<p>I teach in a liberal arts university that offers computer science degrees. One upper division class that I teach in our College of Arts and Sciences frequently has students from our computer science, construction management, and health sciences majors enrolled. It is very common for these students to complain that grammar and basic writing mechanics are 10 to 20% of the score for many assignments. I am cautious to ensure that no assignment will score below average based on writing mechanics alone – the class is not an English or writing class after all. However, it is an upper division class in an academic setting. We are not a technical school. We award academic degrees - Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, etc. and there are basic fundamental skills that are inherent to the integrity of the degree. The ability to communicate in writing is one such skill. I learned early on that it is important for me to “sell” the value of these assignments and the rubric to these students before hand. When I do so, there is little or no grumbling. </p>
<p>You have admitted you did not do your best work in this class because you were uninterested and unmotivated. Maybe you weren’t sold on the importance of this course or the assignments. Or perhaps it was simply because you did not connect with this professor. I know a young man who was once adamant in his belief that mediocre instructors should not be rewarded by his hard work and grades of A. In classes where he felt teachers were undeserving, he did not apply himself and therefore earned grades of C. It sounds like you are very much like him. From your description of the confrontation with the instructor, it sounds as if the professor went on the defensive as much as you did. You should not let this continue to eat at you. If nothing else, simply recognize from this experience that your output is the mechanism by which many will judge you. This is the nature of society. If you want to be judged differently, adjust your output. </p>
<p>If it will make you feel better I suggest writing to the instructor and telling her how her knee jerk response and assumptions continue to haunt you. Let her know your successes. Perhaps she will learn to see potential in future students even when it is not readily evident. As an instructor, she should try to do this. </p>
<p>Well, this is a rather rambling post. I hope no one grades me. ;-)</p>