The Salvation Army [Housing] Program? I am hoping and praying I get accepted into this program so I can get my life back on track. 

Sincerely, 

"Sarah Student" 

________________________________________
From: julie.daniels@century.edu [julie.daniels@century.edu]
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2012 3:56 PM
To: "Sarah Student"
Subject: Engl 90

Dear "Sarah",

I just noticed that you dropped our course! Why? I hope everything is okay because you were on track to pass the class.

Please let me know how you are.

Sincerely,
Julie

My students

Do university faculty get email messages like this one?


been sick most of the week with migraines and getting sick so i will not be able to make it. i will email my work when our internet is fixed as well , im sending this on my phone , i was going to email you on tuesday but any sort of light made things worse. i will be going into the doctor if this continues . sorry again :(

Community College Students

Would professors at a university get an email like this? Does it mean I'm approachable? Or that I don't have appropriate boundaries?
Julie,

I thought i would tell you in advance that Thursday i had passed out at work and got a concussion from my head hitting concrete floor. I dont remember anything about it unfortunately. I will be coming to class tomorrow and i can bring the papers from the hospital, but im having a hard time re-writing my paper. Ive been having moments of confusion and forgetfulness. Ive been resting up until today and im trying to work on my paper and im trying to write it and im having trouble with it. I wont have my paper done and polished in time. I plan on trying to come to school earlier tomorrow and working on it but i don't think it will be finished and im sorry. I wanted to let you know in advance ive been a little emotional as well. If i cant figure something out i have been crying and getting angry. Its lightened up and i do promise i will do my best to control myself. I just thought its better for you to know what happened and why im not exactly myself before class rather than find out during. I hope it is alright to still come to class tomorrow. I don't want to ruin my attendance. Thank you for your time~

What could this mean?

I'm cleaning out my email inbox (I got a message on Saturday morning, after all day Friday of no email service, that my inbox was over the storage limit, so I couldn't send any emails). 


In the cleanup, I've found this message from October 2008 (no wonder the storage limit was exceeded: 20081). I've copied it just as it was: one huge paragraph with no signature (I still don't know who it's from):


Didn't know if i should post this to D2L or just email you, so i emailed you. I am just writing to say i have had some troubles the past 2 weeks in keeping up in other courses as well as this one. This time of year becomes very difficult for me. My allergies and stress levels are through the roof and cause me migraine headaches on a very regular basis. Increased by stress, eating habits and of course allergies. To what causes, i am not exactly sure. I have been working with my doctor to figure out solutions to this but it takes time. I am doing my best to get this project completed by Monday night, and i believe i can do so. I am fortunate enough to have interviewees at my place of employment who know exactly what i have been going through. I don't know if you have ever had a migraine, but i become pretty much immobile and very ill and cannot even think or open my eyes.! I have been experiencing them on a daily basis sometimes two or three times a day for the past two weeks now. I had to take a short break from classes to lower stress on the eyes and the brain. I can barely open my eyes without vomiting let alone think a rational thought other than death. I know you don't need to hear this. And no i am not going to kill myself. But when these headaches are at their peak, is the only time i have seriously thought of suicide. Finally today was the first day i have not had a serious migraine in over two weeks. RELIEF AT LAST! is in my future. I am going to work as hard as i can to get caught up over the next few days. I just wanted to express to you why my online attendance and discussion has fell in the past few weeks. With regular medication i have begun to see some relief and should be able to maintain this course with as much involvement as i had in the first few weeks. Thank you for reading my ridiculously long ramble. I appreciate it.


Here's another email from the same purging: at least this one's signed!


Hi Julie!

I didn't turn in my movie review essay and I really have no excuse except for I'm trying to get over a pretty good procrastination problem and just didn't have enough of it done to want to turn in. Is there anything I can still do to possibly turn that in or what will this do to my grade in the class? I don't really know where I am as far as progress goes in the class and I still need to have my ICO project approved but I am working on it. What can I or should I do?

Thanks!

-Gregg