The website, “Rate My Professors,” has really been getting quite a bit of attention. Nearly every professor from my own university has been giving ratings. As can be expected, some are good, some are bad, some are fair and accurate, and others are not.
I try to always be objective when evaluating my own professors; however, I tend to want to be ‘on their side,’ because I want to be one some day. Therefore, I normally go into a class wanting to be liked by them, and seeing them as people. No heavy expectations from me, per se, just admiring their achievement in attaining their position.
“Suck up,” you say. Not so. I’m human too, so naturally I feel my role as student in relationship to them, too.
Therefore, I have from time to time been drawn to “Rate my Professors.” I’ve even submitted a review or two. I’ve stated flaws as well as offered defense.
But today, and I don’t know how I stumbled up on, I happened to be led to the part of “Rate My Professors” in which professors have been given the opportunity to “Strike Back.”
Although there seems to only be a handful of professors thus far, I hope the number increases. If nothing else, I appreciate the humor value of this.
For instance, one poor fellow, Professor David Linton from Marymount Manhattan College, was deemed as thinking his brain was as big as his hair. He has fluffy, shoulder length gray curls. In this “strike back” video, he defended his hair in expressing gratitude for having hair at his age. And back in his day, he said, the slogan was, “if you’ve got it, flaunt it.”
Other professors defended accusations of being too difficult, assigning too much reading, speaking in monotone, being too weird, and one, Psychology Professor Peter Cain, for throwing himself on a table. Cain responded by stated that he thinks that he climbed on the table, and didn’t exactly throw himself on the table – that would be a little strong. His purpose? Classrooms require demonstration to prepare students for the outside world.
The professors didn’t seem too wounded by the negative comments left behind, but most of them responding to negative comments would also appreciate it if the student left constructive feedback, or an object comment leading them to know exactly how they might improve. One professor, Bruce Bachenheimer of Pace University, was said to need to take a vacation from which he did not return. He hopes that the student might tell him what he should learn on that vacation in order to be a better teacher.
A few had the opportunity to comment on the chili peppers. For extra fun, there is a rating system incorporated that students might choose which professors they view as “hot” and those they view as “not.” This is an optional function on the site. Most who were deemed as “hot,” or attractive, reply that though they are flattered, it is more valuable to them if they are seen as a good teacher. I’m glad that function is on the site; it tells me that I’m not the only student prone to having crushes on my professors. Whew!
I believe that before students begin to heavily criticize their professors for a negative outcome (normally in grading), they might want to heed the advice put forth by Psychology Professor Elizabeth Haines of William Patterson University. When you are writing out your ratings, have you done everything that you are supposed to do for the class? Did you read the syllabus? Did you read, did you study, did you do the work?
Source:
Professors Stike Back
http://www.mtvu.com/on_mtvu/professors_strike_back/
