The college has been trying to get more students to do the on-line course evalutations. I agreed to drop an extra quiz grade if 85% of the class did this. In one class I had 100% participation.
I just went today and read the course evaluations. They were actually glowing. They said I was a great teacher, that I didn’t talk down to my students, that I made discussions interesting. They said they loved being in my class, that my oral readings were inspiring, that I made them feel that their questions were important. They said that I listened, I helped them, I was clear on my assignments, and I answered their questions even at home.
There were three suggestions for improvement out of 40. (The rest all said there was nothing I could do to make the class any better.) Two said to remember they were full-time students and full-time workers. The third said not to do Gulliver’s Travels.
I do remember they are full-time students and I am very careful to break assignments up. But, of course, a reading/writing intensive course is going to require some lengthy assignments. I could, perhaps, do fewer quizzes, but then many people won’t do the work. And I want to reward the people who actually do the work.
I don’t think that I will be able to do Gulliver’s Travels next year anyway.
So… I wish everyone thought I was as wonderful as my college students do.