Why Students Should Evaluate Their Teachers

As a public high school student, I often find myself wanting to provide my ideas on how to strengthen the efficacy of our school systems. Unfortunately, in the status quo, the education policy decision makers too often disregard students from discussions on policy. The other day, though, I was thrilled to see a sign that this is changing. I read a recent post by HuffPost blogger Ellen Galinsky who wrote about how "knowing the views of youth might -- just might -- enrich adults' decisions."

The fact that adults, like Ms. Galinsky, are beginning to see the benefit of students voicing feedback about their education excites me. However, society's acknowledgement of this idea leads to a larger question: how exactly should our education system include students in the input process?

Personally, I feel that there exists a simple, innovative way to include students in this process. I believe that students should have the ability to evaluate their teachers.

I realize that, as the current education reform debate begins to focus on teacher quality and evaluation, this suggestion is likely scary to many readers. But, before you dismiss my idea and exit out of this post, I ask you to hear me out.

Students, through evaluating their teachers, can provide insight to their instructors on what they are doing well and how they need to improve. These evaluations, instead of being used in performance review processes and being used to decide pay or job security, should be accessed solely by the teachers about whom they are written. As a result of this confidentiality, teachers can learn how to improve their instruction quality, without fearing retribution from administrators. The evaluations can be a tool for growth, not as a cause of stress.

This idea is not new. In fact, as a leader in the California Association of Student Councils (CASC), I have talked to many students who want to provide both praise and constructive criticism to their teachers. For many years, CASC has publicly advocated the merits of students evaluating teachers. It has been clear that students want a voice in their education and a way to evaluate teachers. All they need is a way to do it.

Fortunately, this fall brings an opportunity for schools to create this kind of evaluation system. Thanks to generous grants from Yale University, Salesforce, and Media Temple, college student Aaron Feuer has developed Classroom Compass, an ingenious internet-based program that lets schools generate teacher evaluation forms that students fill out. After students rank their teachers in a variety of categories (for example: how well a teacher encourages class discussions or how often a teachers assigns students work that helps them learn), the completed evaluations get scanned into Classroom Compass. Teachers then have the ability to log into the website and see an analysis of their overall survey results.

These results are confidential, only accessible through a teacher's password-protected account. They highlight the areas in which teachers succeed and point out the areas where improvement is needed. Having come off of a successful, yearlong pilot program, Classroom Compass will officially launch on the national level in the coming weeks.

I realize that many teachers may be apprehensive about students evaluating them. But, as Classroom Compass is introduced, I urge them to consider the benefits of such a program. The results would not be used against them and, instead, provide them with valuable student opinion. With the education reform debate becoming increasingly polarized, students evaluating teachers in a confidential way shows that collaboration in education is possible. As students, we are not out to fire teachers or reduce their pay. All we want is a forum to express this perspective and better our education.

These evaluations could be that forum, if the adults are willing to give us a chance.

 

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Comments

[hugatree]

04:30 PM on 10/13/2011

While I admire this young man's idea, it simply is not a new one. When I was a teacher in the late 80s and early 90s, I took several graduate classes which could be classified under the "teacher as researcher." The techniques we learned were being taught to and utilized by teachers all over the country. Each teacher used classroom data to direct and improve student learning. One of the easiest techniques was periodic student evaluation of our teaching. I used this technique twice each year for over 15 years of teaching. My evaluation tools were carefully written to include things like student preferences in teacher behavior (so a student could call attention to things like overuse of certain words or annoying teacher behaviors like hair flipping or toe tapping); student preferences in learning styles (more or less verbal, visual, kinesthetic); testing styles (essay, multiple choice, etc.); inclusion in classroom rules or student behaviors; classroom decor and set up; grading methods; homework types and amount; mutiple evaluation methods; clear directions; explanation of content material; and so on. Each year I tweaked my teaching to the results of my student evals. Within a couple of years I was not only winning teacher awards and superior administrative evals, my students were showing better test scores. It was a win-win proposition. Teachers who do not self-evaluate are doing both themselves and their students a great disservice.

[Donald Persons]

11:15 AM on 10/12/2011

I think this proposal has a lot of merit: teacher's should control the way that student evaluations of their own performance is used to improve education. I for one would take such feedback and find ways to fine-tune, develop a stronger relationship and facilitate reflection in the classroom better.

[J R M]

07:31 PM on 10/10/2011

I tend to be a bit dubious. I asked my daughter (who is in high school) some time ago about the fuss about a teacher who called many of her students "lazy whiners". My daughter's comment was that she didn't see what people were complaining about - it was largely true.

The viewpoint of a student who is truly engaged and interested in learning a subject is much different than the student who is just trying to get through with a good grade for minimal work invested. There are far more of the latter than there are of the former.

[jp90]

07:49 PM on 10/12/2011

True. There are a few teachers in our building that actually do give their students surveys which ask questions like-"Is there anything Mrs. Doe could do to help that she is not already doing?", or questions regarding pacing, homework, etc. But you bring up a valid point. There are many students who might give a poor evaluation because the teacher refuses to accept shoddy work, or won't repeat directions twenty times for students who are plainly not listening the first time things were said. I could go on. There would certainly be students whose opinion I trusted and wanted, and some who contribute so little to their own education that I'd be inclined to disregard their comments. And by that I do not refer to students who have difficulty learning, I refer to those who willfully disregard the learning process.

[Jonathan Jeffrey]

10:19 PM on 10/12/2011

Hi reader!

You bring up a valid concern and one that I understand many readers may have. However, I would like to refute your argument that students will simply complain about their teachers. It is my belief that the majority of students do care about the quality of their education. After all, we are the largest stakeholders in our schools.

While there are some students who currently give unfair and negative reviews about their teachers, I believe that, through the implementation of an evaluation program, this can change. If teachers are willing to take students' opinions more seriously, then students will express their opinions in a way that is more serious and professional. Instead of posting nasty reviews on RateMyTeachers.com or trash talking their teachers in front of others, students will have a source to channel their views and, because they know that teachers are respectfully listening, will be more respectful themselves.

Thanks for reading!

[hugatree]

04:45 PM on 10/13/2011

I taught high school and used student evaluations to improve my teaching. I found that ALL students care at some level, even those who don't seem to. It's common sense. If you HAVE to be somewhere and can help make your experience there better, why wouldn't you take advantage of it? Nobody wants to be bored or annoyed all day. No one wants to expend effort on what isn't providing a reward. Kids like to be included in the process; and they should be. It's THEIR education, not mine. I always thought that I had a duty to make my lessons as interesting and fun as I possible could because I would have a better chance of reaching everybody at some level. When kids are skipping other classes but signing in so they don't miss yours, then as a teacher you know you're doing something right. Our job is to attract kids to learning; if we don't know (or try to assume) what attracts them, then we're being self-indulgent.