You are Not Going to Get Anywhere by Threatening Me

有些美國小孩唸書不好好念，要分數時倒非常理直氣壯，我最討厭這種愛鬼叫的小孩。有時候因為很忙懶得聽他們 whining 就隨便塞個一兩分給他們，但我這種態度恐怕會姑息養奸，讓會叫的小孩有糖吃。最近到了期末，鬼叫的小孩又開始冒出來，恰逢學期結束我閒來沒事，遇上這個態度不佳沒大沒小的小孩，就決定來好好整治一下。


事情發生經過是這樣的。

[時間點一] Exam2 考完當天：學生T女馬上發了一封信給我，說想跟我討論她的 Exam1，覺得有的部分她不知道為何被扣分。我當時覺得很煩，還不想改 Exam2，又加上一堆人寄信來說要試算他們的總成績，Exam1 早就八百年的事，現在有什麼好討論，所以就想說之後再回。

[時間點二] 過了一星期，學期結束這週，我終於改完考卷，就順便回了這一堆的人信，大部分人的信都只是問成績，就回個數字，T女我看她這次考很好，就跟她講一下這次的成積，想說也許就不會再吵了。

[時間點三] 沒想到過了兩天，她又寄信來，說她之前要求要討論，但我一直沒有回覆那個部分。信裡說她目前已離開學校，但過幾天會回來，希望可以再我送出成績前可以討論。我覺得她很難纏（之前就三不五時蹺課，態度也不佳），所以想說過幾天再回，反正她應該還沒回來。

[時間點四] 結果我一拖就忘了，今天她又寄了一封，說我之前都沒回她，卻把成績交出去了。我想說這次不回不行了，把她前一封調出來仔細看了一下，她的信主要 argue 兩點，第一點是說她期中常生病，所以第一次沒考好，她覺得她第二次考試還有小考都考很好，可以證明她第一次的成績不足以證明她的實力，希望可以調整比重之類的。
（我是有點半信半疑，之前看她都好好的，每次上課我在台上講她在下面跟人有說有笑。）

第二點說她拿她第一次考試跟她在其他助教班的朋友比（其他班也是同一個教授同樣的考卷，只有改考卷的人不同），說她很多地方都被扣分，但她朋友都沒有 ............. 這一點把我惹毛了，她之前小考時也來跟我argue 過這點，氣人的是他們常常也搞不懂自己為何錯，只是純粹愛要分。那時我還只是委婉以對，不想撕破臉。其實這也不是第一次遇過這種 case，只不過她的信剛好是壓垮駱駝的最後一根稻草。

於是我就非常認真地回了她一封信。


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Hi xxx,
I had to submit the grade before Monday morning according to the school policy but the grade can still be changed if there is any mistake. I will keep your exams for another quarter in case there will be anything you want to discuss.

Regarding the formula of calculating your grades, there is very limited I can do. I can only follow Prof. H's grading policy. You might need to talk to H to make your case. But I don't think you will get a good chance.

About my grading of your first exam, I think you should have discussed it with me right after the first exam. Two points I would like to respond. First, when grading each question, I looked at whether the key points were presented and also the quality of explanations based on H's grading guide. When you wonder why you lost certain points in each question, you should compare your answer with the answer key but not your friend's. Your answers might be just a little bit different from your friend's but that little difference made your answer wrong. Second, every TA followed same grading guide but it's impossible to get every TA to grade exactly the same. You might feel some of your answers were graded more toughly. However you might also get some answers graded more easily but you never know because you didn't mind it so you never checked.

Anyway, if you think your answers are worth more, you are welcome to talk to me. I will be around the campus next week.

Yu-i
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原本有點猶豫會不會太兇，後來想了想，只是公事公辦，以前對他們太好以為我好欺負，哼。Sophie 說得沒錯，對他們兇一點才能有效制止 whining XD


寫完信之後突然想起有一集TWW，一個偏激基督教保守派份子 Mary Marsh 跑到白宮威脅副幕僚長 Josh 和 副新聞部主任 Sam ，要求提供避難所給因為在大陸被迫害而偷渡來美國的基督徒，Mary 藉著她所在教會（？）背後廣大的保守派選民，在那邊大小聲語帶威脅外加挑釁時，Josh 對她說了下面這句話 "Mary, I swear to God, you are not going to get anywhere in this building by threatening me."