POINT: TEACHER EVALUATIONS

Should students’ feedback be taken more seriously?

At the end of each semester, teachers are required to turn in student feedback forms to the SHS administration. This is essential to teacher learning and accountability. However, teachers can choose which classes to give forms to and turn into the administration. This prevents teachers from receiving an accurate critique of their teaching skills and also prevents students from giving important, somewhat personal feedback to their teachers.

Student evaluations need to be taken more seriously by not only teachers and staff but by students as well. It needs to be better emphasized by teachers and the administration that feedback is very important.

In order to motivate students to provide better feedback for their teachers, students need to be assured that teachers are actually reading their feedback. If a teacher is giving evaluation sheets to their students but don’t take the time to look at them, the feedback forms are really just a waste of time and don’t benefit anyone.

Student feedback is essential to the improvement of teachers’ skills and courses in general. Feedback forms allow teachers to both reevaluate their lesson plan.

High school students don’t have many chances to make a change in the classroom, but they may be able to have an impact. Something so simple as a feedback form would help make students feel as if their voices are heard.