Evaluate, Evaluate, Evaluate

In Chapter 13, Kuma wraps up his book about teaching methods and material by stressing how important it is for teachers be self-reflective of everything they do and constantly evaluate not only their students, but themselves as well. This is the only way to improve and learn from past mistakes or failed attempts. If you don't even recognize your faults or weaknesses through self-reflection, there is no way to fix the issue. Evaluation are extremely important for this process as well. Teachers should not only evaluate themselves, but also have their students and whoever has been in the classroom evaluate them so they become aware of other points of view. I personally do not remember filling out an evaluation forms for any of my high school teachers, but since starting college over three years ago, I have evaluated every instructor that I have had. To be honest, up until this year I have not put any thought into those evaluation forms. I simply fill in the bubbles as quickly as I could so that I could leave class earlier. Sometimes I would skip the short answer questions on the back completely. However, this year, after taking reading Kuma's book and learning more about teaching methods, theories, and practices as well as the importance and value of evaluation and constructive criticism, I actually put thought into filling out those annoying forms because I do not find them quite as annoying as I used to...