Many students insult their professors without even realizing it. Below are the types of statements or things that students say or do which are either offensive, or are downright insulting to their professors. Such statements or actions are as follows:

 (1) “Professor John Doe, are we doing anything important in class today” ? This statement is offensive, because the professor thinks that everything that, he or she does in class is important.

(2) “Professor Jane Doe, I am going to miss your class, so, that I can go and study for Professor Daniel’s test”. This is an insult to a professor, because the student has implied, that professor Daniel’s class is more important than Professor Jane Doe’s class.

(3) When students constantly ask the professor questions, in which the answers are already in the course syllabus, it becomes annoying to the professor. The student should read his or her syllabus, after all, it is the academic contract between the student and the professor.

(4) When students, get up and walk in and out of class during a lecture, read other materials, not pertaining to the course while in class, talking and playing in the back of the lecture hall, and playing with video games, such actions are both offensive and insulting to a professor.

(5) “Professor, I am going on a trip to Hawili for two-weeks, I will pick up on your class where I left off, when I get back”. This student must understand that the professor, does not work around his or her schedule. Such a student expects the professor, to work around his or her schedule, by changing dates for exams and due dates for other classroom materials. 

(6) While an instructor is lecturing over the subject matter, a student may raise his or her hand and ask the instructor, ” is this going to be on the test” ? This is offensive to the instructor, because it implies that the only thing that the student is concerned about, is making a decent grade on the test, but, could care or less about learning the subject being taught. What is also interesting about this, is that if the instructor, were to ask that same student a question, concerning the topic at hand, 95% of the time, the student would not be able to give him or her a response, because the student has not read the material.

(7) It can be  offensive at times, when students go to the website, ” Rate My Professor. com”, and, blast their professors. I am very much aware that some things that students say about their professors are probably true, and, not all of their comments about them are negative. However, it would be nice if professors had a website called, ” Rate My Student. com”, where they too can express their views concerning students.

(8) Students should stop asking professors questions such as, “what course number is this” ?  “Which chapters will the next test cover” ?  “Do you have a pen or pencil that I could borrow” ?  ” Can we get out early today, I have some other thing that I need to do ” ?  Such statements, makes students seem as if they are stupid or dumb, even though they may not be.

 The above are a few examples, of insulting or offensive actions or statements, that students say or do to their professors. If one happens to be a professor, who teaches at a university, then, one may not experience, these type of students on a large scale. But, community or junior college professors experience, such student behaviors on a regular basis.

 The Bowtie Professor Speaks!

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