1. Should students be allowed to grade their teachers?
a. It is a general truth the fact that teachers grade students but would the world be turned upside down if students would also be allowed to grade their teachers?
To begin with, though the grading offered by a student is not always the most objective, I think that students are more entitled than any inspector to
grade their teacher‟s work in class because, after all they are the ones who interact the most with the teacher and can appreciate the effects that the teacher has on them. In addition, it is very important for teachers to know
how their pupils appreciate their work so that they can improve and adapt to their needs.
Secondly, students should be allowed to grade their teachers because if
teachers get a feedback from their students they will be aware of their qualities and flaws and will be able to highlight their qualities and cover up their flaws with some positive aspects. Furthermore, it is a good stimulation for students to be allowed to grade their teachers because they would be aware of how hard it is to keep yourself objective when grading someone and so they will respect more their teachers and take more seriously their responsibilities.
Another argument in favor of students grading teachers is that being graded will stimulate teachers to be better in their job and to focus more on their relationship with children. This will benefit the students who fill find in their teachers mentors who can guide their lives.
However, some students are immature and shallow and can‟t grade
properly a teacher. It is common for weak students to blame their teachers
for their failures so they can‟t be objective when grading a teacher.
Moreover, if a student provides the teacher with a low grade it is possible that the teacher would stop being objective when grading that particular student because he is not able to accept criticism for someone with less experience.
To sum up, I think that students should be allowed to grade their teachers, as long as they bring arguments for the grades given, so that the criticism will be constructive and the changes that will follow will benefit both teachers and students.
b. The process of education is complicated for both students and teachers, because the young people have to work hard in order to gain new information and the teachers are responsible for the improvement of the effectiveness of this process. Naturally, people can not be perfect and everyone is an individual who has his own strong and weak sides, approaches towards education and presentation of the material. Every teacher is different and suggests his own methods of education which can be treated by students differently. Students understand that the educational process is a serious problem and that its quality depends on the teacher. Teachers are different: there novice and inexperienced teachers and the reputed and honoured ones who are supposed to be the experts in this field. In order to improve the educational process students ask to be allowed to grade their teachers and this question has its supporters and opponents.
To begin with, it is quite reasonable to grade a teacher, because one can not evaluate his work himself objectively. Third people can do it much better. Then, students mention the mistakes of a teacher, especially if he is inexperienced and can not organize the educational process correctly. In this case it is wise to provide the teacher with the piece of advice concerning the methods of studying and approach towards the process of education. Next, constant grading is a stimulus for a teacher to improve his knowledge and professional skills. Being controlled by the students he starts to deepen his knowledge on the discipline all the time improving the quality of the classes with interesting material.
However, the problem has its drawbacks. For example, a student is not so experienced to be able to evaluate the work of the teacher professionally. One can not criticise a person higher in rank without the possession of the
appropriate knowledge and skills. Secondly, many students will use grading for their own benefit evaluating the teacher‟s work as „poor‟ just because he is demanding and strict, as every student dreams to work little and receive only high marks.
So, the problem is serious and controversial and students can be given a certain right to grade their teachers but this ability should be seriously limited.