2009 Omlet cube and run for sale

[sadietoo]

I am just wondering what your experiences have been . DD and DS are both at Uni. DD is in her final year now having had a year out abroad. In her first year she was set up with a smallish tutor group at the outset that met once every couple of weeks or so. I think there were 8 of them. Her personal tutor has been outstanding throughout, helpful and supportive and everything you would want for your transition to uni in the first year, He was very constructive when she was having a wobble last year, and has generally been worth his weight in gold. DS is in his first year at a different university. He has met a tutor once who was quite dismissive. He is not allocated to a Tutor Group that meets regularly to discuss work etc and has to email his tutor if he wants to see him. He was allocated a new Tutor this term (because of a department reorganisation) and as far as I can tell the new tutor has not bothered to contact any of his students to introduce himself or try to get to know them at all . DS is having some issues with his course and after much pushing by me is emailing this guy to arrange a meeting, but I am concerned it is already too late. How exactly do you discuss your worries with a complete stranger on your first meeting? I am very angry at the way the Uni has arranged this which in comparison to our experience with DD is poor in the extreme. I'm resisting e-mailing the Uni myself at the moment to complain. Has anyone had any similar experience, am I just being an overly sensitive Mum, or do the Uni need taking to task?

 

T

[Daphne]

Take them to task, your DS has an issue and it needs to be sorted out, its as simple as that and not unusual. Its not too late at all. Your DS needs to get on the case and stay on the case, and, if necessary go to the person above the tutor, either somebody in what used to be called welfare in my day, (but I'm not sure about now ), or more senior on the teaching side in the faculty. Universities have a duty of care to their students but it is possible for people to fall through the cracks as Universities are made up of individuals and unfortunately they can be highly variable

[TAJ]

Find out the Uni process - it may be there is more than one person in the system. I am a University lecturer and look after a group of undergraduate and postgraduate students. We only meet weekly as a group weekly during the 1st year, but then have regular 1-2-1 sessions throughout the course and they can always sign up outside my office door or email me inbetween these tutorials.

 

Here a student could also go to our student helpzone (open 9-5 5 days a week on each campus), see the numerous student support services, counselling, finance, etc, plus the students union has a finance and welfare office. We also have a student charter, so an appointment has to happen within 5 days of request to an academic member of staff.

 

I would suggest if you cannot get hold of this one guy then seeing who else is available - a favourite subject tutor, course leader, head of department or the student union.

 

Tracy

[Mum]

I had a meeting with my personal tutor (which he instigated) in the first semester of Stage 1. Quick 10 minutes. Unfortunately, life through a curve ball towards the end of that year and I contacted him to explain my issues. He was brilliant but limited.

 

I'm now in my final year - unfortunately, my PT left and I was without anyone for a few weeks then allocated someone who is also a seminar tutor on one of my modules. No she did not introduce herself or email us for an interview/get to know you chat. There have been some difficult issues this year (including health related ones); however I have been in regular contact with the Student Support Officer for my faculty since my PT put me in touch with them from Stage 1.

 

To be fair, your dd's experience does appear to be the exception rather than the norm (not just my experience but that of my peers too). Your son's experience does seem to be more the norm.

 

Now, bear with me on this: you say your ds is having issues with his course, but you are the one pushing him to speak to his PT? I do understand what you are saying about speaking to a complete stranger on the first meeting, but, if you think about life, us grown-ups have to do that all through life.

 

Part of the Uni experience is for the youngsters to realise that they are now independent adults and it is for your ds to sort this out in an adult way (eg his PT is not a mind reader and cannot know of your son's issues unless and until your son brings them to his/her attention). This is all part of the learning curve from being at home as a child and accountable to "Mum" and being a young, independent adult accountable to themselves for the choices they make (and, of course, any mistakes).

 

Now, it seems that you have persuaded your son to contact his PT. You cannot take anyone to task for your son's lack of asserting himself in addressing his issues with is PT; however, depending on the outcome of his meeting with his PT you may, or may not, find something to take them to task for - but that isn't obvious (to me) yet.

 

Do resist sending that email at this stage. You have to trust that your son will take your advice - but he's an adult now and you can't fight his battles for him, he needs to learn to do that himself and you have to trust that you have given him the lifeskills he needs to be able to do just that! You've had 18yrs to train him

 

Should he approach his PT and not be given adequate advice/support, then *maybe* there could be a "duty of care" issue, but I don't believe you are at that stage yet. He'll only fall through any "cracks" if he doesn't investigate who to see, for which issues and make appropriate appointments and then, not shy away from talking to a "stranger" (these are not "strangers", these are professionals with lots of experience of student issues; or at the very least, able to point him in the right direction!)

 

Deep breaths I know you must be worrying but that won't help your son.

 

I do hope the meeting works out positively and productively!

[TAJ]

As students are over 18 they are adults - as a University we are simply not allowed to involve a parent - or even tell a parent if their son/daughter is attending (or that we have told them to leave and they stay working in the area, not telling their parents they haven't been at Uni for 2 years!)

 

It does have to be your son's contact with the tutor.

 

I hope he gets it sorted.

 

Tracy

[sadietoo]

Thank you all for your responses.

 

Tracy my daughter's university set up seems to be similar to the one that you describe with weekly meetings in the first year so that she could both get to know some of her fellow students better, get feedback from her peers on how the course is going, good things/bad things about the course, realise that she was not alone in having problems with some aspects of the course etc. Most importantly her Tutor was the human face of a large institution which is so important in that first year, when you are away from home for the first time and all that other stuff. My son has none of this. The smallest group he ever gets to sit in on is a problem session where 30 plus students work through problems set by the tutor with the "assistance" of two post grad students (who are not very approachable).

 

Mum, my son is a very independent soul who took himself around Europe last summer without any parental input at all. He is extremely mature for his 18 years, but he is only 18 , and consequently has only recently told me how unhappy he is with his course. He is completely dispirited, which is such a shame because he was so looking forward to starting the course. He has delayed in contacting the "new" tutor because he met with a very unhelpful response from the first tutor when he expressed worries about one of the modules (along the lines his A levels being really the minimum acceptible for the course so what did he expect? I've checked the prospectus they are still asking for the same grades ) He is conscientious with his work and it turns out he has been spending hours flogging away at this "rogue" module and I'm sure he doesn't want to lose face. In his time at this Uni (I'm guessing about 12 weeks now?) he has had no less than 4 different lecturers in his major subject. One of the lecturers is universally accepted as being pretty rubbish by all the first year students. Obviously the uni is in a bit of a state with this course, however

my general impression is that they really don't care if their students are sinking or swimming. There have been quite a lot of drop outs already...I'm just crossing my fingers now that ds isn't another one.

 

Take them to task, your DS has an issue and it needs to be sorted out, its as simple as that and not unusual. Its not too late at all. Your DS needs to get on the case and stay on the case, and, if necessary go to the person above the tutor, either somebody in what used to be called welfare in my day, (but I'm not sure about now ), or more senior on the teaching side in the faculty. Universities have a duty of care to their students but it is possible for people to fall through the cracks as Universities are made up of individuals and unfortunately they can be highly variable

 

Very well put Daphne. I am just hoping it isn't too late already.

[alet_chicken]

Hi Sadietoo, here are one or two bits of advice from my experience as a University lecturer and personal tutor on how to get the most out of the system. Hope it's helpful.

 

It seems to me your DS has some concerns about his own studies, and also about the teaching on a specific module. For the first issue, he needs to speak to his personal tutor as soon as possible. The personal tutor may not be able to offer too much beyond academic advice, but should be able to advise your DS on support services available at University.

 

For the issues with the module, you DS might want to approach the module leader (if approachable), or the departmental course steering committee/Board of Studies/Teaching Committee/similar. There may well be elected student representatives from his course who sit on such committees.

 

The point is that the University needs to know that he is having difficulties, and needs to be given a chance to address any issues with the course. Even with small group meetings like your DD had (which is a good system, but not universal) it is impossible for personal tutors to become aware of issues unless students tell them.

 

It might not necessarily be productive for you to contact the University at this stage (but you should monitor the situation). Staff may well not be allowed to deal with you directly without permission from your DS (this is a standard policy to protect students' privacy).

[sadietoo]

Thank you a_let for your reply.

I will pass the information on to my DS.

It is academic advice that my DS is after. The problem seems to be that whilst he met his offer, some of the other students have done far more in the way of Maths than him, and he is getting left behind.(it isn't a Maths degree just has some Maths modules in it as a separate issue the Lecturer is not helping because he doesn't really explain anything he is doing so (apparently) he has lost a lot of his group ten minutes into the lecture. I agree that DS has left it too long before speaking up and I am hoping the Tutor will be able to give him/point him to the help he needs to get back on track. I have calmed down a little today but I remain disappointed that the University (a "proper" Redbrick. with, one would have thought, years of experience ) does not have the same set up for Tutor groups as others. I take your point that no Personal Tutor can help a student who hasn't let them know he is in trouble, but I feel that there would be more opportunity for a better relationship with the student if there is regular contact at the outset, and that they would be more likely to air their concerns in a smaller group (my son went to a huge comprehensive school so it's not that he has been spoon fed his education previously, but he has still found this all very daunting). I'm wondering at what point he would have got called in to be told that he was failing if no one is apparently keeping track of these students?

 

I also realise I must be coming over as a horrid pushy mother, I don't think I'm one of those (well I hope not anyway) but it 's very hard to stand by and watch your bright boy losing his confidence and his direction and not want to help!

 

Fingers crossed for a good outcome. Thanks for taking the time to read.x

[Mum]

sadietoo - now you have explained about the Maths element perhaps you can ask your son if they have a Student Learning Advice Office (or somesuch name). They offer opportunities for students who are struggling with Math elements (or English) - at least our University does. They offer advice/leaflets/short sessions on pretty much every aspect of the learning side of things at Uni. Hopefully, his PT will be able to tell him where it is.

 

You're not coming across as a "pushy" mother; you come across as a very concerned mother who is feeling frustrated and wants to help; at this point, it is your son who has to help himself.

 

Uni isn't like school in the sense that if he is turning up for seminars (which really is his opportunity to speak up and ask for clarity!) no one is going to be looking over his shoulder. If he starts missing seminars (which I really wouldn't recommend) then yes, after a certain number of misses, he may get called in for a chat with his PT.

 

I hope he manages to sort it out positively.

[LolaLayla]

Sadietoo - You are just a concerned mum who wants her son to succeed and I can really understand how you must feel. My ES went to university and sometimes I felt the right hand didn't know what the left was doing. At one stage because of him studying two major subjects it was impossible for him to attend all lectures This was discussed with staff and basically he was told to try to miss the lectures in the subject he felt more capable in. They were aware that this could happen but could not solve it. He commented that some of the course materials were whizzed over, although he was fortunate that he had previously studied the subject. He did help some of the others who were struggling so I wonder if someone your son knows who is studying maths could maybe help him revise or advise as to useful study materials. My ES was at a "redbrick" university and I do wonder if they are less concerned about student welfare. DD is presently at University and there seems to be more support. It is not so prestigious but on an open day visit there with YS I was impressed by the emphasis on student welfare and infact the course lecturer said if he decided to study there he would be on YS's "case" if work was not handed in. He also said he knew everyone in the year which I found reassuring. As YS is different from ES I think this university may suit his needs better.

I think you have had some great advice from folks who 'know the system' and hope it will help you and him

[sadietoo]

LolaLayla, what a thing for your son to have to put up with? I wonder if you are right about Redbricks being a bit shall we say "conceited"...although to be fair my Daughter is at a reasonably prestigious uni and has had better treatment....

 

Thanks for posting. DS hasn't seen a tutor yet so just waiting to know more at the moment....fingers crossed still...

[LolaLayla]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for him too ES was understandably concerned about being unable to attend some of the lectures but passed the module so it was ok in the end. The uni does not provide the course anymore. I think logistically it was too difficult to timetable as I am sure he was not the only one with clashing subjects. Hopefully your son will be able to get things sorted, at least he is talking to you about his worries and not bottling them up.

[Lewis]

There are about 20 of us on my course and we all have the same personal tutor, we all met as a tutor group/course once or twice at the start of first year but nothing since then or this year - bit different as we're together for most lectures so see each other every day.

 

The tutor taught a couple of modules so we saw him then and could ask for help, had a couple of meetings to get feedback on work but apart from that its mainly been down to us if we need help. He's good and always emails back quickly and has time for us if we knock his office door.

 

4 of us went lambing last year so were working nights for 6 weeks, finishing at half 7 (am) and starting lectures at 9 - he knew we were doing it and commented that it was only us 4 that were always there, half of the others who'd been asleep all night always missed the 9am lecures?!

 

We also have Dissertation Supervisors who we had to approach and ask them to be our supervisors after a meeting with them. I met mine for 10 mins today to get a bit of work back and the same thing happens there - we only really go to them if we need help and just have a couple of planned meetings throughout the year.

[sadietoo]

Just to update...DS had his meeting with his new PT last week. He found him friendly, and unlike the first tutor reassured him that with his A level maths grade (B (solid B nearer to an A than a C)) he should be able to cope with the maths on the course, and that his results to date (in other modules) shouldn't be worrying him. He agreed that the tutor for one of the maths topics probably isn't very good and added that he also found him boring! He encouraged DS to stick it out a bit longer as he feels he will be able to make the step up and also there is less maths next year and it is applied, so more relevant, which DS agrees he will probably find better. However, he didn't offer any extra advice about getting some help now with the Maths which is worrying him so much. (But there is a maths support service on Campus so although he's convinced himself it isn't meant for students who already have an A level DS is going to go along to that after much badgering from me!) Fingers still crossed!

[LolaLayla]

That sounds a bit more positive I think the maths support group is a good idea. It may help boost his confidence. Has he made friends with anyone on his course that he could revise with?

[Mum]

So glad he saw his tutor and managed to talk about his issues; even more delighted he has been offered the Maths group! Glad you've badgered him into going.