Just to prove my point....

I handed back the second exam of the semester to my majors introductory biology class. While some improved from the first exam, at least 50% showed no improvement. Given that their average on the first exam was below a C, it sort of put me into a bit of a depression.

Instructors go through a series of emotions when their students are not doing well. I personally tend to start asking what I could do differently do help them. Then I figure out that I have held review sessions, made suggestions on how to study and how many hours they should expect to study and realize that there isn't much more I can do. At that point most instructors then get frustrated and maybe even a little angry with their students. After we bitch and moan to our colleagues about the situation, we tend to calm down. We accept that students have the right to fail a course and try to develop a more Zen-like attitude about the entire thing (yes, I hate the whole Zen-like thing too, but the phrase works here).

So I got to class last night and explained that I had expected to see higher grades and reiterated what the students will have to do to improve their grades. Instead of the bitching and name calling that I have experienced at other institutions, I saw heads nodding. I had several students come up to me at the end of class and ask for help. I had several others come up to me just to let me know that the exam had opened their eyes and that they would be working harder in the future. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy just remembering it. Life is so much better and teaching is so much more enjoyable when you genuinely like your students.

Please note, do not interpret this to mean I did not like my students at other colleges and universities. Okay, there were some individuals I really didn't like, but they tended to be the exception to the rule.