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*U-Wire member papers have full permission to reprint all or part of this column. Enjoy! This Week: • Should
I bother getting to know my profs? (some questions have been edited for length, grammar and/or to maintain the privacy of the sender.) Dear Professor K: I never bothered getting to know my professors too well in high school - they were always just kind of THERE. But a few other students here tell me that establishing a relationship with your professors in college is really important if you want to get good grades. Does it really matter? Should I really spend time getting to know my professors, and how do I actually go about doing that? If you're sitting in a lecture room with 500 students, don't bother. Faculty in big lecture courses can't possibly get to know their students; students asking for attention can be a drain, even when they have the most genuine interest. But in a course under a hundred or so, it'll probably helps your grade if your instructor has positive associations with your name. That doesn't mean sucking up - most of us recognize and dislike obsequious student behavior. But it does mean turning things in on time, participating when it's asked for, asking thoughtful questions and so on. There's more at stake here than a good grade in a single class. Students who build relationships with me are making a wise investment in a number of ways. First, while it's unconscious, I probably give them more time and leeway - not better grades, but more attention, and maybe a little less hassle over an absence. Second, I'll have a lot more to say about them when it comes time to write recommendation letters for scholarships, study abroad applications, jobs or graduate school. I actually know something about them and their interests, and I can communicate their unique strengths in my letters. Hear me well, though: personal contact never stands in for hard work. Over the years, I've been fond of many students who didn't work hard enough. No matter how good my personal relationships with them were, they didn't get A's or excellent recommendation letters. Most faculty, in my experience, care most about what the students learn. To the degree that a more personal relationship extends that learning experience, it's inevitably in your interest. How much does class participation really count? Class participation is another one of those things that varies wildly, so you really have to read your syllabus carefully and talk with your professor and/or TAs. In my own classes, participation is a significant portion of the grade, and I say so right on the syllabus, as well as during the introductory class meeting. I explain that continued participation is rewarded, but discussion hogging is not. I find that many teachers care about participation, and if you ask them will be able to tell you what kind of participation they value. For teachers who prefer to lecture, however, participation may be a hindrance. They could feel that students who ask a lot of questions are disruptive. Most faculty will try to be clear about such matters, so read your syllabus carefully, and during the first class listen well to what your professor says about her or his perspective. You should also feel free to seek them out during office hours and ask such questions. Finally, you should avail yourself of that time-honored source of information: the grapevine. Ask around. Talk to as many fellow students as possible who have taken classes with the professor. Read evaluations if they're available. When you've gathered all this information, take it seriously. If you blush at the mention of participation, look for lecture courses. If you tend to blurt out your opinions, seek out seminars. If you don't have a choice with a required course, discuss your concerns with your professor or TA. They will do what they can to advise you. And whatever your preference, try taking the other kind of course as an elective, or with a pass/fail option. It'll help you stretch your skill set! Dr. K. On: getting along with your professors When you have a problem of any kind and need to deal with a faculty member or TA, remember that we're like any other employees - as are you. We have too much to do and never enough time to do it in. We have bosses that want us to do things we don't like. We don't make all the rules. So think of ways to approach your faculty with empathy in your heart. You remember that old advice about imagining people with their pants down when you're nervous? Well, think of us grocery shopping, house cleaning, gardening, doing homework with our kids, arguing with our spouses, worrying about our mothers. If you're intimidated by an instructor, that should help humanize him. If you're angry at a faculty member, perhaps it'll help you see things from her perspective. (But be sure to keep your empathy inside - many faculty prefer to wear the mantle of authority, and don't like being openly treated as equals.) How you approach someone makes all the difference in the world - you know this from your social relationships. This tip is simply a suggestion that you extend that insight to your dealings with faculty as well. If you come into the conversation with an open attitude, chances are good that you'll find the same sentiment across the desk. Dr. Anahid Kassabian is a professor of communication and media studies at Fordham University in New York.
© 2001 Virtually Advising |
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