Student Evaluations

[Kevin12]

I am a Teacher Assistant at a fairly big college, and I teach Freshman Composition. Last semester, my student evaluations were not good at all, and rather than motivate me to do better, it sent me into a pretty bleak depression. I tried to address the problems my students seem to have been having with me last semester, and my mentor who observed my classes wrote me a good report and said he thought the people who were complaining were just upset that I don’t grade as easily as they would like…but still, I have a horrible knot in my stomach. It is not so much because of professional concerns, but I want my students to like me or at least not the think I am being unfair; and I would like to think I have improved at least some over the last four months. In any case, its not like the evaluations can change at this point, so if you could, please just pray that I don’t let whatever I read on those evaluations send me into a long term funk.

 

[meltzerboy]

I am a Teacher Assistant at a fairly big college, and I teach Freshman Composition. Last semester, my student evaluations were not good at all, and rather than motivate me to do better, it sent me into a pretty bleak depression. I tried to address the problems my students seem to have been having with me last semester, and my mentor who observed my classes wrote me a good report and said he thought the people who were complaining were just upset that I don’t grade as easily as they would like…but still, I have a horrible knot in my stomach. It is not so much because of professional concerns, but I want my students to like me or at least not the think I am being unfair; and I would like to think I have improved at least some over the last four months. In any case, its not like the evaluations can change at this point, so if you could, please just pray that I don’t let whatever I read on those evaluations send me into a long term funk.

Yes, I will pray for you. I can also offer you some advice as a professor for many years. You are NEVER going to get all students to like you and you have to learn to accept that. Many teachers have that issue. However, there are always going to be students who are critical of your teaching style, grading policy, your being too strict or, believe it or not, too lenient. You simply CANNOT please everyone. This is a lesson you would be wise to learn for life, and not only for your profession.

 

[JoyfulRC]

Kevin12, I want to second everything meltzerboy said.

I too have been a professor for many years and have taught college freshmen. Their evaluations are quite difficult to read sometimes. Don’t dismiss the fact that it is the first time they ever got to evaluate a teacher! Remember your first semester at college? If you were like me and a good percentage of freshmen, you were not used to having to work to get an “A” in a class. Now, all of a sudden, you are working harder than ever before and not getting an “A” in anything!

You probably will find that your second semester’s evaluations won’t be quite as negative because: (1) you made changes based on last term’s feedback; (2) by teaching a course again, you have the advantage of experience that you did not have the first time through; (3) the students are more knowledgeable about the expectations of a college course and approach their courses different as second term freshmen.

Did you have an opportunity to teach any courses to upperclassmen? If so, their evaluations are probably more substantively meaningful than those of the first-term freshmen who are coming to terms with the fact that they are not the geniuses they thought they were (present poster included ).

I will pray for you too.

 

[tbcrawford]

Eternal God , in whom mercy is endless,
and the treasury of compassion inexhastible ,
look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us ,
that in difficult moments we might not despair
nor become despondent , but with great confidence ,
submit ourselves to Your Holy Will ,
which is love and mercy itself . Amen

Memorare (Prayer to Our Lady)
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen

 

[Kevin12]

Kevin12, I want to second everything meltzerboy said.

I too have been a professor for many years and have taught college freshmen. Their evaluations are quite difficult to read sometimes. Don’t dismiss the fact that it is the first time they ever got to evaluate a teacher! Remember your first semester at college? If you were like me and a good percentage of freshmen, you were not used to having to work to get an “A” in a class. Now, all of a sudden, you are working harder than ever before and not getting an “A” in anything!

You probably will find that your second semester’s evaluations won’t be quite as negative because: (1) you made changes based on last term’s feedback; (2) by teaching a course again, you have the advantage of experience that you did not have the first time through; (3) the students are more knowledgeable about the expectations of a college course and approach their courses different as second term freshmen.

Did you have an opportunity to teach any courses to upperclassmen? If so, their evaluations are probably more substantively meaningful than those of the first-term freshmen who are coming to terms with the fact that they are not the geniuses they thought they were (present poster included ).

I will pray for you too.

One issue is that this is in fact Composition II - at my school, Freshman take two semesters of it. The difference is that it was a literature-based course, so on some cases I might have let my love of literature get the better of me.

Unfortunately, no classes for upperclassman yet - if I teach Creative Writing or World Lit at some point, I might get that.

I was mostly the pervasively low scores last semester - it seemed like very few of my students were satisfied with me, and I felt like I had failed and let them down. I also found a review of myself at Ratemyprofessor.com for this semester that directly said “You are a horrible teacher” and similar things. The knot in my stomach just won’t seem to go away at this point. What’s really ironic is, I’m in an MFA program, and I know a lot of the MFA students aren’t particularly concerned with how well they teach, since we unlike the MA students we are guaranteed an assistantship. So there’s probably not a huge need for me to worry about this in terms of consequences, but…well, I wasn’t super popular in school, and I think a part of me, subconsciously, feels like evaluations are sort of a way of hammering home the fact that I’m still the awkward person I was back then.

 

[Kevin12]

It appears I didn’t have as much to worry about as I thought. The comments were mostly sympathetic and my numbers were decent. Thank you all for your prayers.

 

[244Rocket]

Praying for you.

 

[Kevin12]

Praying for you.

Thanks, but, it seems its going to be okay, so you might do better to pray for one of the countless other people making petitions on this board for infinitely more worthy matters.