My student is dead (serious)

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My leading professor informed me that a sudent in my TA section passed away in a car accident last night. How do I break this to the other students?

― Jena (JenaP), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:26 (nineteen years ago)

Make an announcement at the beginning of class.

― Young Fresh Danny D (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

"Hands up who didn't get killed last night."

― Dedicated to Jaggers Who Do Drive-Bys (noodle vague), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

knock knock
who's there
jimmy's dead.

― otto midnight (otto midnight), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

i would make the announcement and then perhaps just let the class go for the day?

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

yeah i think gear is right.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:29 (nineteen years ago)

but maybe the word is out already? it's touchy though, especially if anyone in the class was close with this person and doesn't know about it yet.

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:30 (nineteen years ago)

Make class optional, hold a review session, Q+A previously covered material if there is any. Otherwise what Gear said.

― TOMBOT (TOMBOT), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

Start of class, moment of silence maybe?

― Roz (Roz), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

at least that's what my teacher did when one of the other teachers passed away.

― Roz (Roz), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:33 (nineteen years ago)

Denial

― a regal trolley (aaron a), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:33 (nineteen years ago)

ask your professor? (if he/she is making an announcement in class if yr meeting before the section? if it's at your/the class' discretion? if one of the recommendations above is appropriate?)

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:34 (nineteen years ago)

Don't make the announcement. Is that part of your job? No!

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:36 (nineteen years ago)

yeah that's the professor's job

― a name means a lot just by itself (lfam), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

he gets paid to do hard things

― a name means a lot just by itself (lfam), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

if this is a discussion section/lab meeting outside of the lecture then the professor probably wouldn't have the chance.

― Sam: Screwed and Chopped (Molly Jones), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

it might be more personal coming from jena, but then again i don't know the dynamics of the class

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

uri, ifam, i don't think Jena's is getting forced to do this - he's asking advice on how best to do it, ffs.

― jed_ (jed), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

uri, ifam, i don't think Jena's is getting forced to do this - he's asking advice on how best to do it, ffs.

Oh, in that case, try this:

"Remember that guy... what's his name... sits right here, drives a car...? Yes, well he's dead. Right. Now, where were we...? What's that? Car accident, I'm afraid. That's all I know. Oh, all of you who said his name were obviously his friends, so you can skip today if you want. My condolences The rest of you, don't even think about leaving to go drink beer and watch cartoons. It's not right to celebrate when a man dies. That would be the epitome of 'no class,' wouldn't it? I mean, the guy's brains are all over the highway and everything and here you are, 'yippee, no class!' Doesn't sound about right, does it?"

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 18:54 (nineteen years ago)

It's almost certain that the students have already heard the news. Word gets around fast with something like this. His closest friends won't even be at the tutorial. Everyone else will be talking about it informally before the tutorial class. Join in the discussion and assess everyone's mood as to whether or not the tutorial should be held. Don't feel that there needs to be some kind of formal announcement.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 19:01 (nineteen years ago)

"I'm sure you're all dying to know if the rumours are true...yep, no class!"

― EsteBAN LOUIS JAGGER (ESTEBAN BUTTEZ~!!!), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

My student is dead serious:

http://www.oceansbridge.com/paintings/artists/s/scorel_jan_van/thumb-oil/the_schoolboy_1531_XX_museum_boymans_van_beuningen_rotterdam_netherlands.JPG

― Sadly, he will be the next Alexis Petridish. (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 19:46 (nineteen years ago)

I am sorry that I laughed at Ipissimus' post.

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 19:51 (nineteen years ago)

Have an earnest and frank discussion about the ethics of giving the dead guy's roommate straight A's for the rest of the semester.

― mr. brojangles (sanskrit), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 19:57 (nineteen years ago)

xpost I was much prouder of the puns I unleashed on the "weird med student gives hand to stripper" thread last week, but sadly the whole thread was removed for reasons unknown.

― IPSISSIMUS (Uri Frendimein), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 19:59 (nineteen years ago)

ban nude spock

― mr. brojangles (sanskrit), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)

I also initially read the thread title as a joke - "my student is dead - DEAD SERIOUS! about getting an A..."

I'm sorry, I'll move along now.

― Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

one of my school's students was shot and killed last night.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 20:05 (nineteen years ago)

way to bring everyone down

― a|ex (Pareene), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

I'm such a joykill.

The weird part was that he moved from San Francisco to Oakland to avoid getting mugged. TO OAKLAND.

― polyphonic (polyphonic), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 20:16 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I kind of have to do it, since they had a test today, and the professor session isn't until Thursday. I'll probably make a short anouncement, then move along.

― Jena (JenaP), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 20:18 (nineteen years ago)

that seems a little weird, though...how many will be down for a test after hearing the news, assuming some might not have heard it?

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 20:19 (nineteen years ago)

lotta assholes on ilx (serious)

― geoff (gcannon), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 20:46 (nineteen years ago)

otm

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 20:59 (nineteen years ago)

Damn, what a horrid position to be in. You have my sympathy. You'll probably find it easier than you think.

― chap who would dare to contain two ingredients. Tea and bags. (chap), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 21:43 (nineteen years ago)

Just be yourself. I think announcing it at the beginning of the session is the professional thing to do. You can't assume that students know already - it's not as if everyone in the same section is best friends with everyone else. But they might have been casual friends or acquaintances with the deceased, and they would surely notice if one of the participants was missing.

― Slumming it on ilx (section241), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 21:55 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, be as direct as possible with a minimum of build up.

― chap who would dare to contain two ingredients. Tea and bags. (chap), Tuesday, 26 September 2006 21:56 (nineteen years ago)

It does seem a bit unfair to continue with a test though, is there no chance it can be forgone a few days?

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 00:23 (nineteen years ago)

No, we had the test today already. Sorry if that was unclear upthread. I just have to keep on teaching tomorrow. I doubt I'll be doing the minute of silence, or let them out early. Also, this is at a big state school, so there was no email.

― Jena (JenaP), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 00:38 (nineteen years ago)

lotta assholes on ilx (serious)

-- geoff (gffcnn...), Yesterday 9:46 PM. (later) (link)

otm

-- The Vintner's Lipogram (omhalc...), Yesterday 9:59 PM. (later) (link)

― 100% CHAMPS with a Yes! Attitude. (Austin, Still), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 02:46 (nineteen years ago)

student in a coffin, i know, i know, it's serious

― Lotta B. Assholes (pompous), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 03:20 (nineteen years ago)

LOL

― a name means a lot just by itself (lfam), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 04:20 (nineteen years ago)

I'd excelsior that but if I do I think I'll be going to Special Hell.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 04:36 (nineteen years ago)

with the retards, you mean?

― gbx (skowly), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 04:38 (nineteen years ago)

i remember in my senior year of high school this girl in a few of my classes died and the teachers never said anything about it, not a word. i only found out a when a girl sitting at my table during lunch period was crying about it.

they did put a memorial page in the yearbook for her of course. but during the school year, no one said anything. it was just an another empty seat, like she never existed. i remember that making me feel odd.

― how much, latebloomer? (latebloomer), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 05:05 (nineteen years ago)

That does seem really weird LB! I'd prefer a person to be remembered and spoken of nicely at least, if they suddenly died.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 05:16 (nineteen years ago)

lotta assholes in the world (serious).

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 10:51 (nineteen years ago)

:-( I misread the title, thinking (and hoping) it was a joke. What a shame when someone young dies in a car crash (and due to other causes of course).

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Wednesday, 27 September 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

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