OCTOBER 10, 1980
Student Tells Correct Procedure For Maneuvering Faculty, Staff
It occurred to me the other day that very few students know how to successfully argue with a teacher.
Before you even begin to argue you must learn the tricks of the trade.
First, contrary to popular belief teachers are human.
Now that the preliminaries are out of the way I shall begin.
It is common knowledge that teachers, like everyone else, have egos. Unfortunately some of them are as big as the Goodyear blimp. To get around this
You can tell right away if you stand a chance by what the teacher says. If it is something to the effect that they are too overworked to give the extra time required to explain a point, then forget it.
After you have spoken, you must listen. The object of the argument was to clarify a point and to learn. Remember, treat your teacher with respect and most will treat you the same way.
I hope this article was helpful in keeping some of us out of the deans' office. Or at least now you'll know why you're in there.