Couldn't resist

I have so much to write about, that by the time I get to finally write I will have forgotten half of it. There is a lesson waiting to be done, for tomorrow, of course, so my post won't be written today. The only reason I'm here right now is that I received a midterm course evaluation (I have one on my website, and students can fill it in whenever they like, anonymously). I had to share this one:


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Midterm Course Evaluation
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math 1010
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(How effectively is class time used? Is there an appropriate mixture of concepts vs. examples? How could the instructor make better use of class time?)
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ya there is that mixture

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(Is the pace of the class appropriate? If appropriate, was the transition between your last math course and your current course smooth?)
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its ok. i liked my other math class better. my teacher was very to the point. here is the problem this is how you solve it. but in this class i dont know she likes to be creative with story problems and i'm not really in to story problems.

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(Is the classroom a comfortable learning environment and do you feel comfortable asking questions during or after class or during the instructors office hours? Offer suggestions for improvement if appropriate.)
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kind of. its a big class so its hard. i have emailed her a few times about a problem on my math and she never really seems to answer my question. her answers are very broad.

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(Are the lectures interesting and inspirational? Are topics and examples presented appropriate to course? Is the instructor enthusiastic and prepared for class? Offer suggestions for improvement if appropriate.)
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Not at all inspirational. She is overly happy about math. She does math very oddly. probably because she is from a different country but ya i dont think she knows that FOIL is a better method then the big long process she does. she doesnt do math the same way most students are taught so her ways throw me off alot. she should explain it step by step what she is trying to show us and be like..o ya its like when you guys do this for math, i'm doing it the same way but written differently. just a suggestion.

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(Have a consistent set goals, procedures, and expectations of the instructor been established for the course? Has the instructor followed through with these goals?)
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yes. ??

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(Is the classwork (homework, projects, tests,...) appropriate and enlightening? Is grading fair and consistent? How much time per week do you typically spend on classwork? Do you study alone, in the tutoring center, or in a group?)
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some assignments are an intro to the next thing we are learning which i think is an absolutely terrible idea. if your teaching one thing you stick to it. and when we move on then will we have to do that assignment. making that transition just confuses people. stick with one thing at a time! cant stress that enough. grading is fair. not
bad.

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(What grade to you expect to get in this class, and why?)
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B. i am just not interested to be honest. i dont have motivation to
go.
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(If a friend planned to take a course from this instructor, what would you tell them?)
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She was ok. Hard to understand at times. But loves to teach.

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(Additional Comments)
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Not a bad professor. Just really confusing.

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Last statement is my favorite even though the whole thing is full of gems. I received an email from one of my students that had only this sentence: "I don't get it" and it reflects my feelings perfectly.

Full room

I taught my first 200 person class today. I am not easily intimidated by people, but it is hard to stand in front of that many. Especially when they don't look like they want to be there :) Other thing that is really hard is not to look at the same people all the time. I realized it as I was talking. I kept glancing all over, but I remember looking at three or four people more than at others. I had a computer today, and I'm sure that having to be in a certain part of the room had something to do with it. I hope this will change. This will be a challenge.

On an unrelated note, I just got last semester's evaluations. They were as expected, both good and bad :) However, this is the first time ever that somebody commented on the way I dressed!?! Now, why would you even think of putting that into a course evaluation?

Disaster

My beautiful decided to make problems for us this morning. Well, it started yesterday, but we only opened it up this morning to find water all over its insides. I had to make french press coffee this morning. Sad e.