Any tips to succeed in a class with a POOR teacher?

[Scrapster]

I signed up for a summer class and just checked my Teacher Evaluations for previous classes he has taught (the evaluations were done by his former students). He averages roughly a 2 out of 5 (1-5 scale). So I'm thinking I might have my work cut out for me this quarter b/c I want to do really well. By the way, his score of 2/5 was based on: Grading Techniques, Instructor Interest, Contribution, etc.. Does anyone have any tips on how I can succeed in this class even if I do have a poor teacher? Has anyone had similar situations? How did you get through them?

(Unfortunately this course is only being taught by this one professor)

 

[iamwiz82]

well, to get through my physics class, i have resorted to not listening to my prof. since he couldnt teach a bear to fish.

Just read the book, and make sur eoyu have friends who know the subject well =]

 

[AaronP]

the students may have given him low scores, not because he is a poor teacher, but because he is a challenging, demanding teacher. There's a teacher at my college who is notorious for being a jerk, and getting bad reviews, I took him, and thought he was a great teacher, who cared about what he was teaching, he just made the students think for themselves and challenged them, and he has to pay for their lazyness.

 

[AznMaverick]

I agree with both posters...some people just hate the grade that the teacher gives them and hates the teacher for that...

Also if the teacher really sux i think u're better off 'teaching' u'reself by reading the book...

 

[StormRider]

Yeah, it's true -- some of my favorite teachers got poor reviews from other students and sometimes I didn't think too highly of some teachers that others liked.

When I had bad teachers, I sometimes still did okay if the book was good. If both the book and the teacher were bad then I was in trouble...

 

[cdan]

<<he just made the students think for themselves and challenged them, and he has to pay for their lazyness>>

But if he dosen't help his students then he's not doing his job as a teacher.

My Chemistry teacher was like that. You just have to grunt and bear it and have a lot of friends who know what their doing. Read the book a lot and actually make an effort to ask the teacher when you don't know what to do. Then write down every thing you find wrong about the teacher, get a bunch of students to sign a petition for the administration to do something. That usually works. If not find a friend outside the school to call the press about it. That puts pressure on the administration to do something and since the call came from a person outside the school you are home free.

 

[StormRider]

Studying in groups was essential for me during my college years. So, if you have friends that you usually study with, then that can help a lot (study groups was practically my only social life during college).

 

[Mday]

i do horrible when the teacher sucks.

i am the type that cannot learn from a book.

--

what course is it?

what you should do is ask some graduate students or professors who know the subject to refer you to some study aids.

or come here and ask for recommendations. anandtech members span most known subjects (note, some just BS) =P

 

[Scrapster]

The course is called Introduction to Real Analysis. Thing is, you can probably get by with a bad teacher if you're taking an english class, but Math classes are ten times harder with a bad teacher.

Good thing it's summer and I'm only taking one other class, I may have my work cut out for me.

 

[Mday]

real analysis.

i had a book by goldberg. my school called it advanced calc.

 

[Whisper]

<< But if he dosen't help his students then he's not doing his job as a teacher. >>



Though remember...many times a student won't ask for help because they're either unmotivated/lazy, afraid/shy, or whatever. If a student expects the grade to come to them, then they aren't doing their job, either.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

I would consider ass kissing... worked for me all the way through college.

Hmmmm.... it still works.