Students Evaluating Teachers

Before winter break I was looking at my Twitter feed (when am I not) and Dave Mulder (@d_mulder) was tweeting about Students Evaluating Teachers and the benefits. I decided I wanted my 7th graders to evaluate me.  There were several reasons for the decision.

1) Build Relationships-At the middle school level there is consistent talk about how we need to build relationships with our students. Giving a student the opportunity to voice his/her opinion makes them realize you truly care about what they are saying. Letting a student know you care and respect him or her is a foundation to begin building that teacher/student relationship.

2) Teachers evaluate students all the time-As soon as the student enters the classroom the evaluation begins.  It could be a formative assessment, a quick check for understanding, an activity, a summative assessment, a district or state assessment.  Reality is...when are teachers NOT evaluating the students.  Students doing the evaluating puts the power in their hands.  

3) A Reflective Educator-Having the students evaluate the teacher gives a new way to reflect on the lesson and the instruction.  Some days I might think I totally nailed it!  Awesome plans, ingenious lessons, the students got it, had fun. In reality the students are thinking “Hated it!” It gives a new perception on what is really going on in the classroom.

Dave Mulder (@d_mulder) was awesome and sent me the evaluation he used.  The two days before before break I allowed my students to give it all they got.  I allowed the students to take their time (well they only had 90 minutes and still needed to complete the assignment from the class before).  I packed up the evaluations and went on break.  At home the evaluations sat, I did not want to read them before I left for Mexico. If they were horrible that would just ruin a vacation.  Only a week ago did I find the courage to open the folder and begin reading.  As I read I took in every word, every sentence and reflected on each one.

I have learned a lot from the students...I tell great stories which they think are off topic.  I need to work this, all the stories link to the daily topic they are not seeing the link.  I am crazy in a good way. I make lessons interesting, I am enthusiastic about what I teach, I grab students attention and  I am Diva.  The students don’t like the warm-ups. They feel the focus is more on ELA than social studies.  Some statements contradicted other like: more book work and less book work, and the choice projects, some liked them some did not.  Can’t make everyone happy.

There was also some outliers. There was only three, I pulled them out and set them aside.  Some of the comments were just mean. Favorite part of the class: Leaving, least favorite part: looking at you. Not taking this personally.  Students have bad days, I was one they felt safe lashing out to, it is okay.  

Some changes I have made based on their suggestions-they are sitting in pods, with students of their choice, allowing for discussion time and free writing.  

So far these small changes have made for a big difference.  The students will be evaluating me at the end of the year again.  This time I will not be scared to read them.