So my semester just ended and I had the worst college professor I’ve ever had in my entire academic career. He also knows hes very incompetent and hes actually pretty insulted by it. And he has mentioned that he needed a career change. But he will still be teaching next semester(I have no idea when he will be leaving). But I actually felt sorry for him through and wanted to email him some advice on lecturing. Hes a really nice guy but he has no idea how to run a classroom or has any prior experience teaching. The disrespect he faced with some of his students was surreal.
I want to send an anonymous email without my name on it. But while I do wanna help him out, I don’t want him to be insulted because a student had the nerve to send him a couple of paragraphs on how he can improve his teaching. I have no clue what he would think. Any professors out there who can provide me some insight into this?
I have filled out the evaluation and mentioned a few changes he should make to his lecturing but it was only 2 tips that I could fill into the survey before it has reached its maximum word limit. His teaching has way more problems than just that. And why would it be bad to send an anonymous note?
Anonymous anything is a waste of effort. If it’s something you feel strongly about, it deserves your name. Otherwise it’s likely to be thought of as the writings of a disgruntled child who couldn’t make the grade.
Does he have office hours?
From your description, he knows he isn’t cutting it with teaching and has been open about that. If you approach him as someone being helpful about a problem he already knows he has, he may be open to it. Remember constructive criticism (not just criticism) is key and make sure to mention positives about him and his teaching as well.
I wouldn’t email, anonymously or not. I would have an in person discussion.