Hasmik Posted April 23, 2005 Share Posted April 23, 2005 Recently, I am taking English pronunciation class and I am not at all happy with how the teacher teaches. She is nice, works hard, is fun to contact, but I am not happy with her approach. It is an evening class. Participants are mainly over 30, working people. I don’t have time to be there to play games. I always ask her, how the particular activity that she asks us to perform (like run around the room, find some words and list them, …) helps us to improve our pronunciation? I went there last time 30 minutes late and asked others what I have missed, they answer that they haven’t done anything yet. I do see what she does wrong(at least for me), as I am the student now. I am a college teacher too and I would like to hear how you students see a good teacher? What is the common thing that your professors do that you don’t like? Describe your best and worst teachers. What is your teaching philosophy? Link to post Share on other sites
HotCaliGirl Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 At UCLA, at the end of the quarter we were always passed out a survey to rate the teacher and provide feedback. I get annoyed when they ask too many questions and let students do the "teaching". I want to take in as much knowledge on the topic as the teacher has, and not necessarily limited to what is already in the textbook. I like to feel comfortable to ask questions in class. I took a philosophy class once where the professor would make the students feel stupid for certain questions they would ask. I hate it when they act intimidating. I've dated some of my professors and would give them feedback, like to be more professional if they were wasting time chatting too much in class. Most students aren't in class to play or waste time. Tuition is high and time is little and bad teachers can ruin a class. Activities like running around the class when you're trying to learn pronunciation? I would visit the dean to give him your feedback instead of waiting for the end of the semester when it's too late for you to benefit from any changes. Link to post Share on other sites
quankanne Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 I am a college teacher too and I would like to hear how you students see a good teacher? What is the common thing that your professors do that you don’t like? Describe your best and worst teachers. What is your teaching philosophy? the absolute best classes I took as an undergrad were the ones where the professors used "real-world" information to make the subject come alive. In particular, the guy I had for a public health biology class had worked for a CDC-type of organization, so he had up-to-date figures to show how certain diseases affected a population. In the labs he oversaw, he encouraged us to use our imagination as we did our work -- lol, he didn't even gripe when I kept a logbook and recorded everything using less of a scientific style of writing (technical) but journalism style (my major)!!! i absolutely loved the guy for keeping biology the interesting subject I thought it was. the worst class i took (also biology) was taught by the department head, who made us buy textbooks, then didn't use them in the class. Not even on the tests. His attitude also didn't help any -- he acted as if he didn't give a rat's red rump whether we "got it" or not. Everyone went out of their way to avoid him as an instructor. Teaching philosophy? make a subject come alive by showing how it is used in real life, that it's more than just material that needs to be learned. And don't be a pompous jackass just because you're the one who knows what you're talking about, that's a HUGE turn-off. Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 Originally posted by Hasmik I am a college teacher too and I would like to hear how you students see a good teacher? What is the common thing that your professors do that you don’t like? Describe your best and worst teachers. What is your teaching philosophy? [color=darkblue]Best classes: [/color] Teacher (physics) gets passionate about the subject they are teaching while teaching the particular course. Teacher (math) uses humor that is course related. For example one of the best math teachers I had in college would tell a math joke at the beginning of the class helping to make a heavy course lighter. Teacher (math) knows the material so well that they can actually explain or teach it in different ways depending on how a person learns. Teacher (marketing) knows the material extremely well teaches it and then gives real world examples that we students can relate to from personal experience. [color=darkblue]Worst classes:[/color] Teacher (math) doesn't know the material and teaches it one way and then in the next class teaches it another way (after telling us we were taught wrong). Teacher (organic chem) only reads out of the text book for the whole class (no kidding). Teacher (physics) tries to put so much subject related humor into their teaching that they forget to teach the class until there are only 10 minutes left in the class and then crams an hour of teaching into 10 minutes. [color=darkblue]I agree with HotCaliGirl about meeting with the Dean.[/color] Link to post Share on other sites
Author Hasmik Posted April 25, 2005 Author Share Posted April 25, 2005 Thank you for posting! I will not talk to the dean but will try to talk to her again. She thinks that I am thinking that I am a better teacher that why I have suggestions for her. LOL She told me last time that I am a natural teacher. Only when you are the student you can see what is really wrong. I am glad I did take this class. I know now what I definitely shouldn't do. (I haven't done it anyways ) Keep on posting everyone. This is so interesting! And don't be a pompous jackass just because you're the one who knows what you're talking about, that's a HUGE turn-off. Not sure if I have done that or not. What exactly the teachers do that you think they are intimidating? Link to post Share on other sites
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