<p>I was wondering what makes a good teacher's recommendation. Should you pick a teacher only because you got a good grade in his/her class, or should you pick someone that just liked having you as a student? Please be as specific as possible.</p>
<p>The best teacher to write your recommendation is one that WANTS to do it for you. If the you were choosing someone just because you received a good grade in the class, you would probably have a long list of possible teachers (assuming you don't average with ds), but many of them wouldn't know you very well. The teacher should have a good idea of who you are academically as a student (inside the classroom) and as a person (outside), which means they know what your interests are, your character/personality, what you plan on doing in the future, and hope for your success (I suppose this translates also into they liked you as a student). Sometimes, if you haven't had a teacher in a while, the resume or activity list/sheet can give them additional info about your plans and activities which they might not know/remember.</p>
<p>I hope that was specific enough.</p>
<p>I picked a teacher that was one of my extracurricular moderators and knew me very well. While I did get a low A in their class, they enjoyed having me in class because of my participation, etc.</p>
<p>It helps if you've had the teacher for more than a year (my S chose a teacher who had him for junior & senior year), because they can see you develop over time as well. The other teacher he chose was one he just had senior year, but it was a small class & he actively participated, including doing oral presentations, which was part of class requirements.</p>
<p>As was said, the most important thing is to find a teacher willing to put in the work & champion you to the U. If they have knowledge of you outside of class, that's a plus for sure.</p>
<p>To further himom's comment, it is a definite plus to have this teacher for a class for more than a year. Generally, colleges have a couple of non-stated (and stated in some cases) rules about recs, so that your best bet is also to go with someone from your junior and senior year. Finding a teacher or other recommender for your senior year might be a bit difficult if you don't know them very well (unless you stand out) since application season starts just a little after senior year.</p>
<p>recs are a chance for a college to get some insight into the student's personality, approach to learning, classroom demeanor, interaction with teachers, etc. A rec chosen solely because of a good grade in the class and that adds nothing other than that to the app is no better than the transcript itself.</p>
<p>I, too, hope that was specific enough for you.</p>
<p>I'm asking a teacher in a class that I got a B- in, which I'm not sure is the wisest task, but he's known for writing excellent recs and he really liked me as a student and knew me REALLY well (I was seen in his office 24/7, quite literally, for extra help ALL THE TIME. well hey. at least he can't say, "Although this student wasn't the brightest of the bunch, they never came for help and was lazy?" :P) </p>
<p>Echoing what someone said... if the teacher looks relucant or even even remotely "energetic/excited" to write it for you... I'd say no, lol</p>
<p>yeah, my son didn't ask teachers because he was getting the best grades from them but because he liked the subjects, teacher & he got to know one another well, & he actively participated in these small classes.</p>
<p>"The teacher should have a good idea of who you are academically as a student (inside the classroom) and as a person (outside), which means they know what your interests are, your character/personality, what you plan on doing in the future, and hope for your success"</p>
<p>how does one do this? how can he/she make the teacher know all this? just tell? quick talks?</p>
<p>I probably have this type of relationship with two-three teachers, cumulative. It doesn't come by very often, but it usually means a lot of quick talks inside of class and some extra effort on your behalf to make a closer connection beyond the scope of the classroom (like asking to elaborate on topics after class, having conversations on things that don't necessarily pertain to the subject, so on). Some of the stuff, like future plans, the teacher may not know, which is why a resume or activity sheet is a good idea.</p>
<p>I would disagree about the teacher needing to know about what you do outside the class. The recs from teachers are meant to comment about you as a student; your enthusiasm for learning, your attitude and participation in the classroom, etc. It's a bonus if they can comment on you outside the classroom setting, your goals, etc. but not really necessary.</p>
<p>precocious, be sure to ask this teacher if he will be able to write a strong letter of rec for you. This is always appropriate, phrased politely of course. Every student should do this when asking for letters of rec. For example, "Am I a student you would write a strong letter of reccomendation for, or do you suggest I ask someone else?" Don't argue or question why if the answer is ask someone else, simply to thank the teacher for their honest answer.</p>
<p>If you could ask every teacher you ever had for their opinion, for most students the result would be mixed bag. And sometimes a teacher you assume would like a kid (due to a high grade, for example) sees things differently. There is no shame or dishonor in deliberately selecting those who hold a favorable opinion to write a rec.</p>
<p>And while it can be uncomfortable for a student to ask a direct question like this to a teacher, it HAS to be done. In the book "The Gatekeepers" is an example of a bad rec.
[quote]
There were times, I must admit,that I thought Tiffany might have taken a stronger interest in mastering the material in our course. When I saw that Tiffany was a National Merit Semi-Finalist I was a bit surprised. While clearly bright and competent, I had seen in Tiffany neither an exceptional skill for testing nor a particular affinity for the subject.
[/quote]
This could have been avoided if the teacher had been asked if they would write a strong rec. The student did not get in.</p>
<p>totally concur with mikemac: teachers recs' sole purpose is to provide colleges with an objective, insightful evaluation of the applicant's academic performance.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the information.</p>