A Student Complained About a 92. The Real Problem Was Something Else.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when one of his graduate students challenged a 92 on an assignment, Paul Kotz was frustrated. The student questioned his grading, his judgment, and, for a moment, even his love of teaching. But instead of firing off another email, Kotz picked up the phone.

Paul shares the story of the conversation that followed, which had little to do with grades and everything to do with the weight of life itself. Kotz is the author of Profiles in Kindnessand is a regular contributor to Our American Stories from Saint Paul, Minnesota.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:15):
And we continue here on our American stories, and up
next we bring you a story from one of our
listeners from the Twin Cities, and that's Minneapolis St.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Paul.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
You've already heard Paul Kotts on this show, and he's
back with more stories from his new book, Profiles and Kindness.
Paul is a professor at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.
Today he'll talk about the importance of importance and how
the why of what we do matter. Here's Paul.

Speaker 3 (00:47):
Many of us know what we do and how we
do it very well, but when asked why we do it,
we often pause and see that this is a question
we might need to explore further. We've heard of people
like Simon Sinek, Mike Veck, and Maya Angelo, three current

(01:08):
individuals who bring these ideas to our attention. They make
the case that it isn't just about the money so
much as loving what you do and how you make
people feel well. I admit that I love what I do,
and recently I had a student who was so adamant
that their grade should be changed on a critique assignment.

(01:30):
The person is an intelligent, hard worker with drive and
determination at the moment, I did not love what I do.
What confounded me was that they actually had a ninety
two percent on the assignment and were irritated that I
docked them for not fully synthesizing two articles to a

(01:51):
coherent conclusion that was not in the rubric. I was
told in an email my credibility was being question and
for a fleeting moment, I went back to the notion
of pursuing a career in carpentry, which I also enjoy,
but my why brought me back to the discussion with

(02:13):
a revitalized impetus. Explicitly, they were right. I was trying
to make this talented individual even better. Knowing integrating ideas
and interweaving them together is vital to this degree and
to life. I was also cognizant that I too have
my limitations as their professor and a greator, so I called.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Them Yes by phone zoom has already been a staple
of my days, and I call people off because hearing
a person's voice and the nuances of.

Speaker 3 (02:56):
Feeling are kind of the senses that we could tap
into and off, and we neglect them. It can also
be tiring, so I try to use it with a
little discretion. Sometimes people are startled because from an educator,
a call means they are in trouble or there could
be something wrong.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
Well.

Speaker 3 (03:14):
In talking with the person, I emphasized that they were
doing very well and there was plenty to say. I
asked them, how are you doing? Not on the upcoming assignments,
but as a person. There was a pause. Conversation led
to understanding, which led to the revelation that this course
was the only thing good happening in this person's life

(03:38):
right now, the only good. This saddened me for a moment.
The feeling was palpable. Their job was eating up weekends.
Family issues this class I offered the stress of the pandemic,
trying to be part time principle at home with their kids,
and that fear of the unknown they were all weighing

(03:59):
heavily on this individual. I shared how I used to
bring my two daughters to the University of Minnesota with me,
trying to finish my degree while still working in business.
I would carry my books over my shoulder, holding the
hand of one of my abouliant daughters, and initially carrying
my other bundle of joy in my left arm, alternating

(04:20):
when needed. I was at hand to my kids, but
not consciously fully present. Care was evident, and it taught
me to balance what I could, and I kept my
kids fed and happy well generally, it seemed to resonate
with this person. We connected and I understood empathizing what

(04:42):
they were going through. I didn't realize that listening and
through storytelling, that breaking through the shell of a grade
being lower than expected was just scratching the surface of
what was truly within their soul. I sensed that the
wanted to know they have value and what they were

(05:03):
doing was all worth it, and they were not getting
the affirmations from their immediate surroundings. The individual acknowledged within
our discussion that in the long run, the grade was
not as important as knowing that what they do and
how they do it has to compliment why they are
even pursuing this degree in the first place. When I

(05:25):
showed how what they did in the rest of the
course demonstrated their mastery, the person laughed in some relief
and realized that they were actually doing phenomenal work already
and should not worry as much about this assignment grade.
Instead what their future could be and how bright it
looks could be. A horizon worth looking toward. The why

(05:48):
of what we do is often what keeps us going
forward and sustains our heart and mind beating in a sympatico,
especially when we doubt ourselves or wonder about our true purpose.
I question my purpose. Sometimes I encounter some very difficult situations,
and often I put my head in my hands and
ask for guidance from others and above. Yet when I

(06:12):
see a baby laugh, for instance my grandson, and see
new life emerging before my very eyes, I see a
student change in confidence, or see for themselves the realization
that they are valuable and they grasp that they can
give what they have to someone else.

Speaker 1 (06:31):
And a special thanks to Robbie for his work on
the piece, and thanks to Paul Cotts, whose book Profiles
and Kindness is available on Amazon. In all the usual suspects,
and think about what he did. He was not having
a particularly good day, no day for a teachers good
when the student calls to complain about a ninety two,
And he did what well good teachers do. He made

(06:53):
the call, He called the student. And that's the why
in the end, and why do we even teach? I
know why my dad taught. He wanted to prove young
people's lives make them better people. Paul cots the why
behind a phone call with a student here on Our
American Story Lee Habib here and I'd like to encourage

(07:31):
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(07:53):
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