Students should be able to “grade” their teachers

If+this+idea+gets+approved%2C+student+evaluations+will+start+next+year%2C+in+Wyoming.+Hopefully%2C+this+idea+will+soon+be+passed+in+California.+

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If this idea gets approved, student evaluations will start next year, in Wyoming. Hopefully, this idea will soon be passed in California.

Have you ever felt frustrated with one of your teachers and how they were running their classroom? Did you feel as though you were powerless and had no other choice but to accept the situation? Students often find themselves frustrated with how their teachers teach and act during class. If students are being graded, teachers should also be evaluated based off of their performance skills.

According to an assistant principal mentioned in a recent article in KCWY13.com, the policy of having students grading their teachers could influence a teacher’s approach and help communication between teachers and their students. Although this won’t be a determining factor when hiring and firing staff, it could provide the school as well as the teachers with a database that allows them to make changes regarding the way they teach, as well as lesson plans.

Students would like to write down what a teacher should improve upon, as well as the positives teachers should obtain.

Websites such as Rate My Professors and Teacher Complaints allow students to freely express their issues thoughts or concerns regarding their teachers. Although many students are supportive of the idea of being honest and evaluating their teacher, other students seem to think the evaluation will act as a sort of bribery towards the teacher in order to receive better grades. Therefore, if more students claim their teacher is helpful, they will be easily given a decent grade.

Some students mentioned they don’t feel comfortable evaluating teachers, because there is a possibility of other students bullying and pressuring them into writing something they don’t feel is true. Not only is this unfair, but it is not something that should be occurring in an environment like a school. Schools should be a place where teachers act professionally towards students, and vice versa.

College professors often hand out end-of-semester course evaluations that help the teacher understand what he or she did well teaching and what other concepts were not taught well.  According to Edutopia, each year, about 35 percent of college students have the privilege of evaluating their teachers.

Students also feel like if this “grading teachers: concept actually comes through, then teaching will be like a contest to see which teacher gets the better reviews. This may be true, for teachers might decide to make their class as simple as possible, even if it means not teaching the concepts and lessons required.

A few individuals stated on Debate.org that a student is not responsible for the rank of teachers, since they can be overly harsh and don’t necessarily understand the meaning of a “good” or “bad” teacher, as well as mentioning that the only person who should be allowed to rank a teacher should be an educated supervisor.

Numerous advantages and disadvantages could result from students grading their teachers. However, allowing students to survey their teachers is a logical and fair thing that should be done at all schools. According to KCW13.com, if this new idea gets approved, students will be able to do so starting next year, 2017 in Wyoming. Hopefully, this idea will soon be made into law in California as well.