Have you ever looked up a teacher before you took a class? Did you possibly use the popular website called RateMyProfessors.com? Why are we allowed to rate our teachers?
During certain times teachers are rated by students when they are up for tenure, or given evaluations every three years here at Delta College.
In my 14 years of education, I never considered rating my professors. It always felt a little intimidating to me to rate teachers. I always thought they would find out these are my comments or my ratings and result in backlash. And because it sometimes feels like some teachers do not take their comments seriously.
Recently, as I entered my final year, it dawned on me that maybe I should. Teachers tell students all the time at the beginning of each semester, “How many of you looked me up on RateMyProfessors? Were there any new comments?”
Normally, I thought it was annoying or silly for a teacher to ask this question. It’s like a teenager asking if their posts have a lot of likes. However, under the circumstances, they should be reading those comments — especially coming out of a time like COVID-19 when the only form of communication was through the internet.
From my own experience, my education was always lacking unless I spoke up and made it known to my teacher that I needed to be taught in a different way. But never did I think how I was feeling could be how another student was feeling.
Teachers should know how students are retaining the information that they attempt to hammer into our brains. I want to believe that when a teacher hears from their three year or tenure evaluations, they work to change and ask why a student feels this way.
We should be comfortable sharing the pros and cons of a teaching style we experienced and certainly encouraged to do so, not because we’re told to boost a rating or paycheck but because we want to help the next student.
Delta college student Justine Louie said that the feedback is important.
“I think teachers should take into consideration feedback from their students,” said Louie. “I always use RateMyProfessors to choose my professors. I think it is beneficial when registering for classes. I don’t believe every review that is said. However, if generally every review is good then I tend to put that professor at the top of my list.”
As stated in the policies for RateMyProfessors.com, the most popular website used by college students today, “Our moderators will never edit a rating to make it comply or remove a rating simply because it is a low score or negative review.”
I believe this is a perfect place for students to freely express their experiences, rate professors and schools. For myself I take comfort in the fact that the moderators of the site are taking into consideration the quality of the post, and not letting students just slander a teacher, but putting valuable information up to make informed decisions.
The site also allows students to rate schools as well as professors, which is just as helpful for new or transferring students when deciding on a school.
For me this year it will be profitable because I can read from other students their experiences at a prospective school and look for the qualities that match my standards. Students love to express their opinions when given the opportunity and a safe place.
Although all posts/comments remain anonymous on the website and in teacher evaluations, teachers should be evolving and growing their teaching styles, as do we when getting our grades back on tests, quizzes and homework.
Being heard about how a teacher has affected me and how much actual information I gathered from a class is important to me because I’m a different person compared to my seat desk buddy.
After all, not every student is the same.
