Is it okay to question a teacher?

[doctorbetty]

A portion of my physiology teacher's lecture (on neurons) contradicted the textbook. She told us that depolarizations prior to threshold are 'urged on' by positive feedback.... but my textbook said that graded potentials (which are the depolarizations prior to threshold) do not include the positive feedback cycle...

Is it okay/appropriate to question her about it? Or will she feel threatened? I think it is okay as long as I state that I am simply confused about the matter & need clarification.....

.... I really want to know everything there is to know about physiology and really want to ask the question but don't want her to think I do not trust her, etc.

Just looking for some intelligible advice out there

[DragonX]

Most professors won't mind you asking them questions. Obviously, don't word it like, "You're wrong!". Maybe something like, "I was reading the textbook and I was a little confused about this part. Could you tell me if my reasoning is right? (and then explain the stuff you said above)". I've asked many of my professors many things before and usually they are happy to answer my questions, regardless of whether it was my thinking, the textbook or him/herself that was wrong. Just select a good time to ask them. (ie. in their office hours or after the class if they're not busy)

If your professor doesn't seem receptive to questions, then there are always friends, TAs, university services, etc.

I don't think it would hurt too much even if the professor gets annoyed. They probably won't remember you as the person who asked the question, especially if it's a large class. If you think it's a question worth asking, I would ask it :).

[muse87]

just ask her, she's writing the exam, if you ask nicely and she's offended too bad for her

[doctorbetty]

Thanks for the advice...
Instead of questioning her in front of other students, I decided to send her an email (since I can't make her office hours). & I worded my question as "I am confused about ______." And then explained why I was confused + asked her if I was missing something..... so it was definitely not accusatory.....

Hopefully, she is okay with it...
I can't always stop myself from asking a question and I want to know her interpretation of it (since she writes the tests)....

[DragonX]

No problem! Hope you get a good answer :)

[Karma]

I think it's more than ok, it shows that you're actually listening to what she's saying and profs love that!

[thatonekid]

Thanks for the advice...
Instead of questioning her in front of other students, I decided to send her an email (since I can't make her office hours). & I worded my question as "I am confused about ______." And then explained why I was confused + asked her if I was missing something..... so it was definitely not accusatory.....

Hopefully, she is okay with it...
I can't always stop myself from asking a question and I want to know her interpretation of it (since she writes the tests)....Sounds good.

And in general, it's fine to question something a prof has taught in class. They're paid to make sure students learn stuff. You might as well learn the right stuff.

[Erk]

I'd argue it's not okay not to question a professor. If she isn't happy for the feedback she's a fool. That said, the advice above is all good.

I once got a +1% in a course for pointing out a professor's mistake. That was with a prof who was incredibly miserly with marks, too (once had a class with him where nobody scored higher than a C+, even a girl who rewrote an entire erroneous section of the lab manual)

[blind_synergy]

I entered this thread having read the title as, "Is it okay to bone your teacher?"

I'm disappointed. This thread could have been so much more.

[muse87]

i know someone who dated their prof, and i'm presuming they had sex, why not? if you like them it's a good way to get an a ;)

I entered this thread having read the title as, "Is it okay to bone your teacher?"

I'm disappointed. This thread could have been so much more.

[blind_synergy]

i know someone who dated their prof, and i'm presuming they had sex, why not? if you like them it's a good way to get an a ;)

I wonder if anatomy profs or urologists are insane in the sack... I'd think so.

What'd the prof teach? And was it a male-prof female-student relationship, or the other way around? I'm doing research for a porno script I'm working on so this is strictly professional curiosity.

[muse87]

lol, you crack me up! it was a 23 year old girl and a 40ish year old english prof (so stereotypical, those english professors!)

most anatomy profs i meet are kind of nerdy, so i don't think so, a urologist seems like he'd have the goods though, but hey, i don't know any urologists so i'm going of intuition here...

I wonder if anatomy profs or urologists are insane in the sack... I'd think so.

What'd the prof teach? And was it a male-prof female-student relationship, or the other way around? I'm doing research for a porno script I'm working on so this is strictly professional curiosity.

[hking03]

lol, you crack me up! it was a 23 year old girl and a 40ish year old english prof (so stereotypical, those english professors!)

most anatomy profs i meet are kind of nerdy, so i don't think so, a urologist seems like he'd have the goods though, but hey, i don't know any urologists so i'm going of intuition here...

does a urologist have to be a guy?

[muse87]

i knew i would get heat for that, lol, but after watching a women (who were pissed off at the men) in surgery talk last year i've concluded that most are... i'm sure there's the occasional chick in uro though

does a urologist have to be a guy?

[MarathonRunner]

i know someone who dated their prof, and i'm presuming they had sex, why not? if you like them it's a good way to get an a ;)

:eek:

During my undergrad, I had a TA ask me out once, but he waited until the class was finished for the semester and the final marks were in, so there would be no conflict of interest.