Why don't my Students like me?
an Op-Ed piece by student Sean Conklin

In my experience as both an undergraduate student at California State University, Hayward and an organizer for the reviewum.com teacher/course reviews website, I have been sensitized to the issue of a professor's popularity.  After putting months of thought to the issue, I've come-up with some quick ideas that I think all professors should read about and consider.

A student's perception of the professor's knowledge, organization, and communication skills are a few of the obvious factors affecting a professor's popularity.  The most important determinant of a professor's popularity, however, is something a bit more mysterious, something unrelated to the professor's own background -- THE STUDENTS' ATTITUDES.

So if it's really with the students, what's a professor to do?
Manipulate students' attitudes!  I believe that the key to gaining popularity with students is to positively manipulate their attitudes towards you personally, the subject matter, and even towards course materials such as the textbook.

Examples of how one might achieve this include:

1. Being humorous
2. Being realistic, down to earth
3. Being interesting, not boring or monotone
4. Being energetic and outgoing, socially fun
5. Marketing the subject matter to Students
   • Make it meaningful to them (what they understand)
   • Relate it to their goals
6. Be as fun and entertaining as possible
7. Don't let anybody get discouraged, because they talk!

Professors must realize that students have other priorities and interests (ex: other classes, work, grades, personal issues) and should try to relate to and respect these in the context of the term.

Finally; professors should try to be open-minded.  They should be open to suggestions and criticism.  Take frequent feedback, and ask for it even when it's not offered.  You may have to actively work to pry it out of the students.  Always remember: The student is the customer.  Even when a student is dead wrong, they are still right (one way or another)!

Whether students are being sensible or not, a professor's efforts to understand them, what they are looking for, and how they change will not go un-rewarded.