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How to Get Along with your College Professor>>
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- Go to class! Regular attendance is important not only for good relations
with the professor, but also for ensuring that you don’t miss anything.
Professors may say they don’t care about class attendance. Don’t believe
it! They notice who’s there and who’s not.
- If emergencies arise that cause you to miss class, be sure to get
notes from someone in the class whose work you respect. At the next
class meeting after your absence, tell the professor you’ve gotten
the notes, but that you want to double-check to make sure you didn’t
miss announcements of upcoming tests, etc. Don’t dwell on the reason
for your absence. The professor has probably heard it before!
- Don’t be late! The first few minutes of class are often used for
vital announcements of upcoming tests, due dates for assignments,
etc.
- "Better late than never" is usually a good rule
of thumb, but not always. Note the professor’s reaction when other
students are late, then guide your own actions accordingly. If he/she
ignores students walking in late, that doesn’t mean it’s okay, but
it’s better than missing class entirely. If the reaction to student
tardiness is somewhat stormy, it may be better to miss class than
to call attention to yourself in an unfavorable light.
- Professors usually announce office hours at the first class meeting
each semester. It is to your advantage to know your professors and
for them to know you. Make an appointment to see each of your professors
no later than the fifth class meeting. Appointments may be made before
or after class or over the telephone. If for some reason you must
cancel, be sure to call! Remember, teaching is not your professor’s
only responsibility. Don’t expect that he/she will always be available
at your convenience.
- The purpose of meeting with a professor, regardless of your level
of interest in the course, is to enhance your understanding of what
is going on in class. Before your appointment, be sure you have done
the following:
- Previewed your text to familiarize yourself with topics for
the remainder of the course.
- Reviewed your notes up to that point and identified topics or
issues that you don’t understand.
- Written down at least three or four good questions about the
course, such as potential topics for papers or projects, questions
about the most effective ways to study the material, etc.
- Located the professor’s office so that you won’t be late for
the appointment due to wandering around the halls at the last
minute. (See the TAMU
electronic phonebook and campus
map .)
- Make sure you know the professor’s title (Dr., Mr., Ms.) and
how to pronounce his/her name.
- Getting to know professors can have other benefits as well. Most
of them are interesting people, knowledgeable about many topics beyond
their own discipline. You may discover that you have common interests
that can be the basis for a good relationship long after you have
finished the course. You may also find that a particular field is
much more interesting to you than you previously thought. It is not
unusual for decisions about college majors to originate with a good
student-professor relationship. Finally, professors may have information
about special opportunities that you may find useful. Summer internships,
competitive awards, graduate programs, etc., are usually posted on
cluttered bulletin boards and are sometimes hard to spot. A professor
who knows you may be the key to your becoming aware of these special
opportunities. A single office visit won’t change your life, but it
could lead eventually to many "fringe" benefits
that wouldn’t have come your way if you hadn’t gotten to know your
professors.
- Get assignments in on time! Earthquake, fire, flood, and catastrophic
illness are the only excuses for turning assignments in late. You’ve
got 24 hours in your day just like everyone else. You want the professor
to know who you are for the right reasons! There is a definite relationship
between students who do poorly on tests, receive low final grades,
or fail courses, and those who turn assignments in late.
- Being courteous in class doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything
that’s being said. When asking questions, don’t be hostile or demanding
and don’t back the professor into a corner. When you disagree or don’t
understand a point, be positive. Preface your question with leads
like "Could you clarify the relationship between . . . ?"
or "Could you elaborate on . . . ?" Avoid negative
leads like "I don’t see how . . ." or "Don’t
you think . . . ?"
- Grades are another area in
which professors and students sometimes disagree. Never discuss a
grade when you are angry. A test may have seemed unfair to you, but
don’t label it as such when you’re discussing it with the professor.
Be specific but courteous when making your points. Remember, regardless
of how skillful your arguments are, the odds are that your grade won’t
be changed on that particular test. But, if you make your points well,
the next test may be much better constructed and may seem to you to
be a fairer measure of your knowledge of the material.
- Most professors are experts in their fields. Many of them are not
experts in psychometrics or applied learning. Realizing that very
few of them have had formal training in test construction or in how
to teach may help you to understand their occasional shortcomings
in these areas. Most good professors have gotten that way by trial
and error. Improved teaching often depends on the kind of feedback
they receive from students. Avoid being negative in your comments.
Specific, positive, constructive feedback can really improve the learning
situation.
- Sit toward the front of the class and act like you’re paying attention.
There is a strange but definite relationship between your distance
from the professor and your distance from an "A".
Regardless of how dry a lecture might be, there is always something
communicated that you will be responsible for.
- Always bring a notebook and textbook to class. This communicates
preparedness and interest, even if neither of these qualities applies
to you.
Adapted from materials used at the University
of North Texas.
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