I'm not The Hulk. Really. I promise.
January 28, 2011 9:32 AM Subscribe
Got my student evals back, and all my students seem to think I'm angry all the time.
I've read this recent AskMe, but my question isn't about getting better at teaching. (I've found a method that works for me, and while I'm always up for improvement, I'm not in the business of asking for suggestions right now.)
The overarching theme among my evaluations seems to be "he gets mad when we ask questions". First of all, this is not true. I strongly desire them to ask questions, because asking questions is how we learn. I try to encourage them to ask questions in every way I can. When they do ask (appropriate) questions, I do my best to answer them in a clear and concise way.
What I'm thinking is happening is that the students are mistaking my passion for the subject (mathematics) and the tone of my voice for anger. I have a deep voice, and when I speak in a classroom, I must speak loudly and clearly. I imagine that this must be the tone of voice that my students are used to hearing people use when they're angry.
I can't speak softly (again, people in the back must hear me), and I don't want to strain to speak in a higher register for 4+ hours a day. I'd also rather not preface every answer to every question with "I'm not angry with you, and here is my answer". (That would sound less than genuine.) Previous AskMes about voice control seem to have the opposite problem I have.
Do you have any suggestions for what I can do to mitigate this?
I've read this recent AskMe, but my question isn't about getting better at teaching. (I've found a method that works for me, and while I'm always up for improvement, I'm not in the business of asking for suggestions right now.)
The overarching theme among my evaluations seems to be "he gets mad when we ask questions". First of all, this is not true. I strongly desire them to ask questions, because asking questions is how we learn. I try to encourage them to ask questions in every way I can. When they do ask (appropriate) questions, I do my best to answer them in a clear and concise way.
What I'm thinking is happening is that the students are mistaking my passion for the subject (mathematics) and the tone of my voice for anger. I have a deep voice, and when I speak in a classroom, I must speak loudly and clearly. I imagine that this must be the tone of voice that my students are used to hearing people use when they're angry.
I can't speak softly (again, people in the back must hear me), and I don't want to strain to speak in a higher register for 4+ hours a day. I'd also rather not preface every answer to every question with "I'm not angry with you, and here is my answer". (That would sound less than genuine.) Previous AskMes about voice control seem to have the opposite problem I have.
Do you have any suggestions for what I can do to mitigate this?
Smile when you answer. It doesn't have to be an ear-to-ear grin. But even for the people who can't see your face, it will come across in your tone.
posted by veggieboy at 9:36 AM on January 28, 2011 [6 favorites]
posted by veggieboy at 9:36 AM on January 28, 2011 [6 favorites]
Can you not get a microphone?
posted by Think_Long at 9:37 AM on January 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Think_Long at 9:37 AM on January 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
"First of all, this is not true." No, this IS true. If they think you are, then you are, it's really just that simple. I don't mean to sound like a jerk here, it's really their opinion that matters here, not yours. I love the idea that FAMOUS MONSTER suggested, try an audio or video tape, maybe you'll be surprised at what you hear.
posted by Blake at 9:37 AM on January 28, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by Blake at 9:37 AM on January 28, 2011 [5 favorites]
If try to remember to begin your answers with some variation of "good question" or "I'm glad you asked", or "that's an interesting idea", that would probably put students at ease and mitigate any tonal indicators of anger.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 9:38 AM on January 28, 2011 [28 favorites]
posted by Salvor Hardin at 9:38 AM on January 28, 2011 [28 favorites]
What makes the inappropriate questions inappropriate? Are they things you think the class should already know the answer to?
I've had professors who hated it when they were asked a question that they just "answered." Most of the time, it really was a student not understanding the material well enough to even form a question that sounded better than asking for a repeat of information.
posted by theichibun at 9:39 AM on January 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
I've had professors who hated it when they were asked a question that they just "answered." Most of the time, it really was a student not understanding the material well enough to even form a question that sounded better than asking for a repeat of information.
posted by theichibun at 9:39 AM on January 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
As to your deep, and possibly angry-sounding voice -- I know a professor with a disability that causes him to shake his head in a way that people read as disapproving - this causes unaware students to feel ashamed when they ask him a question, and givers of talks to freak out when they see him sitting there shaking his head in the front row.
His way of dealing with it is to just tell people about his disability. So you could tell the class about your voice, maybe at the start of the semester. "Just so you all know, I've got a deep and loud voice, and it sometimes makes people think I'm angry. But I want you all to know I'm just trying to project so you can hear me, so don't be intimidated." You could even put something in the syllabus about it, I've seen that done too.
You could also say something like "That's a really good question/Thanks for asking that question" before you start to reply.
Also, I think it might make a huge difference if you try to genuinely smile as much as possible, and watch your body language.
posted by Ashley801 at 9:40 AM on January 28, 2011 [18 favorites]
His way of dealing with it is to just tell people about his disability. So you could tell the class about your voice, maybe at the start of the semester. "Just so you all know, I've got a deep and loud voice, and it sometimes makes people think I'm angry. But I want you all to know I'm just trying to project so you can hear me, so don't be intimidated." You could even put something in the syllabus about it, I've seen that done too.
You could also say something like "That's a really good question/Thanks for asking that question" before you start to reply.
Also, I think it might make a huge difference if you try to genuinely smile as much as possible, and watch your body language.
posted by Ashley801 at 9:40 AM on January 28, 2011 [18 favorites]
And when I say subtle cues, by the way, I really do mean incredibly subtle - things you might not be aware of in the slightest. As a data point, I discovered a while back - only after seeing myself on video - that my upper lip has a bit of a curl to it when I speak. It's just the way my face is put together. It wasn't until I thought about it that I realized that it might explain why a lot of people over the years have thought I was making fun of them or being sarcastic when I wasn't. It looks like I'm sneering just a bit when I speak and that carries over. So it's something I've tried to account for.
Seriously, something this small can make a huge difference.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 9:41 AM on January 28, 2011
Seriously, something this small can make a huge difference.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 9:41 AM on January 28, 2011
I know there's some debate about this, but giving positive feedback to some or most of the questions should help. "That's a good question," or "I'm glad you asked," or "Good point!"--whatever can actually help you indicate verbally and explicitly that you're not mad. Doing it to every question wouldn't seem authentic, but welcoming questions and making that verbally apparent can overcome some of the unconscious implications your students are picking up. Also, thanking people for questions (because they are, after all, helping you to do your job by making clear what needs further explication) can go a long way.
posted by verbyournouns at 9:43 AM on January 28, 2011
posted by verbyournouns at 9:43 AM on January 28, 2011
You need a disclaimer.
On the first day of class from now on, it might be a good idea for you to say something like, "I encourage all on-topic questions, [blah, blah]. I've been told in the past that when I get excited about what I'm teaching--and I'm always excited about math--I can get loud and impassioned. I apologize in advance if it ever sounds like I'm angry--I promise I'm not."
I've had a ton of wonderful weirdo professors, and the ones who have been in the game the longest generally had disclaimers like that (tailored, of course, to their particular quirk) at the beginning of each quarter. I always found it charming, and it definitely helped to put what would otherwise be construed as strange reactions or behavior into perspective and just enjoy the class.
posted by phunniemee at 9:43 AM on January 28, 2011 [3 favorites]
On the first day of class from now on, it might be a good idea for you to say something like, "I encourage all on-topic questions, [blah, blah]. I've been told in the past that when I get excited about what I'm teaching--and I'm always excited about math--I can get loud and impassioned. I apologize in advance if it ever sounds like I'm angry--I promise I'm not."
I've had a ton of wonderful weirdo professors, and the ones who have been in the game the longest generally had disclaimers like that (tailored, of course, to their particular quirk) at the beginning of each quarter. I always found it charming, and it definitely helped to put what would otherwise be construed as strange reactions or behavior into perspective and just enjoy the class.
posted by phunniemee at 9:43 AM on January 28, 2011 [3 favorites]
I wonder if, in your passion to answer a question that you know, you are sort of "jumping on" the question, meaning that you start answering before the asker is really finished. This can definitely come of as "angry" - as if you want to finish with "question time" and get back to more important things, when that may not be your intention at all. Also, this goes for after you've answered the question as well - if you jump straight back into the lecture without verifying that the student has understood your answer and doesn't have more questions, it may give the impression that you think their question is unimportant.
When they do ask (appropriate) questions
What's an example of an inappropriate question, and your response? Oddly enough, how you respond to inappropriate questions may be as important to the students feeling safe to ask questions...
posted by muddgirl at 9:43 AM on January 28, 2011 [5 favorites]
When they do ask (appropriate) questions
What's an example of an inappropriate question, and your response? Oddly enough, how you respond to inappropriate questions may be as important to the students feeling safe to ask questions...
posted by muddgirl at 9:43 AM on January 28, 2011 [5 favorites]
On non-preview:
theichibun: What makes the inappropriate questions inappropriate? Are they things you think the class should already know the answer to?
theichibun might totally be on to something here. Is it possible that you dismiss a legitimate question as inappropriate and answer with annoyance or frustration or just dismissiveness, and that's what the students are reacting to? Even if the questions are jokey, if you react with annoyance or anger, that might be intimidating some people.
posted by Ashley801 at 9:44 AM on January 28, 2011
theichibun: What makes the inappropriate questions inappropriate? Are they things you think the class should already know the answer to?
theichibun might totally be on to something here. Is it possible that you dismiss a legitimate question as inappropriate and answer with annoyance or frustration or just dismissiveness, and that's what the students are reacting to? Even if the questions are jokey, if you react with annoyance or anger, that might be intimidating some people.
posted by Ashley801 at 9:44 AM on January 28, 2011
Are you in a giant lecture hall? If you are, um, you need some kind of microphone. Otherwise you're going to blow your voice out anyway.
There is speaking loudly (yelling), and there is projecting. Projecting is an actor's or singer's skill. This is a decent enough article on vocal projection. In short, you should be pushing from your diaphragm, not yelling. There is a difference and it's a difference people can hear.
If there is a drama or vocal performance faculty member you can speak with s/he should be able to help you with this or give you some tips.
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:46 AM on January 28, 2011
There is speaking loudly (yelling), and there is projecting. Projecting is an actor's or singer's skill. This is a decent enough article on vocal projection. In short, you should be pushing from your diaphragm, not yelling. There is a difference and it's a difference people can hear.
If there is a drama or vocal performance faculty member you can speak with s/he should be able to help you with this or give you some tips.
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:46 AM on January 28, 2011
Response by poster: What I mean by "inappropriate question": At the beginning of class, when I ask if there are any lingering questions to be addressed before the lecture begins and a student asks "I want to know why I got no points on question 2 on the quiz we took last week". That is an example of a question which is inappropriate for lecture time. I tell the student that specific questions related to grades are best handled outside of the classroom, not in the classroom in front of 50 other students.
Thanks for all of the advice so far.
Blake: "First of all, this is not true." No, this IS true.
I don't think my actual feelings are determined by what others' perceptions of them are.
posted by King Bee at 9:49 AM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Thanks for all of the advice so far.
Blake: "First of all, this is not true." No, this IS true.
I don't think my actual feelings are determined by what others' perceptions of them are.
posted by King Bee at 9:49 AM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'll admit that Blake's way of wording it might not have been the best, but the point remains. If the students think you're angry then it really doesn't matter if you are or not. They think it, and anything you do is going to be seen as if you're doing it while angry.
posted by theichibun at 9:53 AM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by theichibun at 9:53 AM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Blake: "First of all, this is not true." No, this IS true.
I don't think my actual feelings are determined by what others' perceptions of them are.
I do understand Blake's point - this is about an interaction between yourself and another, and your intent and the reception of your intent are both important. If my husband says something to me that I find dismissive,for example, he might have not meant to be dismissive, but he managed to communicate dismissal - his intent got lost in an unfortunate method of communication.
Also, we as human beings often give out nonverbal cues that indicate subconscious feelings that we aren't necessarily overtly aware of, for example John Gottman's work on expressions of contempt between married couples.
td;dr - nthing videotape yourself and watch a week later to see if you are communicating anger despite your best intentions otherwise.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 9:58 AM on January 28, 2011
I don't think my actual feelings are determined by what others' perceptions of them are.
I do understand Blake's point - this is about an interaction between yourself and another, and your intent and the reception of your intent are both important. If my husband says something to me that I find dismissive,for example, he might have not meant to be dismissive, but he managed to communicate dismissal - his intent got lost in an unfortunate method of communication.
Also, we as human beings often give out nonverbal cues that indicate subconscious feelings that we aren't necessarily overtly aware of, for example John Gottman's work on expressions of contempt between married couples.
td;dr - nthing videotape yourself and watch a week later to see if you are communicating anger despite your best intentions otherwise.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 9:58 AM on January 28, 2011
I kind of doubt it's solely your loud, deep voice. After many, many hours of lecture, most high school or college students are not frightened by someone who is loud and passionate, if they also seem to be good tempered or approachable. People read cues well enough by that time that I doubt it's misinterpretation, since it's multiple students saying this. (If it were just one person, I might be more inclined to agree with your assessment.)
I'm guessing it's something more subtle, like cutting questions off or trying to anticipate what the student is saying, embarrassing students who you feel are asking "inappropriate" questions, or having some sort of tone in your voice or expression on your face that says you'd rather be getting on with your lecture. I think videotaping your lectures and interactions with students is an excellent idea.
posted by wending my way at 9:59 AM on January 28, 2011 [3 favorites]
I'm guessing it's something more subtle, like cutting questions off or trying to anticipate what the student is saying, embarrassing students who you feel are asking "inappropriate" questions, or having some sort of tone in your voice or expression on your face that says you'd rather be getting on with your lecture. I think videotaping your lectures and interactions with students is an excellent idea.
posted by wending my way at 9:59 AM on January 28, 2011 [3 favorites]
By videotaping interactions, I meant interactions during the lecture. Not one on one interactions during office hours. That could be creepy.
posted by wending my way at 10:01 AM on January 28, 2011
posted by wending my way at 10:01 AM on January 28, 2011
Last thought: have you ever thought of just asking the students why they see you as angry at questions? If you still have their email addresses from the last semester, you could send out a group email asking that, if you wouldn't be too embarrassed. You could include a link to a site where they could answer anonymously.
posted by Ashley801 at 10:09 AM on January 28, 2011
posted by Ashley801 at 10:09 AM on January 28, 2011
FAMOUS MONSTER has a good suggestion. This is pretty mortifying, but as an undergrad, I was sure that I'd cultivated the perfect irreverent tone of voice. In a capstone seminar course, we had to record and analyze classroom proceedings, and I discovered my tone was not at all what I thought. Instead of sounding cool and sarcastic, I just sounded like I was trying really, really hard. Embarrassing, but useful.
You might also consider mentioning it during the first class meeting of the semester. Just explain what you have here - the classroom is large and your voice is deep, but you aren't angry. Smile a lot. Bring donuts to your review sessions. :)
(And as an aside, sometimes undergrads write dumb things on their course evaluations. Most of them don't understand how important the comments are as far as job searching and tenure, and as such, treat them as an opportunity for witty display. A friend received one that helpfully suggested he "stop coming to class drunk".)
posted by easy, lucky, free at 10:13 AM on January 28, 2011
You might also consider mentioning it during the first class meeting of the semester. Just explain what you have here - the classroom is large and your voice is deep, but you aren't angry. Smile a lot. Bring donuts to your review sessions. :)
(And as an aside, sometimes undergrads write dumb things on their course evaluations. Most of them don't understand how important the comments are as far as job searching and tenure, and as such, treat them as an opportunity for witty display. A friend received one that helpfully suggested he "stop coming to class drunk".)
posted by easy, lucky, free at 10:13 AM on January 28, 2011
Another thought: if you're teaching at a university, there is probably a psychology department nearby? It might be interesting to tape yourself for a few days, then arrange to have the tapes viewed by a friendly colleague in the psych department or as a class project; they can pick it apart to find all the anger cues you might be giving off. Could be a good learning experience for everybody, though it would require a pretty thick skin.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 10:14 AM on January 28, 2011
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 10:14 AM on January 28, 2011
>Blake: "First of all, this is not true." No, this IS true.
>I don't think my actual feelings are determined by what others' perceptions of them are.
If the curtness you display in this response is representative, it can easily be read as anger, even if all you're aiming for is efficiency.
posted by Dragonness at 10:19 AM on January 28, 2011 [6 favorites]
>I don't think my actual feelings are determined by what others' perceptions of them are.
If the curtness you display in this response is representative, it can easily be read as anger, even if all you're aiming for is efficiency.
posted by Dragonness at 10:19 AM on January 28, 2011 [6 favorites]
"I want to know why I got no points on question 2 on the quiz we took last week". That is an example of a question which is inappropriate for lecture time. I tell the student that specific questions related to grades are best handled outside of the classroom, not in the classroom in front of 50 other students.
I understand that this question is framed in terms of the grade received by the student, but it sounds to me like what they're asking you for is to show them how to solve the problem. If they're looking at their quiz while you solve it correctly (for the whole class), they can compare their work with your exemplar. When they do that they'll both understand how to solve the problem and why they only got so many points.
Or am I misunderstanding and that's the sort of thing you'd prefer to do privately?
posted by carsonb at 10:23 AM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
I understand that this question is framed in terms of the grade received by the student, but it sounds to me like what they're asking you for is to show them how to solve the problem. If they're looking at their quiz while you solve it correctly (for the whole class), they can compare their work with your exemplar. When they do that they'll both understand how to solve the problem and why they only got so many points.
Or am I misunderstanding and that's the sort of thing you'd prefer to do privately?
posted by carsonb at 10:23 AM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
I kind of doubt it's solely your loud, deep voice.
Agreed. We're missing information here. And "we" includes you. You really need to record a sample and put it online (if you want us to be helpful) or ask other teachers (who you trust) to sit in on your class. But I promise you that most students don't think loud, deep and passionate = angry. I wish I knew what else you were doing to give them this impression. But without seeing and hearing you, I don't see how anyone can answer.
Here's one stab in the dark: are you "just answering"?
I am somewhere on the Aspergers spectrum, and I have a habit of giving neutral, straightforward answers to questions. I don't add anything to my answer that doesn't directly address the question. I don't try to project "you were stupid for asking that." (And I never think that.) Nor do I try to project "Wow, what an awesome question!" I just answer.
In my mind, that's all that's necessary, and if I don't give people any specific reason to read anger (or whatever) into my response, I don't see why they should think of me as being angry.
But for many people, when communication gets to a "just the facts, ma'am" level, it becomes too impersonal. And since they're only that impersonal when they're upset, they assume you must be upset.
Example:
Waiter: Good evening, sir. Can I take you drink order?
Me: Sure. I'd like a glass of red wine.
vs.
Waiter : Good evening, sir. Can I take your drink order?
Me: Hey, how are you doing? Looks pretty busy here, tonight. Oh... drink order. Right. Okay. Can I have a glass of red wine? Thanks!
That's an exaggeration. But I have noticed that a certain number of people DO translate simple directness as impatience, rudeness or anger. It seems massively unfair to me. You asked me a question and I'm just ANSWERING it. But a lot of people are built to interpret "just answering" as rude.
I really like the advice, above, of saying, "Good question" or something like that. Just SOMETHING to acknowledge that you're partaking in a human interaction, and that you wouldn't be just as happy sitting back and letting a robot blurt out answers.
Some teachers repeat the question back before answering. This can also help other students hear the question.
Student: Do we use Cosine or Sine in that problem?
Teacher: Good question. [To the class.] The question was, do we use Cosine or Sine in that problem? Well, generally you'd use Cosine, but...
You can also use student's names to make things a bit more human.
Student: I don't understand the third step on the board.
Teacher: Hey, John. Okay, well. The third step...
And if it's a huge class -- sounds like it is -- you can ask names, which will show that you care about people on a human-to-human level
Student: I don't understand the third step on the board.
Teacher: Good question. Can you tell me your name?
Student: It's John.
Teacher: Okay, John... Well...
It can also be useful to check in AFTER answering a question:
Teacher: The answer is x over y, but make sure you reduce all the fractions. Does that make sense, John? Any confusions? Okay, great...
posted by grumblebee at 10:32 AM on January 28, 2011 [7 favorites]
Agreed. We're missing information here. And "we" includes you. You really need to record a sample and put it online (if you want us to be helpful) or ask other teachers (who you trust) to sit in on your class. But I promise you that most students don't think loud, deep and passionate = angry. I wish I knew what else you were doing to give them this impression. But without seeing and hearing you, I don't see how anyone can answer.
Here's one stab in the dark: are you "just answering"?
I am somewhere on the Aspergers spectrum, and I have a habit of giving neutral, straightforward answers to questions. I don't add anything to my answer that doesn't directly address the question. I don't try to project "you were stupid for asking that." (And I never think that.) Nor do I try to project "Wow, what an awesome question!" I just answer.
In my mind, that's all that's necessary, and if I don't give people any specific reason to read anger (or whatever) into my response, I don't see why they should think of me as being angry.
But for many people, when communication gets to a "just the facts, ma'am" level, it becomes too impersonal. And since they're only that impersonal when they're upset, they assume you must be upset.
Example:
Waiter: Good evening, sir. Can I take you drink order?
Me: Sure. I'd like a glass of red wine.
vs.
Waiter : Good evening, sir. Can I take your drink order?
Me: Hey, how are you doing? Looks pretty busy here, tonight. Oh... drink order. Right. Okay. Can I have a glass of red wine? Thanks!
That's an exaggeration. But I have noticed that a certain number of people DO translate simple directness as impatience, rudeness or anger. It seems massively unfair to me. You asked me a question and I'm just ANSWERING it. But a lot of people are built to interpret "just answering" as rude.
I really like the advice, above, of saying, "Good question" or something like that. Just SOMETHING to acknowledge that you're partaking in a human interaction, and that you wouldn't be just as happy sitting back and letting a robot blurt out answers.
Some teachers repeat the question back before answering. This can also help other students hear the question.
Student: Do we use Cosine or Sine in that problem?
Teacher: Good question. [To the class.] The question was, do we use Cosine or Sine in that problem? Well, generally you'd use Cosine, but...
You can also use student's names to make things a bit more human.
Student: I don't understand the third step on the board.
Teacher: Hey, John. Okay, well. The third step...
And if it's a huge class -- sounds like it is -- you can ask names, which will show that you care about people on a human-to-human level
Student: I don't understand the third step on the board.
Teacher: Good question. Can you tell me your name?
Student: It's John.
Teacher: Okay, John... Well...
It can also be useful to check in AFTER answering a question:
Teacher: The answer is x over y, but make sure you reduce all the fractions. Does that make sense, John? Any confusions? Okay, great...
posted by grumblebee at 10:32 AM on January 28, 2011 [7 favorites]
This is a shot in the dark, but look in the mirror and put on your "I'm thinking" face. Do you have creases between your eyebrows? This is how my DH looks, and it does appear very angry. He teaches, and I jokingly threatened him with botox if he didn't learn to relax his face when answering questions.
posted by Knowyournuts at 10:41 AM on January 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Knowyournuts at 10:41 AM on January 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
I like the advice given above suggesting that you reply with some variant of "good question" before answering, and just wanted to add that you probably don't even have to say it out loud every time. a smile or a nod at the student while you are thinking "good question" will get the point across as well. A pause and a positive demeanour is all you need.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 10:51 AM on January 28, 2011
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 10:51 AM on January 28, 2011
What do you do with your face when you are concentrating, like when you're thinking to answer a question? Do you furrow your brow or narrow your eyes? Do you frown? (I frown when I'm thinking. Terrible habit.) Does your face just go blank?
Definitely video yourself and take a look, because you might be giving off all kinds of unconscious signals. See if you can find a friend to go over the video with you, since you know your own face and what you *mean* when you're making a particular face; it might be coming across very differently from what you think.
posted by galadriel at 10:56 AM on January 28, 2011
Definitely video yourself and take a look, because you might be giving off all kinds of unconscious signals. See if you can find a friend to go over the video with you, since you know your own face and what you *mean* when you're making a particular face; it might be coming across very differently from what you think.
posted by galadriel at 10:56 AM on January 28, 2011
Nthing reinforcing questioning.
"Thanks, Whitney, for your question!" Or "Great question!" People LOVE to be told they are asking good questions. Utilize this trait and reap rewards!
posted by hecho de la basura at 11:10 AM on January 28, 2011
"Thanks, Whitney, for your question!" Or "Great question!" People LOVE to be told they are asking good questions. Utilize this trait and reap rewards!
posted by hecho de la basura at 11:10 AM on January 28, 2011
I second the suggestion for a microphone.
posted by Lobster Garden at 11:10 AM on January 28, 2011
posted by Lobster Garden at 11:10 AM on January 28, 2011
Smile more.
Thanks the kids for their question.
In my experience, both teaching and learning, if one person voices a question, probably five people have the same question, so the questions are an opportunity for you to enhance the educational experience for a significant portion of your class. So, even if it feels corny or rehearsed to you, say, "That's a great question." or "Thanks for speaking up." or "I appreciate you bringing that question up."
Optional bonus points: Make eye contact with the asker when you smile and appreciate their asking the question.
If you're not sure about all this, just videotape yourself and watch it back with someone else you trust to give you feedback.
posted by arnicae at 11:13 AM on January 28, 2011
Thanks the kids for their question.
In my experience, both teaching and learning, if one person voices a question, probably five people have the same question, so the questions are an opportunity for you to enhance the educational experience for a significant portion of your class. So, even if it feels corny or rehearsed to you, say, "That's a great question." or "Thanks for speaking up." or "I appreciate you bringing that question up."
Optional bonus points: Make eye contact with the asker when you smile and appreciate their asking the question.
If you're not sure about all this, just videotape yourself and watch it back with someone else you trust to give you feedback.
posted by arnicae at 11:13 AM on January 28, 2011
This is the Internet! Upload a video, and let's see.
posted by littlegreenlights at 11:23 AM on January 28, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by littlegreenlights at 11:23 AM on January 28, 2011 [3 favorites]
I sometimes sigh right before answering a question at work. I do it to clear my head and focus, but plenty of people preceive it as me saying "Jesus Christ, another idiot and their stupid questions. Why am I surrounded by such losers?". So I try not to do it any more.
It might be something as simple as that.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 11:31 AM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
It might be something as simple as that.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 11:31 AM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
"When they do ask (appropriate) questions, I do my best to answer them in a clear and concise way."
Boy did this (potentially important detail) jump out at me. What percentage of their questions do you deem as being "appropriate"? Could it be (probably) that part of what you're teaching them is to not ask questions because you may not find them to be appropriate? I also wonder if "clear and concise" comes off as cold and angry.
Just out of curiosity... do you genuinely like your students?
"I must speak loudly and clearly."
Certainly. But are you enjoying the lesson? Do you think your students are enjoying it as well? One of my favorite professors in college was a man who had a deadpan delivery, not to mention a pretty horrible scratchy voice. That's just who he was. And it was obvious that he'd taught the same lesson a million times before. But he sometimes cracked jokes and it was also obvious that he liked his students and was passionate about sharing something he cared about with them. I never got to know him beyond the classroom, but I enjoyed his class very much.
posted by 2oh1 at 11:47 AM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Boy did this (potentially important detail) jump out at me. What percentage of their questions do you deem as being "appropriate"? Could it be (probably) that part of what you're teaching them is to not ask questions because you may not find them to be appropriate? I also wonder if "clear and concise" comes off as cold and angry.
Just out of curiosity... do you genuinely like your students?
"I must speak loudly and clearly."
Certainly. But are you enjoying the lesson? Do you think your students are enjoying it as well? One of my favorite professors in college was a man who had a deadpan delivery, not to mention a pretty horrible scratchy voice. That's just who he was. And it was obvious that he'd taught the same lesson a million times before. But he sometimes cracked jokes and it was also obvious that he liked his students and was passionate about sharing something he cared about with them. I never got to know him beyond the classroom, but I enjoyed his class very much.
posted by 2oh1 at 11:47 AM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for the input, everyone.
For reference, the rooms are small enough not to warrant a microphone, but large enough that speaking at the volume one would use at the dinner table would not be sufficient. I am projecting my voice, but not yelling at the top of my lungs or anything like that.
Some things you brought up that I do:
1. I do indeed furrow my brow and narrow my eyes when a student is asking a question, so that I can try to suss out what they're asking. Usually when a student is confused, they have a hard time articulating the problem they're having, and it requires me to concentrate. This face is probably being interpreted as one of annoyance.
2. I think I do the sighing thing too.
3. I do say "good question" or "thanks for bringing that up" from time to time.
4. I do crack the occasional joke so that the students hopefully see me as more human and less of an "oracle of mathematics" or some such.
5. I do check in with the student who asked the question periodically as we go through it on the board.
6. I probably am occasionally too curt. If a student asks a question about computing volume of revolution of some solid (for example), these questions are easy to do and should take almost no time at all. I go slowly on the board and try to keep everyone on the same page throughout, but I'm not going to take 15 minutes to do some homework exercise that should take 1.
carsonb mentioned that the student really may be asking me to do question 2 on the quiz while he looks at it. These are the types of questions that should be answered in the "lab" session, and when these questions arise, I usually say "let's save that one for the lab session" or something. I also post solutions to all the quizzes and tests, and remind them they are available. I guess that in reminding them that they need to look there first and see if their questions are answered, I come off as cold and uncaring. What I'm trying to do is get them to learn on their own, a technique that high schools don't really address very well.
Thanks again. If I can get my hands on a video camera, I'll tape a lecture or two next week and return to this AskMe.
posted by King Bee at 1:03 PM on January 28, 2011
For reference, the rooms are small enough not to warrant a microphone, but large enough that speaking at the volume one would use at the dinner table would not be sufficient. I am projecting my voice, but not yelling at the top of my lungs or anything like that.
Some things you brought up that I do:
1. I do indeed furrow my brow and narrow my eyes when a student is asking a question, so that I can try to suss out what they're asking. Usually when a student is confused, they have a hard time articulating the problem they're having, and it requires me to concentrate. This face is probably being interpreted as one of annoyance.
2. I think I do the sighing thing too.
3. I do say "good question" or "thanks for bringing that up" from time to time.
4. I do crack the occasional joke so that the students hopefully see me as more human and less of an "oracle of mathematics" or some such.
5. I do check in with the student who asked the question periodically as we go through it on the board.
6. I probably am occasionally too curt. If a student asks a question about computing volume of revolution of some solid (for example), these questions are easy to do and should take almost no time at all. I go slowly on the board and try to keep everyone on the same page throughout, but I'm not going to take 15 minutes to do some homework exercise that should take 1.
carsonb mentioned that the student really may be asking me to do question 2 on the quiz while he looks at it. These are the types of questions that should be answered in the "lab" session, and when these questions arise, I usually say "let's save that one for the lab session" or something. I also post solutions to all the quizzes and tests, and remind them they are available. I guess that in reminding them that they need to look there first and see if their questions are answered, I come off as cold and uncaring. What I'm trying to do is get them to learn on their own, a technique that high schools don't really address very well.
Thanks again. If I can get my hands on a video camera, I'll tape a lecture or two next week and return to this AskMe.
posted by King Bee at 1:03 PM on January 28, 2011
Why not start your next class period with this:
"This is a little off-topic guys, but I need your help on something. [Open with a smile, be humble.] It seems in the evaluations you gave for me, many of you are under the impression that I'm pissed off all the time. Since that is certainly NOT how I feel on the inside, I need you to tell me... what exactly IS it that gives you this impression of me??." [That last with a small bit of incredulity that you could even possibly be giving the impression, again a bit tongue-in-cheek and humble.]
"I would very much like to learn what it is that gives off the wrong impression so that I can correct it and make all my current and future students comfortable in my class. Can someone please give an example of a time when they thought I was angry?"
Write things down on the board or a notepad as the students speak. Do NOT give explanations of the behavior they're talking about. Do NOT get defensive about any of it. You are only gathering information at this point, which you can act on later (or not) as you see fit. Maybe those actions will be to change your habits, or maybe you will give a disclaimer at the beginning of the term as someone previously suggested. Whatever it is you end up doing, DON'T DO IT DURING THIS SESSION. Just gather info.
Nothing like going to the source instead of trying to ask a bunch of internet strangers who've never had you for a teacher. And taking this approach will NOT undermine your credibility or authority as a teacher -- the issue is interpersonal relations, NOT mathematics. If anything, this should endear you to your students. Given that they currently think you're pissed all the time, there's nowhere to go but up!
posted by wwartorff at 1:09 PM on January 28, 2011
"This is a little off-topic guys, but I need your help on something. [Open with a smile, be humble.] It seems in the evaluations you gave for me, many of you are under the impression that I'm pissed off all the time. Since that is certainly NOT how I feel on the inside, I need you to tell me... what exactly IS it that gives you this impression of me??." [That last with a small bit of incredulity that you could even possibly be giving the impression, again a bit tongue-in-cheek and humble.]
"I would very much like to learn what it is that gives off the wrong impression so that I can correct it and make all my current and future students comfortable in my class. Can someone please give an example of a time when they thought I was angry?"
Write things down on the board or a notepad as the students speak. Do NOT give explanations of the behavior they're talking about. Do NOT get defensive about any of it. You are only gathering information at this point, which you can act on later (or not) as you see fit. Maybe those actions will be to change your habits, or maybe you will give a disclaimer at the beginning of the term as someone previously suggested. Whatever it is you end up doing, DON'T DO IT DURING THIS SESSION. Just gather info.
Nothing like going to the source instead of trying to ask a bunch of internet strangers who've never had you for a teacher. And taking this approach will NOT undermine your credibility or authority as a teacher -- the issue is interpersonal relations, NOT mathematics. If anything, this should endear you to your students. Given that they currently think you're pissed all the time, there's nowhere to go but up!
posted by wwartorff at 1:09 PM on January 28, 2011
I just checked to see if you're one of my math professors. (You're not, so I can't give you direct feedback. Drat!)
The guy is speaking to a large classroom and is loud, especially if you're in the front row and he's right in your face. He's also incredibly direct. A good percentage of the class did poorly on the last quiz and he said something like "You guys REALLY aren't getting how important [basic concept] is," and I'm sure is intimidating to students who aren't used to direct criticism.
The guy doesn't come off as angry to me, just passionate and extremely animated. But I could definitely see a good portion of the class interpreting it as anger.
One thing he does that really helps is that whenever a student asks a question, he says that it's a good question and thanks them for asking, even if it's stupid and even if they should know the answer. He also tries to engage with the class in conversation while waiting for official class time to start; yesterday he started by asking for movie recommendations. It's kind of dweeby, but it does communicate that he's not feeling put out by having to deal with us.
As far as inappropriate questions go, instead of scolding a student who asks about their quiz score, ask them if their question is about how to do the problem or about how it was graded. If it's the latter, tell them you'll speak to them after class because you want to focus on the material itself during lecture.
Just as anecdata: Once I spoke up when I had some points taken off on an assignment. The professor wanted to know if we had any questions about the material, and, well, I did. I assumed that the grading was correct but that I didn't understand something important. Instead of letting me finish my question, he cut me off in a very condescending way. I resented that for a while. Sure, "I missed some points on question 1 but I don't know why" probably wasn't the best opening, but he didn't give me a chance.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 1:20 PM on January 28, 2011
The guy is speaking to a large classroom and is loud, especially if you're in the front row and he's right in your face. He's also incredibly direct. A good percentage of the class did poorly on the last quiz and he said something like "You guys REALLY aren't getting how important [basic concept] is," and I'm sure is intimidating to students who aren't used to direct criticism.
The guy doesn't come off as angry to me, just passionate and extremely animated. But I could definitely see a good portion of the class interpreting it as anger.
One thing he does that really helps is that whenever a student asks a question, he says that it's a good question and thanks them for asking, even if it's stupid and even if they should know the answer. He also tries to engage with the class in conversation while waiting for official class time to start; yesterday he started by asking for movie recommendations. It's kind of dweeby, but it does communicate that he's not feeling put out by having to deal with us.
As far as inappropriate questions go, instead of scolding a student who asks about their quiz score, ask them if their question is about how to do the problem or about how it was graded. If it's the latter, tell them you'll speak to them after class because you want to focus on the material itself during lecture.
Just as anecdata: Once I spoke up when I had some points taken off on an assignment. The professor wanted to know if we had any questions about the material, and, well, I did. I assumed that the grading was correct but that I didn't understand something important. Instead of letting me finish my question, he cut me off in a very condescending way. I resented that for a while. Sure, "I missed some points on question 1 but I don't know why" probably wasn't the best opening, but he didn't give me a chance.
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 1:20 PM on January 28, 2011
(I am a teacher, and my husband is a math teacher.) I think there are some great suggestions here. I just want to note that encouraging myself to smile slightly while talking has been very useful for me; my natural facial position looks glum or depressed even when I'm not (strangers on BART have told me to cheer up when I was perfectly mellow!). That can be lethal to students. Even a slight smile can totally alter your tone.
If the video isn't helpful, get a trusted colleague to observe you (if your school is for some reason lacking a regular observation schedule). Of course, don't tell the colleague "They think I get angry, but I don't, do I?" However, it may be useful to request a focus on how you handle questions, including tone and body language.
It's good that you're taking this seriously instead of just dismissing it since you know you're not angry. :)
posted by wintersweet at 1:34 PM on January 28, 2011
If the video isn't helpful, get a trusted colleague to observe you (if your school is for some reason lacking a regular observation schedule). Of course, don't tell the colleague "They think I get angry, but I don't, do I?" However, it may be useful to request a focus on how you handle questions, including tone and body language.
It's good that you're taking this seriously instead of just dismissing it since you know you're not angry. :)
posted by wintersweet at 1:34 PM on January 28, 2011
You could also say something like "That's a really good question/Thanks for asking that question" before you start to reply.
Nearly all my professors do this all the time.
If they're asking "inappropriate" questions, just say lightly "come see me after class", unless in the example provided, the student was really asking you to show them what was wrong, not reiterate your grading policy.
I'm guessing you sound brusque or impatient when you answer. Slow down and give the question your full attention. You may be so clear and concise that it sounds as if you are being dismissive. I'm not saying you have to BS with a bunch of fluff, but take a second, then answer, and ask the student "is that what you were looking for?" or "does that help?" That signals to them that if they don't get it, you're willing to expound further.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:59 PM on January 28, 2011
Nearly all my professors do this all the time.
If they're asking "inappropriate" questions, just say lightly "come see me after class", unless in the example provided, the student was really asking you to show them what was wrong, not reiterate your grading policy.
I'm guessing you sound brusque or impatient when you answer. Slow down and give the question your full attention. You may be so clear and concise that it sounds as if you are being dismissive. I'm not saying you have to BS with a bunch of fluff, but take a second, then answer, and ask the student "is that what you were looking for?" or "does that help?" That signals to them that if they don't get it, you're willing to expound further.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:59 PM on January 28, 2011
I do my best to answer them in a clear and concise way.
Mathematicians write and talk to one another in a concise way, I realize. I'm even a science academic and understand well the use of brevity in technical communications. However, as a student the least useful thing for me was conciseness. To my mind, the deep power of math is that it provides a system for describing and working with abstracted commonalities in superficially different systems. However, this is really hard to understand! Concise communication is great if everyone already thinks the same way, but when you are trying to teach an audience that doesn't yet understand, you want them to have as many different possible angles to approach a correct understanding as possible. Speaking from experience, anything else is going to feel somewhat dismissive and terse, which is often a characteristic of annoyed speech.
To boil it down, remember what it's like to not understand the material you are teaching. Be sympathetic to _that_ perspective, at least to undergrads, and view your role as a bridge between the educated layman and a professional mathematician.
posted by Schismatic at 2:04 PM on January 28, 2011
Mathematicians write and talk to one another in a concise way, I realize. I'm even a science academic and understand well the use of brevity in technical communications. However, as a student the least useful thing for me was conciseness. To my mind, the deep power of math is that it provides a system for describing and working with abstracted commonalities in superficially different systems. However, this is really hard to understand! Concise communication is great if everyone already thinks the same way, but when you are trying to teach an audience that doesn't yet understand, you want them to have as many different possible angles to approach a correct understanding as possible. Speaking from experience, anything else is going to feel somewhat dismissive and terse, which is often a characteristic of annoyed speech.
To boil it down, remember what it's like to not understand the material you are teaching. Be sympathetic to _that_ perspective, at least to undergrads, and view your role as a bridge between the educated layman and a professional mathematician.
posted by Schismatic at 2:04 PM on January 28, 2011
As far as inappropriate questions go, instead of scolding a student who asks about their quiz score, ask them if their question is about how to do the problem or about how it was graded. If it's the latter, tell them you'll speak to them after class because you want to focus on the material itself during lecture.
It sounded to me like this is the strategy currently being employed! I didn't get the sense that there's any scolding, just the comment that this isn't the appropriate time for that discussion.
And all of you who seem to be saying "there are no inappropriate questions".... Sometimes, really, it's just not the time to answer that particular question. Sometimes, even, you can't answer a good student question because eventually, you have to get through new material in the lecture.
As to the issue at hand---
I have hypothesized in the past when I've gotten similar comments from some students (she's condescending, she thinks we're stupid, etc.) that some students are just so math-phobic that they are projecting onto you what they are thinking about themselves: as in, `I know that's such a stupid question that the professor must be angry with me!'.
Having said that, if you got multiple students making the same comment, it probably is something you're doing unconsciously---my bet would be the scowling-while-thinking and sighing...and I wish I had a good solution for you (because then I could use it myself!).
(My husband has a problem with comments on student evaluations: he's 6'4" and bearded, and students say he's intimidating. I---at 5' even---never get that particular comment. So some of it you just don't have any control over.)
I try really hard to do the "Good question!"-bit when someone asks a question, and reiterate it at the end, although I worry that it ends up sounding insincere.
Repeating the student's question back as you're trying to figure out what she's getting at might be helpful.
(But overall, student evaluations are typically full of crap. Hopefully you're not at an institution that thinks that all comments made by students on evaluations are the gospel truth. If you are --- and even if you're not--- you should think about asking one or two of your colleagues to sit in on your class and then to write an evaluation letter to go in your file. If they pick up on the issues, then when you're up for evaluation you can say "blah blah issues on student evaluations" blah blah peer observation blah blah mitigation, or otherwise blah blah issues blah blah peer evaluation blah.)
posted by leahwrenn at 2:49 PM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
It sounded to me like this is the strategy currently being employed! I didn't get the sense that there's any scolding, just the comment that this isn't the appropriate time for that discussion.
And all of you who seem to be saying "there are no inappropriate questions".... Sometimes, really, it's just not the time to answer that particular question. Sometimes, even, you can't answer a good student question because eventually, you have to get through new material in the lecture.
As to the issue at hand---
I have hypothesized in the past when I've gotten similar comments from some students (she's condescending, she thinks we're stupid, etc.) that some students are just so math-phobic that they are projecting onto you what they are thinking about themselves: as in, `I know that's such a stupid question that the professor must be angry with me!'.
Having said that, if you got multiple students making the same comment, it probably is something you're doing unconsciously---my bet would be the scowling-while-thinking and sighing...and I wish I had a good solution for you (because then I could use it myself!).
(My husband has a problem with comments on student evaluations: he's 6'4" and bearded, and students say he's intimidating. I---at 5' even---never get that particular comment. So some of it you just don't have any control over.)
I try really hard to do the "Good question!"-bit when someone asks a question, and reiterate it at the end, although I worry that it ends up sounding insincere.
Repeating the student's question back as you're trying to figure out what she's getting at might be helpful.
(But overall, student evaluations are typically full of crap. Hopefully you're not at an institution that thinks that all comments made by students on evaluations are the gospel truth. If you are --- and even if you're not--- you should think about asking one or two of your colleagues to sit in on your class and then to write an evaluation letter to go in your file. If they pick up on the issues, then when you're up for evaluation you can say "blah blah issues on student evaluations" blah blah peer observation blah blah mitigation, or otherwise blah blah issues blah blah peer evaluation blah.)
posted by leahwrenn at 2:49 PM on January 28, 2011 [1 favorite]
Do you have a foreign accent? I've seen some academics from other countries (thinking especially of Russia and Germany here) whose normal friendly tone of voice can be intimidating to inexperienced students because of the accent.
Also, the math culture of concision and expecting that there is a clearcut standard of right and wrong (eg, either your proof is valid or it isn't) is foreign to many students - so for a mathematician, saying "We can see that's wrong. We'll try it another way..." feels neutral or even friendly, but it can be intimidating to a student accustomed to other disciplines.
But yeah - many good suggestions above. Even if it feels phony, beginning your answer to every question with "Oh, excellent, yes - it's good you mention that (or whatever positive thing) makes a big difference. I always begin replies with this, even if the followup is 100% negative and makes clear they are totally mistaken: "Oh, that's a good thought, I'm glad you brought that up -- a lot of people had a hard time with that on the exam. I can understand why people get hung up on this but that method is totally wrong, it won't ever work. Let's look at why."
posted by LobsterMitten at 3:40 PM on January 28, 2011
Also, the math culture of concision and expecting that there is a clearcut standard of right and wrong (eg, either your proof is valid or it isn't) is foreign to many students - so for a mathematician, saying "We can see that's wrong. We'll try it another way..." feels neutral or even friendly, but it can be intimidating to a student accustomed to other disciplines.
But yeah - many good suggestions above. Even if it feels phony, beginning your answer to every question with "Oh, excellent, yes - it's good you mention that (or whatever positive thing) makes a big difference. I always begin replies with this, even if the followup is 100% negative and makes clear they are totally mistaken: "Oh, that's a good thought, I'm glad you brought that up -- a lot of people had a hard time with that on the exam. I can understand why people get hung up on this but that method is totally wrong, it won't ever work. Let's look at why."
posted by LobsterMitten at 3:40 PM on January 28, 2011
Nthing two very useful steps you can take:
1) Video-ing the entire lecture. It will be painful to watch (I know I hate to watch video or listen to audio of myself). Watch it with another faculty member who you respect and trust and, perhaps, someone closer to the student's demographic (thinking a grad student, perhaps, or someone who works at the school).
2) Having a colleague -- especially someone who you know has thought deeply and worked hard at teaching -- sit in on a lecture, and give you feedback.
posted by bumpkin at 3:45 PM on January 28, 2011
1) Video-ing the entire lecture. It will be painful to watch (I know I hate to watch video or listen to audio of myself). Watch it with another faculty member who you respect and trust and, perhaps, someone closer to the student's demographic (thinking a grad student, perhaps, or someone who works at the school).
2) Having a colleague -- especially someone who you know has thought deeply and worked hard at teaching -- sit in on a lecture, and give you feedback.
posted by bumpkin at 3:45 PM on January 28, 2011
For reference, the rooms are small enough not to warrant a microphone, but large enough that speaking at the volume one would use at the dinner table would not be sufficient. I am projecting my voice, but not yelling at the top of my lungs or anything like that.
This is wrong. I know nothing about your classroom or voice, but I can guarantee you that this assessment is incorrect. Classroom sound-field reinforcement is a woefully neglected field, and studies show that teacher voice-amplification is absolutely one of the most efficient and cost effective to way to increase desired learning incomes, while reducing vocal fatigue and teacher absences.
A few tidbits top ponder:
There is no minimum standard for acoustic quality in most classrooms, and 90% of classroom environments fall below the minimum Ansi Standards. This requires teachers to speak more loudly. But this doesn't increase comprehension, as the louder vowels mask the fricatives. Students typically miss 25% of what a teacher says. In the back row, this can reach 40% of the content. Students in amplified classrooms score 10% higher on standardized achievement tests.
In North America, vocal fatigue and throat infection accounts for 10 - 16% of teacher absences.
In Dubuque Iowa, voice amplification reduced teacher absenteeism by 63%. Here in B.C, fully 50% of the patients at the Provincial Voice Care Resource Program at VGH are teachers. A trial of amplified classrooms reduced reported voice problems from 70% of reporting teachers to just 27% after sound field installation.
Other issues aside, it's extremely rare to encounter a classroom environment that won't benefit from some sound reinforcement.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 3:49 PM on January 28, 2011 [5 favorites]
This is wrong. I know nothing about your classroom or voice, but I can guarantee you that this assessment is incorrect. Classroom sound-field reinforcement is a woefully neglected field, and studies show that teacher voice-amplification is absolutely one of the most efficient and cost effective to way to increase desired learning incomes, while reducing vocal fatigue and teacher absences.
A few tidbits top ponder:
There is no minimum standard for acoustic quality in most classrooms, and 90% of classroom environments fall below the minimum Ansi Standards. This requires teachers to speak more loudly. But this doesn't increase comprehension, as the louder vowels mask the fricatives. Students typically miss 25% of what a teacher says. In the back row, this can reach 40% of the content. Students in amplified classrooms score 10% higher on standardized achievement tests.
In North America, vocal fatigue and throat infection accounts for 10 - 16% of teacher absences.
In Dubuque Iowa, voice amplification reduced teacher absenteeism by 63%. Here in B.C, fully 50% of the patients at the Provincial Voice Care Resource Program at VGH are teachers. A trial of amplified classrooms reduced reported voice problems from 70% of reporting teachers to just 27% after sound field installation.
Other issues aside, it's extremely rare to encounter a classroom environment that won't benefit from some sound reinforcement.
posted by PareidoliaticBoy at 3:49 PM on January 28, 2011 [5 favorites]
For the longest time, my personal narrative was that "my high school math teacher was really mean." Then one day as an adult many years later I ran into him in public. And you know what? He was a perfectly nice, calm, and reasonable human being. He wasn't mean at all.
Running it back through my head, I didn't tag him with the label "mean" because he yelled or stomped or shook his fists at us. I'm honestly not sure what caused that perception, actually.
What I can tell you is that I was incredibly anxious about math, and self-conscious about my math abilities (or lack thereof), and easily cowed. I don't remember ever asking a question in class; I was too scared.
In other words, I was simply reflecting my own insecurities upon him. And he, not being a warm fuzzy guy - being more of an efficient and rational person - did nothing to overcome that.
So it might also take an awareness that math is hard, and people get nervous and anxious, and traits (like a subtle small sigh) that might be overlooked in other contexts will get blown out of proportion in a math teacher. And once someone has been labeled "angry" in your mind, it's very hard to escape that judgment.
posted by ErikaB at 4:25 PM on January 28, 2011
Running it back through my head, I didn't tag him with the label "mean" because he yelled or stomped or shook his fists at us. I'm honestly not sure what caused that perception, actually.
What I can tell you is that I was incredibly anxious about math, and self-conscious about my math abilities (or lack thereof), and easily cowed. I don't remember ever asking a question in class; I was too scared.
In other words, I was simply reflecting my own insecurities upon him. And he, not being a warm fuzzy guy - being more of an efficient and rational person - did nothing to overcome that.
So it might also take an awareness that math is hard, and people get nervous and anxious, and traits (like a subtle small sigh) that might be overlooked in other contexts will get blown out of proportion in a math teacher. And once someone has been labeled "angry" in your mind, it's very hard to escape that judgment.
posted by ErikaB at 4:25 PM on January 28, 2011
On the upside, it's great that you have an opportunity to get this feedback. Most people don't get the chance to fine-tune their public presentation. Even though it's frustrating, you have a great chance to see what results your efforts bring.
posted by mercredi at 5:07 PM on January 28, 2011
posted by mercredi at 5:07 PM on January 28, 2011
I had a math teacher like you in 8th grade. He never did anything overtly mean except give a searing glare every now and then to anyone who had the temerity to act up in his class, but he had a reputation for being a really mean mofo. Like you, he was also very passionate when teaching and had a deep, resonate voice; he also had a dry, sarcastic sense of humor and sported a full beard, which, for some people, can be off-putting. Perhaps the beard and his wry nature made it hard for his students to read him. I don't know. Like everyone else, I was terrified of him. Then one day, I stayed after school in his class to try and complete the extra credit questions on a test. They were extremely hard and I was having a terrible time; every few minutes, I'd timidly approach his desk and hand my paper over, after having given up in frustration. Each time, he'd look my paper over, hand it back to me and say, "Try again".
Confused, but too scared to disobey, I'd slink back to my desk and re-do the problems. At one point, I was so frustrated, I was near tears. This went on for nearly two hours before he finally accepted my test. Not once did he look at the clock or express impatience with me. He just kept telling me to try again or remind me of a recent assignment that was related to the material I was working on.
The next day when he handed the tests back, to my shock (and the slack-jawed horror of the uber brainiacs in the class), I had the highest score in the class -- 100% on both the test and the extra credit questions! For me (who all year had felt like the dumbest kid in the smart kid class) this was a huge deal. It gave me a shot of confidence I can't even begin to describe, at a time in my life when I really needed it. To this day, I still look back on that defining moment when I'm confronted with one of life's challenges. That "mean" teacher made me feel like I could accomplish anything if I just try hard enough and never give up.
Sorry if I'm rambling and may not have a cut and dried answer to your question, but I think it's important for you to know that your students will eventually be able to see you as the passionate, caring teacher that you are if you can just relax and do what you do best: teach. Give them time. Maybe you could even have an after school math pizza party or something like that so they can see you're not some scary ogre, but just a guy who really wants them to learn. If they see you when you're not in "teacher mode" that might help them get used to your facial expressions and mannerisms and then they'll be less scared of you in the classroom. Best of luck!
posted by LuckySeven~ at 5:46 PM on January 28, 2011 [4 favorites]
Confused, but too scared to disobey, I'd slink back to my desk and re-do the problems. At one point, I was so frustrated, I was near tears. This went on for nearly two hours before he finally accepted my test. Not once did he look at the clock or express impatience with me. He just kept telling me to try again or remind me of a recent assignment that was related to the material I was working on.
The next day when he handed the tests back, to my shock (and the slack-jawed horror of the uber brainiacs in the class), I had the highest score in the class -- 100% on both the test and the extra credit questions! For me (who all year had felt like the dumbest kid in the smart kid class) this was a huge deal. It gave me a shot of confidence I can't even begin to describe, at a time in my life when I really needed it. To this day, I still look back on that defining moment when I'm confronted with one of life's challenges. That "mean" teacher made me feel like I could accomplish anything if I just try hard enough and never give up.
Sorry if I'm rambling and may not have a cut and dried answer to your question, but I think it's important for you to know that your students will eventually be able to see you as the passionate, caring teacher that you are if you can just relax and do what you do best: teach. Give them time. Maybe you could even have an after school math pizza party or something like that so they can see you're not some scary ogre, but just a guy who really wants them to learn. If they see you when you're not in "teacher mode" that might help them get used to your facial expressions and mannerisms and then they'll be less scared of you in the classroom. Best of luck!
posted by LuckySeven~ at 5:46 PM on January 28, 2011 [4 favorites]
I once had a Prof who would begin our informal seminars by explaining at great length, in a casual tone of voice, that we were engaging in a free exchange of ideas and concepts where anything could be considered and anything was possible and cross-fertilization and creativity and so on.
If anyone in the seminar dared to express any idea or concept which did not coincide with his personal theories, he suddenly became agitated, confused, and visibly upset.
If you really want honest feedback, don't be that Prof.
posted by ovvl at 6:42 PM on January 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
If anyone in the seminar dared to express any idea or concept which did not coincide with his personal theories, he suddenly became agitated, confused, and visibly upset.
If you really want honest feedback, don't be that Prof.
posted by ovvl at 6:42 PM on January 28, 2011 [2 favorites]
I think that math has to be one of the most difficult subjects to teach - once you understand it, it becomes so obvious that it's hard to remember how you could have not known.
If a student asks a question about computing volume of revolution of some solid (for example), these questions are easy to do and should take almost no time at all.
Are you teaching them this computation in class, or are they expected to know it from a previous class? I know that I sometimes struggled because certain important concepts and formulas just happened to get skipped over, or assumed to be already covered in other courses. It may only take a minute for you to solve, but it takes a little longer to work it out together (especially since you should be prompting the student to provide you all of the necessary information to solve the problem). I understand that you can't answer every question in class, but you can act like you'd be thrilled to cover it during your office hours.
I would really suggest getting a microphone, because a strong, reverberating voice from a large man can be quite threatening.
posted by fermezporte at 6:34 AM on January 29, 2011
If a student asks a question about computing volume of revolution of some solid (for example), these questions are easy to do and should take almost no time at all.
Are you teaching them this computation in class, or are they expected to know it from a previous class? I know that I sometimes struggled because certain important concepts and formulas just happened to get skipped over, or assumed to be already covered in other courses. It may only take a minute for you to solve, but it takes a little longer to work it out together (especially since you should be prompting the student to provide you all of the necessary information to solve the problem). I understand that you can't answer every question in class, but you can act like you'd be thrilled to cover it during your office hours.
I would really suggest getting a microphone, because a strong, reverberating voice from a large man can be quite threatening.
posted by fermezporte at 6:34 AM on January 29, 2011
But overall, student evaluations are typically full of crap.
I spend a lot of time on professor and TA evaluations; often I'm the last one to turn them in. I hope they aren't falling on deaf ears because professors consider evaluations to typically be full of crap.
If the OP were one of my professors, I would be heartened to know that they were trying to make sense of these evaluations, not dismiss them. Yes, people's relationship to professors can hinge on very small and seemingly insignificant actions that are very hard for the professor to control for. However, most students want to learn; they want to feel like they can ask questions. I think it is commendable that King Bee is trying to sort this out.
posted by oneirodynia at 4:43 PM on January 29, 2011
I spend a lot of time on professor and TA evaluations; often I'm the last one to turn them in. I hope they aren't falling on deaf ears because professors consider evaluations to typically be full of crap.
If the OP were one of my professors, I would be heartened to know that they were trying to make sense of these evaluations, not dismiss them. Yes, people's relationship to professors can hinge on very small and seemingly insignificant actions that are very hard for the professor to control for. However, most students want to learn; they want to feel like they can ask questions. I think it is commendable that King Bee is trying to sort this out.
posted by oneirodynia at 4:43 PM on January 29, 2011
Thoughtfully written evaluations from students who have taken the class seriously are gold even if they're negative. But they are relatively rare.
Overwhelmingly, student evals do not say much - they give you some numerical rankings and might include comments like "I liked the readings" or "there was too much reading", which in many cases contradict what other students in the same class will say. Most students just do not spend more than a couple of minutes filling them in.
Then in most classes even with well-liked profs there will be someone who was annoyed or angry about something, but will only explain in a terse way: "Prof X really doesn't know the material" (although often this is a proxy for "Prof X didn't do a good job explaining the material at a level that was right for this class"), or "Prof X is a jerk" (or worse) with no detail about what the problem was. So what can you do with that, as a teacher, except feel bad that this one person had a bad experience (or hates you for some reason)?
Sometimes you get a situation where everyone says the same thing, and it's news to you. This question is a good example - "I felt intimidated by Prof X", that's good - now you have something concrete to work on, and when a lot of students are saying it, you know there's something to it.
So - student evals definitely get read by profs and department chairs. In many cases they are not that helpful. Sometimes they are helpful, and that is great. So you're doing the right thing by filling them out thoughtfully.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:07 PM on January 29, 2011
Overwhelmingly, student evals do not say much - they give you some numerical rankings and might include comments like "I liked the readings" or "there was too much reading", which in many cases contradict what other students in the same class will say. Most students just do not spend more than a couple of minutes filling them in.
Then in most classes even with well-liked profs there will be someone who was annoyed or angry about something, but will only explain in a terse way: "Prof X really doesn't know the material" (although often this is a proxy for "Prof X didn't do a good job explaining the material at a level that was right for this class"), or "Prof X is a jerk" (or worse) with no detail about what the problem was. So what can you do with that, as a teacher, except feel bad that this one person had a bad experience (or hates you for some reason)?
Sometimes you get a situation where everyone says the same thing, and it's news to you. This question is a good example - "I felt intimidated by Prof X", that's good - now you have something concrete to work on, and when a lot of students are saying it, you know there's something to it.
So - student evals definitely get read by profs and department chairs. In many cases they are not that helpful. Sometimes they are helpful, and that is great. So you're doing the right thing by filling them out thoughtfully.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:07 PM on January 29, 2011
> studies show that teacher voice-amplification is absolutely one of the most efficient and cost effective to way to increase desired learning incomes, while reducing vocal fatigue and teacher absences
Could the mods sidebar this comment? It seems too important to be lost in an ask.
posted by Dragonness at 12:23 AM on January 30, 2011
Could the mods sidebar this comment? It seems too important to be lost in an ask.
posted by Dragonness at 12:23 AM on January 30, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 9:34 AM on January 28, 2011 [6 favorites]