Student Evaluations

This is the time of year where the faculty of my University sit in a room while the students file in one by one and hear the details of their semester from the mouths of their professors in one 15 minute time-slot.

It's intense, exhausting, and an inescapable dose of reality for many students. As faculty, it's incredibly valuable to hear how each person approaches a particular strength or deficit in the student. It's also helpful to hear that you aren't out in left field all alone when a student is having a difficulty in your class. Chances are if a student has trouble with, say, active participation in your class, they're having the same issue in other classes. It really makes you feel a bit more sane.

I'm human. I set up many checks and balances in my syllabi to make sure I'm being fair, challenging and engaging, but I still have a more than healthy dose of self-doubt. "Am I doing enough?"

Which brings me to my point. As exhausting as this process is, it's just as valuable to the faculty as it is for the students. As much as I've learned about my colleagues, how they problem solve and interact with their charges, I've learned even more about my students and their passions. This continued investment to discovery and digging deeper is why I teach.

One last thing: I love the candor. Ahhhh.