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[niemandsrose]

I hate reading my student evaluations.

I never know how to take the criticism. I never know how personally to take the criticisms. I also get really defensive if they criticise the course material, that is, if they just didn't want to learn about the voice in the first place, but it's required for their major. I don't want to personally take the brunt of their impatience with the pace of retraining the body. Or their inexperience with the grading mechanisms of performance-based classes. Or their opinion on the worth/worthlessness of the subject matter.

I just get really defensive. Really really defensive.
It's just ruined my day, and I was having a really happy day.

I'm not saying I got a lot of bad criticism, just that I don't know how to handle any bad criticism.

Please, anyone who understands this stuff, please give advice. I'm in complete despair.

p.s. I should become one of those professors who never reads their evaluations. It's dishonest, in a way, to the process, but I've heard of such professors and I envy that choice.

[mimi1]

niemandsrose,

I wish I could give you some sage advice here, but I can't.  I don't like the criticism, either.  However, it has gotten easier over time to take it.  I don't know how long you have been teaching, but as I myself become more comfortable in the classroom, it matters less what the students say (particularly the ones who are just gripey - I do like constructive comments). 

I am not sure if you are talking about private lessons or a class voice, but I always discuss with my students (even in class settings with 20-30 people) why they are taking this class & why it will help them.  I also give them the spiel about choosing to learn & how knowledge of many things will help them to be a well-rounded person, etc., etc., and it is their choice whether or not they choose to pick up the pearls of wisdom I have to offer..   :)  Once I started implementing that discussion, it hasn't bothered me that much when they remark about the content.  And try to keep in mind how many didn't make negative comments. 

By the way, with nonmajors, I often discuss how learning to use the voice correctly will enhance their public speaking skills, communication skills, etc., right from the beginning, as well.  If they choose to not learn, that is their loss. 

Sending you good thoughts ! 

mimi

[mimi1]

sorry about the runaway italics there. 

[imawakenow]

OP: No one likes being criticized, and unfortunately, some students use evaluations as a chance to vent about not just you as an instructor but every other "problem" and frustration they have with the major, school, and university system.

One issue is that often the student comments section is just a blank space, so you never know what you are going to get. If possible, frame the question for the students--what helped you learn the most, what helped you learn the least or what did I do as an instructor that helped you prepare for the exams, what would you have liked me to do differently, etc. You'll still get the ocassional blindside, but you'll also get a lot more useful responses.

I also suggest looking for themes across the class and over time. If multiple students say you don't seem prepared, then you need to look at why they might think that. (I've eliminated that one by arriving 5 minutes prior to class--even though the amount of preparation time hasn't changed. I knew I was prepared, but by arriving right on time some students perceived that as not being prepared.)

Finally, I would disregard the comments about the curriculum and other things you have no control over. Some of those comments probably arise from ignorance; others are probably valid. Either way, there is nothing you can do about it as a graduate instructor.

[onestep]

I read evaluations 6-9 months after the course ends.  It's enough time for me to be distant from the class and helps me take it less personally.  It's way easier on the ego than to read the evals right after classes end.  Also, when I read them, I make sure I'm in a "happy space" and not down for other reasons.  Finally, if you find that 1-2 negative comments outweight 14 positive ones, it might be a good exercise to simply rewrite all the positive ones to keep the feedback in balance.

[miss_m]

OP,

In addition to reading evals many months out, as one poster offered, I also try to put my student hat on when I read them.  It's been quite a while since I was barely 20, but I think about that time and why I would have said what they said.  It feels like reflective listening in my head--translating their criticism into my own language--and it works.  For example, student says he found this or that assignment was worth too much of the grade.  Well, what is he really saying?  That he wasn't as confident or comfortable with it when it was due.  So, the next time I teach that class, I slow that assignment down, add in a conference then for one-on-one concerns, etc.

I guess what I am saying is that I don't see it as personally hurtful so much as poorly phrased critiques that I need to think about in more productive language.  I hope that helps.

MM

[amazona2]

This doesn't help you, but I am a student and I am declining to evaluate my professors. If I have a problem I talk to them personally. Otherwise, I don't see the point. It's a bad solution to the real problem, minimal interaction between students and most of their profs.

[geonerd]

First thing, you need to have confidence in your ability as an instructor. Know that you know your stuff, and know that you are doing a good job in the classroom. Don't let a few complainers wreck your self confidence, because there will always be whiners who want to settle scores, real or imaginary. And some of those whiners will be really hard on the TAs because you are often closer in age and an easier target than the professor, and perhaps you are also getting blamed for whatever the professor did in class.

2nd, do the evaluation forms ask good questions in a way that elicits real feedback? If people are merely rating you on scale of 1 to N, then ignore it. That doesn't tell you anything. Write your own course survey where you ask specific questions about the course content, matierals, your presentation style, etc. and see if you get any constructive suggestions. Then save the forms to demonstrate your teaching effectiveness if you apply for academic jobs.

3rd, kick back, enjoy your favorite glass of whatever, and enjoy the break.

[vardahilwen]

I create an anonymous survey/questionnaire on Survey Monkey halfway through the term (check it out, it's free).  I tell the students I don't want to wait until the term's over to get their feedback, and while they are certainly welcome to talk to me in person about any issues, I realize that some of them may prefer an anonymous format.  Therefore, I ask them to take the survey, and tell them that I will address any issues before the whole class.

It works beautifully.  After the survey closes, I stand before the class and discuss the results.  "Okay, two people commented that they don't like the outlining process, and would rather skip that step and go straight to writing the paper.  I can understand that.  Outlining is frustrating and time consuming.  However, I teach it in this class because I think it's an important skill.  Let me explain why, and perhaps that will make it clearer why we do it."  I even address the crazy stuff - one kid was mad because the class was required for his/her major and s/he didn't think it was relevant.  I pointed out that while I sympathize with that, I'm not the person who devises the curriculum for their major, and that kind of complaint is better addressed to those within their academic department.

I leave the survey up and tell the students I'll continue to check it.

By the time end-of-term evals roll around, there are few (if any) complaints, and I've had a chance to address their concerns while there's still time to do something about it.  So, while your department may mandate end-of-term evals, there's probably no rule against doing it more often.

And you'll develop a thicker skin over time.  As mama used to say, not everyone is going to like you.

Vardahilwen