Crime and Punishment
A Gripe about the Never Ending Struggle of Teacher versus Student
Ming Fearon
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: Opinion
In my opinion, the biggest flaw of teacher evaluations is that they don't actually serve the students who have just filled them out-they only help the following class of students the next semester. Because evaluations are filled out during the waning days of the semester, students are aware that their opinions won't turn back the clock and change things about their teacher that they didn't like. Even though these evaluations have a real impact on someone like my teacher, who was clearly untenured, there is no real motivation for people to put as much thought into what they write because they won't be around to see the results. Combine that with students who simply scribble in throwaway good marks so that they can get out of class early, and the purpose of the evaluation has been severely reduced.
My problem with the student/teacher dynamic is that teachers are the only ones who are allowed judgment in the classroom. In the face of a bad performance, students are told to improve, or they will receive a bad grade. Teacher evaluations are the only way for students to provide anonymous criticism and force teachers to realize a bad attitude will bring them bad results, just as it would to a student. If the religion department is already doing it, the idea of asking every department to do the same isn't such a radical one. It's simply a plea for stricter quality control.
If students have the option to fill out evaluations in the middle of the semester with the knowledge that their opinions might have an actual effect on their instructors, then more accurate and reflective results might come of it. I feel ardently about this because there were many instances where I wished I had an opportunity to tell my instructor that she was being unnecessarily harsh. If I believed that, I'm sure many of my classmates did, too.
I like to think that were my suggestion implemented when I had my teacher, she would have walked into class the following day without her usual tense scowl and overlooked the students who walked in a few minutes late. I can see it now: someone raises his hand to ask a question, and instead of frowning and asking why he didn't already know the answer to the question (since she explained it already in the chapter before), the teacher calmly and slowly enlightens the student. He then follows up with a hesitant conclusion that doesn't really reflect what she said-but she doesn't roll her eyes! Oh, if only.
My problem with the student/teacher dynamic is that teachers are the only ones who are allowed judgment in the classroom. In the face of a bad performance, students are told to improve, or they will receive a bad grade. Teacher evaluations are the only way for students to provide anonymous criticism and force teachers to realize a bad attitude will bring them bad results, just as it would to a student. If the religion department is already doing it, the idea of asking every department to do the same isn't such a radical one. It's simply a plea for stricter quality control.
If students have the option to fill out evaluations in the middle of the semester with the knowledge that their opinions might have an actual effect on their instructors, then more accurate and reflective results might come of it. I feel ardently about this because there were many instances where I wished I had an opportunity to tell my instructor that she was being unnecessarily harsh. If I believed that, I'm sure many of my classmates did, too.
I like to think that were my suggestion implemented when I had my teacher, she would have walked into class the following day without her usual tense scowl and overlooked the students who walked in a few minutes late. I can see it now: someone raises his hand to ask a question, and instead of frowning and asking why he didn't already know the answer to the question (since she explained it already in the chapter before), the teacher calmly and slowly enlightens the student. He then follows up with a hesitant conclusion that doesn't really reflect what she said-but she doesn't roll her eyes! Oh, if only.
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