10/365: midterm evaluation

No, I don't mean the written exams students take halfway through the semester. I have this 'tradition' in my classes where students get to tell me what they want me to 'continue' doing, 'stop' doing and 'start' doing in class so that I may help them learn more and learn better. I do know that I am a young, idealistic and new so I recognize that the room for improvement is quite big. I take a deep breath and go through the sheets written by my students every midterm.

The shot:

I summarize the comments in my blue notebook and I share them to class after we check the midterm exam papers so that I may verify the things that they have written down. Out of the papers they gave me, I saved three. The picture shows two of those papers because the other one has been cut out and pasted on my planner. Talk about sentimental. Haha

The story:

There are days when work takes its toll on me. I love teaching, my university and my students. Really, I do. But, I am human and with four preparations this semester with eight classes all in all with students ranging from 12-50 in each (+ the upcoming Accreditation and my 3 classes for Masters), I think I have the right to say that I am tired. Yesterday was one of those days. Despite the fact that work was and is draining all my energy for the day, I can't help but smile as I read through what my students have written down. I do take my evaluation seriously and it's simply because I believe that teaching effectiveness boils down to the students. The moment we do not take our students' feedback into account, I think that's the time we start asking ourselves what we are doing in the field. (Others have their reasons why they believe otherwise and I respect that, too.)

I am pretty sure that there are those who did not take the activity seriously and there are those who wrote down what their seatmates wrote down but let God be the judge of who's who. I am not sure also if the comments were honestly written or intentionally written just to make me feel good but please just let me indulge myself. These are some of the messages my students included in their evaluation that might just get me through not just this week but maybe the entire semester:

• Miss, you are a woman of many examples. (Haha, I'm not even sure what that means! :p)
• Your class is the best start of my day every TTh! (More reasons to wake up early in the morning, huh? Haha)
• I wish all teachers teach the way you do. ( :D)
• I love going to your class even if it's my last subject every MW. It's not boring =) (This one made my planner the very day I read it. And yes, the smiley is part of the message)
• You inspire me, Miss. (Need I say more?)

And just to be fair, here are some of the 'Stop' doing:

• Sometimes, you talk too fast, Miss. Please slow down. (One even said that I should be sensitive especially when they are still 'loading'. Wahaha, tsk, tsk, tsk. :p)
• Miss, you forget the time. Please stop dismissing us late. (Oops!)
• Stop making your face cruel. (Yep, exact words. Other versions include 'frowning'. :D)
• Stop doing something. (BWAHAHAHA.)
• Stop giving difficult exams, assignments and projects. (Hehe)

Well, I told them that I can guarantee that I won't be able to meet all their expectations but I will do my best to be a more effective. I promised to check on where what they want to happen and what we need to happen would meet and that's what we are going to do in class.

And with that, let me call it a day. Goodbye class. Hahaha! :)