Thread: Blind Tradition

For example, in one of my classes just had a test got it back 58. Teacher's red ink at the top of my exam "not how they're computed". I go up to him after class, and show him that what he's been teaching in class is not only equivalent to what i did but also that my method is faster, makes intuitive sense, and a lot less work.


He retorts with an "oh". His response is that his method, is how hes always done it and how hes always taught it. Finally he gives me my points back. So blinded by tradition, he lost sight of what the formulas that he was using, were actually doing. Sad...

hah bunni never make the teacher look dumber then the student even if its true

Originally Posted by moving-target

hah bunni never make the teacher look dumber then the student even if its true

Haha, Im not that much of an asshole. I strictly avoid stepping on teachers toes. In this case I just did the problems on the test from a different approch and arrived at the same answer. He marked me down to a 58 for not doing the problems with his approach. I can understand being strict on 101 courses, but this is a graduate, end-of-the-road (highest on the particular math branch) class and grading should be based on understanding what you are doing (graduate level), not how you did it (undergrad courses do for a very good reason).


Take physics 101 (intros most physics topics, ex intro to projectiles, energy, thermo, optics, electricity, maybe nuclear), for example, they force feed a lot of formulas down your throat, and tell you to hardcore memorize them and say origin and derivation of those formulas doesnt matter (at that level). They may explain and derive a few, but the large majority is derived and origin explained, much much later on in the physics branch, when taking topic specific classes that focus on going in depth.

At physics 1101, i can understand being strict on approach, because they want you to learn a problem-solving-approach or a particular methodology to the problem, but at 8011, approach is long gone and its the answer and understanding how you got to it, that matters.

Fuck coming up with different approches which are faster and more efficent is usually encouraged (as it should be). But marking down for understanding the topic more thoroughly, especially since the topic is my major...

ok also could one 58 even put the slightest dent in your gpa ?

Right its that and that its such to the point that the teacher seems to even have forgotten why the rule was in place. We stand by tradition to such an extent that we often forget why it was implemented in the first place. For example, not stopping 100% at a stop sign, when you are the ONLY one remotely around (execept for a cop hiding somewhere), its 3am, no one coming in any direction, and you have full line of sight in every direction for at least a quarter mile. So you low, yield, double check, and continue on, but still get a ticket.


See stop signs, traffic lights, yield signs, etc: are implemented to harmonize traffic coming from multiple conflicting directions. When there is no traffic, the need for the stop sign/traffic light becomes moot. But we stand by tradition that you must stop at a stop sign, or a traffic light and have forgotten why they are there in the first place.


Everything that stands today is the result of embraced tradition, everything, sad.