AWB,
We have a professor as you described. I failed my very first quiz, not because I wasn't capable, but because I had other priorities over the 2% it was worth. Well, that set off a chain of events with this professor who then called a meeting between the program director, my advisor and herself. Her goal was to get me out of the program. The outcome was positive and that professor got a reality check. I'm a very polite person, and being polite, tactile and honest are not mutually exclusive. She kept asking me "why I have not taken responsibility and why I kept shifting my responsibility on to others". Keep in mind that this was the first quiz. I told her that "it was my fault and that I didn't study enough". She would not listen and kept repeating herself until my advisor took over the conversation. My advisor repeated everything I said to her. That "I accept that it's my fault and I will do whatever extra studying and meetings she tells me to do or schedule," before she finally backed off.
It was very intense and what I would even describe as hostile. She kept jumping at me with "why didn't you see me sooner?!" Note, this was the 3rd week of semester one. I stated "please do not take offense to this Dr. xxx, but you are not an approachable professor. You speak to students very poorly and brush off our questions in class to refer to the text. Other students and I feel that you don't want us to meet with you and that we will just be referred to the text". That stumped her. My advisor pulled me out class later that day to tell me that what I did was very mature and showed that I had a lot of life experience because many students would not and could not have handled it that way. She also told me that "some people just need to hear that". Well, it turns out that this particular professor had actually mistaken me for another student in the class. That is why she had it in for me in the first place. The other student kept dozing off in class and made side comments when she turned her back. We all look alike, I know. How I found out is a story for another time.
In the end, I just finished Clin Ed I, and plan to finish up year II successfully. My advisor, who is my favorite professor and mentor told me "Do not let anyone else's actions make it seem like it's you. Their attitude is only a reflection of themselves".
