Surprisingly, only 1 in 100 students thinks about this topic. Your teacher is a human too, it is important to understand them as it can influence how much time he or she is willing to help you with your course. As a student you should get a good recommendation letters from your previous teachers, this will help you with your future career.
There is an old saying that you should give an apple to your teacher, but the fact is that it takes more than an apple to get him/her to like you. College is very stressful and challenging in many ways, you have new rules and instructions to follow. Plus, a new slew of instructors like tenured professors and teaching assistants that you need to impress. Remember, it is not hard to get them to your side, exams results are not the only way to get your teacher to love you, your handwriting is not as well.
Today, we are discussing some of the points on how to ingratiate yourself to your professor.
- Many subjects are (discussion-based subjects) that require student participation as some percentage of the total grade. Different professors calculate that percentage differently, it is usually a combination of the student’s attendance and class participation. Be active in the class, therefore, you will get high participation grade. Even though your profs are usually too polite to ask, but they notice who sit in the front row or who is sitting there yawning or looking bummed out. Be careful, they know when you pick up your phone and start texting too. Be active and start taking notes and show your interest in the material displayed.
- Future recommendations are the matter of your profs liking you. If your intention after college to get an internship, continue your post-graduate study, or study abroad, then you surely need a recommendation letter. Try to develop a good relationship with your teachers during your class and he or she will remember you out of it. It will easier for your teacher to write about you. Usually, you need at least three recommendation letters from your previous profs.
- Teachers like to break up the class by asking questions, perk up with a question when he or she comes in asking the class if they have any questions. Do not dominate every class by asking whatever comes into mind, and remember to stay on topic. I assure you will become a major in your teacher’s side, as well as incur the wrath of your fellow classmates. Do not worry whether your questions are stupid or not, just do your best. Take a note that this will increase the engagement in the class, and it will make the subject more enjoyable to you.
- Your current professor can be your future mentor. This will help you to get connect to useful people by getting support from your teacher. When he or she likes you, you will be supported, and your relationship can last beyond the end of the semester. Your future career is really important, and your professor can boost up that.
- Every instructor has a title, use the proper one to address them. Do not call them with their first names, use “Dr. So-and-so” or “Prof So-and-so”. If your teacher has no Ph.D., use “Mr.” or “Ms.”. Also, say thank you when your Prof. goes the extra mile for you. Your instructor does not get extra paid for special appointment with you outside the office hours, make up exams, answering emails on the weekends or writing recommendations. A simple “thank you” goes a long way towards making their extra effort feel worthwhile.
- Participation in the department event is something lecturers are not good at. Try to join a team and play a role in the events regularly. Professors do take notes when they see you active in the department outside lectures on in the departmental student club. Some of the instructors have a research project, be part of it by participating in the research team. You might join a small class or seminars with them, this would give you a great opportunity for valuable training and future internship with them.
- Do not email or text your instructor if you miss your class, instead, ask your classmates about what you have missed. Do not ask your lecturer to fill you in, you will be wasting his or her time and your classmate’s time. Do your best to make up what you missed, if your instructor notice that you have troubles understanding something, they will assist you.
- Tell your instructor you like the class, it would be a special touch if you could come up with specific thing about the class that you are enjoying. Students rarely realize that lecturers also worry about how the class is going, they want to know if the students are liking the subject and are enjoying it. Do not start sucking up, give a general expression of appreciation, do not let your instructor think that you are trying to get a good grade.
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