Homework Forum

[sparkz_alot]

instructors/professors should give encouragement to a student that does that, not an F

Instructors tend to teach to the median of the class, providing more attention on those below and less on those above. I wouldn't think they would punish those in any of the three groups for trying to do better. I do think, however, that they would do so if the student(s) were given a clear set of instructions for a particular problem and the student failed to follow those instructions. How else is the instructor to gauge the overall progress of the class? It is up to the student to follow the instructions, if they feel there is a better way, then they can submit that answer as well.

I don't feel it is the purpose of this forum to disparage or subvert how a particular instructor chooses to teach, nor to teach advanced topics to a student that clearly doesn't even understand the basics (a situation, I'm sure, we've all seen in all forums, not just Homework).  It is why we say, ad nauseam, "Show us what you've tried". To my way of thinking, it's our way of determining what level of expertise a person is at so we can provide the most appropriate answer.

Many of you have the knowledge and tools at your disposal that boggles my mind at times and I've learned a lot being a member of this community. Perhaps, though, it might be prudent to remember not everyone is at your level of expertise.

I suppose in the end, we will each continue to respond in our own fashion, but one of the things I like about this forum is the opportunity to voice an opinion.