I taught the dual-listed (i.e., undergraduate and graduate students) benefit-cost analysis course lass Fall. From my teaching evaluations:

Admitted in class to being one of the worst lecture prof. on campus.

I don't remember saying that, which doesn't mean I didn't, but somehow I find it incredible. I am always happy to point out my shortcomings during class but I don't really think I am "one of the worst lecture prof." on campus. Could it be that I was joking around?

The consensus seems to be that the students think that I know what I am talking about but that I am somewhere between a bit disorganized to very disorganized. I'd agree with the latter if you substituted undisciplined for disorganized. I always know what I should be talking about in class but it doesn't always work out that way.

I get the same sort of evaluations every semester and usually resolve to do better (i.e., conform to students expectations of what a college professor should do in the classroom) next time. But, once I'm in the room I revert to form.

One common suggestion: students want to know exactly what is going to be on the exam before they take it. Ha!

 

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  1. Bach T Avatar

    GIVE ME THE ANSWERS!

  2. Tim Haab Avatar

    Your post inspired me to look myself up on ratemyprofessors.com (haven’t checked my hotness in a while).
    Two observations: First, I have no hotness rating. In my deluded mine that means they can’t rank me high enough so they choose not to rank me.
    Second, and related to your post, someone wrote “I recommend going to class if you want a good grade.”
    Gee…ya think?

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