evaluations

One of the conditions of teaching as an adjunct at the university is that they require every class undergo semester evaluations toward the end of term.  This was somewhat exciting when I first began, but has quickly deteriorated into a chore which has so many holes in the process that only a few good indicators can be reached.  For instance, when you consider the questions and the approach and the fact that the mind-set of *evaluations* to college students simply implies negative critique, much of the feedback is simply I-didn't-like-this-one-statement-taken-from-a-sea-of-information-and-knowledge-from-which-I-will-otherwise-benefit-and-grow.

I'm not saying that I receive necessarily bad reviews.  In fact, I have been overly pleased with the last two semesters in particular.  But one of my first rounds at this I opened up my printed results and found comments which were scathing and quite personal.  Fortunately, there was an obvious lack of substance and (therefore) credibility to them.  Still, ranting aside, I do enjoy some of the perspectives offered:

From a class on the Psalms:

"This class became boring.  All we did was study the psalms."

[no comment]

From an intro to the Bible course:

". . .teach it like an intro course like the other professor"

[translation = I had to do more homework than my roommate]

"Does he enjoy teaching?  Seems bitter."

[yes to both]

"he good."

[indication = I haven't taken English comp. yet]

". . .trying to read and do the ridiculously long 10 page paper required. . ."

[hopd 2 txt way thru coleg]

These are just a few of the more enjoyable ones.  Before you think that all is lost on my quest to corrupt young impressionable minds, this same batch thanked the professor for the wonderful semester six times!  It is what it is.