Q: Will X, Y, or Z be on the exam?
A: I don’t know, maybe? In theory I can ask you questions on anything that I mention however tangentially on the course… and whilst X and Y were DEFINITELY mentioned Z is a bit tangential… though by the sheer act of asking I guess it is now mentioned tangentially on the course! Congratulations! You’ve just increased the examinable material.
Q: But I don’t have to read the textbook right?
A: You mean the required/recommended reading? But if it wasn’t examinable why would I have bothered reading it all to recommend it to you? Honestly I thought this was covered by the required bit but there we go…
Q: Can I have a mock exam?
A: You mean like all the exercise sheets you’ve had all term?
Q: …No like another one… I haven’t done those questions yet…
A: No. Actually I’ll go further than that. How long do you think it takes to write an exam? And do the marksheet? And typeset it all? Its about a week, all in all. So you want me to spend a week writing all that… and then give you a mock… and then presumably you want me to mark it and give feedback? Thats what 200 students, 2 hour exam, so about 12 mins per exam I’m meant to spend marking… so 40 hours marking… about six days work if I do nothing else, but actually teaching is only 40% of my job officially so more like 14 days… and thats not factoring time spent considering innovative ways of topping myself whilst I do this… oh and by the way I also need to do all my other teaching that needs doing despite this sudden bonus work you’d like. Yeah. No.
Q: But we haven’t had a chance to ask questions!
A: Yes you have. Weekly Q&A sessions. 2h labs each week. You just didn’t turn up.
Q: Well I was busy.
A: So am I.