Student Evaluation Time
Amazingly, I received my spring evaluations back. Well, for four of my six classes. I didn't want them. I hate looking at evaluations because one well-placed crap comment can kill me for days. Therefore, I decided not to look at them when I pulled them out of my mailbox.
But...there they were.
I twitched in my car as they sat on my passenger seat. Should I look? No! No! No! Well, ok...
I can't believe it. I looked over the comment sheets, and the ONLY negative feedback I received was that I needed to grade papers faster (duh! I knew that!). Out of the 65 or so papers, I saw that only ONE person stated that he didn't want to have me as an instructor again...and he gave me excellent ratings on like 95% of the scores, so go figure (I'm assuming he or she knows I only teach English and hates English classes).
Most amusing comment? "Strengths...her attire and that she is a smart ass."
HAHA! My attire! That'd be Amanda-like shirts, I suppose! And me? A smart ass? Well, of course.
It's like today in the Writing Center. I kept having students making the more entertaining types of errors: "Homicides KILL more people every year than suicides do? Oh my god! I had NO idea murder killed people! I thought people and accidents and disease killed people, not homicide! Amazing!" etc. I can't control my mouth. It just comes out that way. Fortunately, smartass is an "in" quality!
My hands actually shook as I reviewed them. I still can't believe the lack of negative feedback. Are they all in the remaining two classes? I suppose it has to be, right? I mean, there HAVE to be folks who hated me. NO teacher can please everybody. Hell, no PERSON can please everybody.
I love this comment, as the student wrote exactly what I'd LOVE for all my students to feel: "Kira is always available for her students and does not make you feel beneath her. She is strict, but this only encourages a student to do her best. By far, this has been one of the best classes I've taken." That was for an Eng 101 class. I'm taking that evaluation to bed with me tonight. Sorry, Alex. I'm just going to cheat on you this once.
And then, one student proved that my smartass self rubbed off. When asked, "What changes would enable you to benefit more from this course?" he or she responded, "$1,000,000." HAHAHAHA!
Here's an honest answer to the same question: "I need to study more." What??? You mean...you are taking personal responsibility? WOW! I was stunned.
So, if I get the other two sets back, I'm not looking. The negative comment(s) must be hiding in those. I'm happy believing these four sets are all there is. So there!
***********
Today I needed to draw up a quick map of England to describe to the geographically ignorant American students where Wales was in relation to Scotland and England. We have read Henry IV part 1, and rebellions are taking place in both Scotland and Wales in that play of Shakespeare's. Some of them didn't know where these places were located (sad, but that's another issue).
I don't know how, but my diagram ended up looking like a giant penis with the testicles shifted, leaning over to make Wales. They thought it was GREAT and just kept laughing. So, I deadpanned, "Ok, so Wales is the testicles of England, and Scotland? Yeah, Scotland is the head. Got it?" More laughter. They begged me to leave it up for the next class. Nope, I erased that sucker. But it left no doubt in my mind: I am not an artist. I can't draw for squat!
But...there they were.
I twitched in my car as they sat on my passenger seat. Should I look? No! No! No! Well, ok...
I can't believe it. I looked over the comment sheets, and the ONLY negative feedback I received was that I needed to grade papers faster (duh! I knew that!). Out of the 65 or so papers, I saw that only ONE person stated that he didn't want to have me as an instructor again...and he gave me excellent ratings on like 95% of the scores, so go figure (I'm assuming he or she knows I only teach English and hates English classes).
Most amusing comment? "Strengths...her attire and that she is a smart ass."
HAHA! My attire! That'd be Amanda-like shirts, I suppose! And me? A smart ass? Well, of course.
It's like today in the Writing Center. I kept having students making the more entertaining types of errors: "Homicides KILL more people every year than suicides do? Oh my god! I had NO idea murder killed people! I thought people and accidents and disease killed people, not homicide! Amazing!" etc. I can't control my mouth. It just comes out that way. Fortunately, smartass is an "in" quality!
My hands actually shook as I reviewed them. I still can't believe the lack of negative feedback. Are they all in the remaining two classes? I suppose it has to be, right? I mean, there HAVE to be folks who hated me. NO teacher can please everybody. Hell, no PERSON can please everybody.
I love this comment, as the student wrote exactly what I'd LOVE for all my students to feel: "Kira is always available for her students and does not make you feel beneath her. She is strict, but this only encourages a student to do her best. By far, this has been one of the best classes I've taken." That was for an Eng 101 class. I'm taking that evaluation to bed with me tonight. Sorry, Alex. I'm just going to cheat on you this once.
And then, one student proved that my smartass self rubbed off. When asked, "What changes would enable you to benefit more from this course?" he or she responded, "$1,000,000." HAHAHAHA!
Here's an honest answer to the same question: "I need to study more." What??? You mean...you are taking personal responsibility? WOW! I was stunned.
So, if I get the other two sets back, I'm not looking. The negative comment(s) must be hiding in those. I'm happy believing these four sets are all there is. So there!
***********
Today I needed to draw up a quick map of England to describe to the geographically ignorant American students where Wales was in relation to Scotland and England. We have read Henry IV part 1, and rebellions are taking place in both Scotland and Wales in that play of Shakespeare's. Some of them didn't know where these places were located (sad, but that's another issue).
I don't know how, but my diagram ended up looking like a giant penis with the testicles shifted, leaning over to make Wales. They thought it was GREAT and just kept laughing. So, I deadpanned, "Ok, so Wales is the testicles of England, and Scotland? Yeah, Scotland is the head. Got it?" More laughter. They begged me to leave it up for the next class. Nope, I erased that sucker. But it left no doubt in my mind: I am not an artist. I can't draw for squat!
posted by Kira | 4:14 PM
9 Comments:
Of course you are an artist love of my life. People just haven't matured enough to appreciate it yet...In a hundred years, people will purchase you art for millions.
And anyway, you are an artist in another sense. You have transformed my gray shaded life into a piece of art so colored and alive that it cannot be explained. You have turned nothing into everything and I love you.
Tu es mon tout.
I came here to make some sort of smart ass comment. Then I read Alex's lovely comment and whatever I intended to say fell directly out of my head. Wow!
Yep Wordwhiz, same thing here. All set for something snappy...
Well I can't do snappy, but I am proud of Kira ;)
She has a teacher nickname from me: GTK
Great Teacher Kira based on:
http://www.tokyopop.com/dbpage.php?propertycode=GTO&categorycode=VAN
I'm not surprised AT ALL that you don't have many negative comments. Some people may not particularly care for some of the "smart ass" things you say, however EVERYONE HAS to like you. They don't have a choice. They may try and think negative thoughts but they have this force in the back of their head telling them that you're just an awesome person. It's like trying to convince yourself that Angelina Jolie is ugly. YOU JUST CAN'T DO IT!!
SEE????
Judging by the quality of this blog, I am not at all surprised by the students' comments.
i would like to take this oppotunity to point out that wales is not a proper country like england or scotland, its a boil on the face of england. its just a really big county with lots of scared sheep in it!
and charlotte church!
by the way kira, do u think you could get alex to teach me some that gallic charm so i can use it on any female unfortunate enough to fall within my radar?
oh and i forgot to add, well done on the ositive feedback. seems loike this is the season for congratulations but then again how could your students not give you an excellent rating eh?
Wonderful! You earned every single one of the good comments, so sit back and enjoy it. I'm sure the bad comments are in another set - like maybe Marianne's or Joan's. (Do they still let Joan teach there? Please, please - say no.)
Post a Comment
<< Home