College Maths
June 5, 2010 11:42 AM Subscribe
(What) Can I get my maths teacher as an end of quarter present?
I've had many-a bad teacher, but 27 year old, Ph. candidate teaching assistant, Mr. Wen Chean Teh has been just great. It's college Calc. but Mr. Teh makes the concepts clear, and really cares.
Can I get him a thank you present? What should it be? Should I wait till after grades post...etc?
Thanks everyone! And Happy summer vacation to the students out there!
As a teaching assistant, I've gotten thank you gifts from students, mostly in the form of gift certificates to restaurants, which I have really appreciated. I would definitely wait until after grades are posted just to avoid any hint of bribery.
As far as a letter of recommendation, it's a terrific idea, but I wouldn't write the letter yet. Instead, offer to write him a great letter, and give him your contact information that will be valid for the next 1-2 years. Each teaching position is different, so a tailored letter for a specific position carries more weight. Also, letters of recommendation are normally submitted directly to the college/university, without the applicant seeing them. Again, it carries more weight when it is obvious that he hasn't pre-screened the letters that are sent in on his behalf.
Can you nominate him for any teaching awards within the university/college?
Please, definitely do something, even if it is just a thoughtful 'thank you' email. From experience, I can say that such notes helped me get through the sometimes-toxic world of graduate school.
posted by Peter Petridish at 12:07 PM on June 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
As far as a letter of recommendation, it's a terrific idea, but I wouldn't write the letter yet. Instead, offer to write him a great letter, and give him your contact information that will be valid for the next 1-2 years. Each teaching position is different, so a tailored letter for a specific position carries more weight. Also, letters of recommendation are normally submitted directly to the college/university, without the applicant seeing them. Again, it carries more weight when it is obvious that he hasn't pre-screened the letters that are sent in on his behalf.
Can you nominate him for any teaching awards within the university/college?
Please, definitely do something, even if it is just a thoughtful 'thank you' email. From experience, I can say that such notes helped me get through the sometimes-toxic world of graduate school.
posted by Peter Petridish at 12:07 PM on June 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
A hand-written note from a student means more to me than a present. A glowing letter to his department chair/supervisor is also a nice gesture.
A few times I've had students get me something little, usually related to the class. I don't feel comfortable with larger presents.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 12:29 PM on June 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
A few times I've had students get me something little, usually related to the class. I don't feel comfortable with larger presents.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 12:29 PM on June 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
Wait until after grades, so there is no possible way any gift or letter could be misconstrued as a bribe.
posted by jasonhong at 12:40 PM on June 5, 2010
posted by jasonhong at 12:40 PM on June 5, 2010
sometimes-toxic!?!
Sometimes, it is. The folks who don't know that going into it are in for a shocker. I knew that going into it though, and while it sucks to see the bad aspects of anything you do, it's not shitty enough that I don't still love it, and it's better to be prepared.
I think a small gift is cool, but nothing major. Definitely wait till after grades are posted though, because it's difficult to receive a gift beforehand. Someone came by my office for help on a paper and brought me a fancy chocolate bar, and I was nervous even about accepting that.
The note is definitely more important, and a really great class evaluation. At my school, students have the option of signing the evaluations and making them permanent or submitting anonymously. Only the signed ones go into their "permanent record," and really nice things on an eval are worth more cred than any gift certificate.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 12:47 PM on June 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Sometimes, it is. The folks who don't know that going into it are in for a shocker. I knew that going into it though, and while it sucks to see the bad aspects of anything you do, it's not shitty enough that I don't still love it, and it's better to be prepared.
I think a small gift is cool, but nothing major. Definitely wait till after grades are posted though, because it's difficult to receive a gift beforehand. Someone came by my office for help on a paper and brought me a fancy chocolate bar, and I was nervous even about accepting that.
The note is definitely more important, and a really great class evaluation. At my school, students have the option of signing the evaluations and making them permanent or submitting anonymously. Only the signed ones go into their "permanent record," and really nice things on an eval are worth more cred than any gift certificate.
posted by solipsophistocracy at 12:47 PM on June 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best gift I ever got from a student was a bottle of really good beer with a bow tied around it.
posted by monkeymadness at 1:29 PM on June 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by monkeymadness at 1:29 PM on June 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Get him one of those little triangular desk signs that people use for corporate titles such as 'Vice President' (in cartoons anyway), but have it say 'Teh Boss' with your name and year inscribed on the back.
posted by jamjam at 1:46 PM on June 5, 2010
posted by jamjam at 1:46 PM on June 5, 2010
Even if you do send a gift send a glowing letter to both him and the dean or chair of the department. That will do him a lot of benefit and ensure that the school works to keep him around so that other students can benefit from his style and dedication.
posted by msbutah at 2:35 PM on June 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by msbutah at 2:35 PM on June 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
I have written nice letters to the department chair when I had specific teachers who were great, with a copy of the letter cc:ed to the teacher. It was very well received by everyone involved. A small gift is also good, but only after the grades are posted.
posted by gemmy at 2:38 PM on June 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by gemmy at 2:38 PM on June 5, 2010 [1 favorite]
I've given small plants as thank you gifts to professors and administrators who have helped me out, and so far the response has been positive, and a few people have seemed genuinely touched. The best gifts are personal and of essentially no monetary value, so that they won't embarrass the recipient or be misinterpreted as bribes. A hand drawn card, cartoon, or a slide rule from a garage sale might also be appropriate.
And it's good form to wait until grades are posted although I've forgotten to do that. D'oh.
posted by ladypants at 3:29 PM on June 5, 2010
And it's good form to wait until grades are posted although I've forgotten to do that. D'oh.
posted by ladypants at 3:29 PM on June 5, 2010
I agree on the letter. Saves you money too, but worth more than any other present. I have gotten just one of these (in my four or so years of teaching) and it meant a lot (and still does). CC'ing the dept. chair is also a great idea.
posted by cogpsychprof at 5:19 PM on June 5, 2010
posted by cogpsychprof at 5:19 PM on June 5, 2010
I was initially irritated at this question, thinking "we don't need to know this guy's name." But jamjam's answer is awesome. That's the kind of thing he might keep around forever.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 8:34 PM on June 5, 2010
posted by ActingTheGoat at 8:34 PM on June 5, 2010
Mr. Wen Chean Teh
For some reason, I read this as "Wen Teh Chean", which in my head sounds vaguely like "When teaching" (although I have no idea how his name is pronounced). If it does sound a bit like it, there's another jokey name-related thing you could use.
posted by djgh at 8:19 AM on June 6, 2010
For some reason, I read this as "Wen Teh Chean", which in my head sounds vaguely like "When teaching" (although I have no idea how his name is pronounced). If it does sound a bit like it, there's another jokey name-related thing you could use.
posted by djgh at 8:19 AM on June 6, 2010
Response by poster: I was initially irritated at this question, thinking "we don't need to know this guy's name." But jamjam's answer is awesome. That's the kind of thing he might keep around forever.
Yeh, I could have just said he was Chinese....
posted by Benzle at 12:35 PM on June 6, 2010
Yeh, I could have just said he was Chinese....
posted by Benzle at 12:35 PM on June 6, 2010
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