Reply #29: As a college instructor, I have NO problem with these sites. [View All]

[Xithras]

Most teachers should WANT to know what their students think about them. I've had some very negative things said about me by students, and about half of them were true. Nearly all of the sites allow teachers to post responses to the ratings, and I have done so. Where the postings are false, I call them out on it. Where the postings are true, I evaluate what I'm doing wrong and try to fix the problem.

I had a fellow instructor who was practically in tears a couple of years ago over one of these sites. She'd stumbled across her ratings, and was saddened to find that nearly all of her student ratings were negative...people found her dry and boring. The problem was that the ratings were 100% on the money...she had a boring, droning lecture style that could put students to sleep. With encouragement from the rest of us, she ended up enrolling in Beginning Theatre and Public Speaking classes to improve her speaking style. After completing them, she not only became a more effective and engaging speaker, but she's also a regular in our staff & faculty theatre productions now :)

Had the site not existed, she never would have known what her students really thought of her, would have never improved her teaching style, and would still be boring kids to sleep today. I consider her discovery and changes to be a GOOD thing.