Grades are a determining factor for so many things. They can determine whether you pass the class, your grade point average, what colleges you get into, scholarship opportunities, and so much more. If grades are such a major factor in students’ lives, why aren’t they in teachers’? Should students have the opportunity to grade their teachers on their performance?

Personally, I think it would be a helpful tool if students were given the chance to grade their instructors, to an extent. Mrs. Biehl agrees, saying, “I think that as long as students are approaching it from a constructive point of view, it would be fine. Our goal as teachers is to help our students, so if there’s suggestions that you guys have, I would be all about hearing that.”

However, being harmful and cruel to a teacher just because you aren’t interested in the subject isn’t the way to go. Instead, having a list of criteria and elaborating on why or why not the teacher didn’t meet these expectations would be extremely beneficial. Hearing student feedback would help teachers determine what’s working and what isn’t and allow them to adjust accordingly. It would also make students feel more in charge of their education. While creating a whole weighted grading system and having these grades affect every aspect of the teachers’ lives is a bit much, having a lax way of doing it brings nothing but benefits, especially if the grading criteria is clearly expressed so that there is no room for mocking or laziness.

According to Jenna Jewell, “I think grading teachers would be a good idea. Teachers would be able to hear from different students. I think it would still have to be monitored; maybe a few select students would be assigned to grade.”

“I think we should be able to give feedback on how teachers are doing, like their strengths and weaknesses,” Lauren Sherwood said. “I think it would help not only the students, but the teachers. I think it would be good to give constructive criticism.”