----- Original Message -----
From: "Pappas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)"
<[email protected]>
Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2008 6:11 PM
Subject: Re: [tips] Unwanted student attention
Nancy,
I don't know what your next step should be in this situation; I can only
tell you what I would do.
I would email some version of a message like this to the student:
"Jane, thank you for the emails and also for the book. You are kind and
it was great having you in the class last semester. Since I finished
reading the book you gave me (and enjoyed it very much), I have given it
to the college library. The library has a tradition of acknowledging the
donor of a book with a somewhat elegant typed note in the front of the
book. In this case, I asked the head librarian to make the note say that
'the library was honored to receive the donation of this book to its
collection by Ms. Jane Doe, City College Class of 2009.' I really thought
that recognition and appreciation of you was most appropriate since you
took the initiative to purchase the book and give it as a gift to someone
representing the college.
"Also, Jane, I recall that you expressed an interest in pursuing a career
as a nurse. If the day comes when you need a letter of recommendation in
order to reach that goal, I would be glad to write an honest letter saying
that I found you to be a dedicated and successful student who had a
generous spirit. That's the way I see you now. If that's something you
might need, I hope you could give me at least a few weeks' notice before
any deadline for such a letter. Most professors do appreciate having some
time to be able to write an honest and useful letter.
"Beyond that, I must admit that I am finding myself busier and busier with
my current students and my other professional and personal obligations.
If you discover that my replies to emails are less frequent, this is why.
"Best regards,
"Nancy"
Wow! If intellectualization is a defense mechanism,the above is a
quintessential example.The problem here seems to be the instructor not the
student.
Michael Sylvester,PhD
Daytona Beach,Florida
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