Publish at January 12 2014 Updated October 08 2025
Whether it is students, teachers, or employees, evaluation by an "authority" is almost always stressful: positive or negative, the evaluation will have consequences.
With respect to learning, one does not see much benefit to the individual from these "classifying" evaluations. When an individual comes out of an evaluation completely demolished, one thinks, there must be a way to evaluate and inspire improvement, not discourage.
On student forums as well as in academic research, common characteristics of "good teachers" include respect for students. Among the most universally disliked flaws of teachers, negative and disparaging comments top the list.
On the other hand, their most valued characteristics involve high standards and objective, fair evaluations. Quite interesting, as students appreciate having learned something and recognize the value of teachers who open up their horizons.
"Well-structured feedback and evaluations preserve self-esteem and promote student perseverance."
In "Evaluation and feedback: how to benefit from it?" (.pdf), ENAP professor Nancy Brassard details six criteria for designing effective, positive assessments that give students the straight goods while contributing to the learning experience.
The goal is to foster success and objectify the process; in the end the student will be certain that his or her success depends primarily on his or her efforts because the professor will have provided his or her own.
The teacher places a value on the students and what gives value to his or her judgement, the one that will eventually be recognized, is determined by the actual success of his or her students, which they themselves recognize, hence the importance of being demanding and fair.
For their part, the students, through a fair process, know their true value in this environment.
A professor and students working in the same direction makes for a pretty positive atmosphere!
Illustration: Robert Kneschke - ShutterStock
Evaluation and feedback: how to benefit?
Nancy Brassard, The Chart, University of Quebec.
https://pedagogie.uquebec.ca/le-tableau/evaluation-et-retroaction-comment-en-tirer-profit
The "good university professor" as perceived by undergraduate students at the University of Montreal
Denis Blondin, Revue des sciences de l'éducation , vol. 6, no. 3, 1980, pp. 499-509.
http://www.erudit.org/revue/rse/1980/v6/n3/900300ar.pdf
What is a good teacher these days?
Alexandre Roberge - Thot Cursus
http://cursus.edu/article/17173/est-bon-prof-nos-jours/
What Makes a Good Teacher?
You might also like:
Animating or the art of creating an atmosphere
Whether it's summer or the rest of the year, leading a group can be complicated. Adults and teens have a particularly hard time bonding, for various reasons. Fortunately, a few very simple tricks can help set up an atmosphere conducive to sharing.
Running while cleaning up the planet
Running is good for your physical health. However, for many people, it can be difficult to get motivated to do it regularly. What if exercise had a greater meaning, like cleaning up the environment? That's why runners are encouraged to take up plogging, an activity that combines running with litter pickup.
A serious game on social engagement
Many serious games address the topic of sustainable development. Yet before such solutions were proposed, innovative people had to go against the social grain and fight to improve their environment. A humorous adventure game, hosted by the National Film Board, teaches children the attitudes they need to adopt to make a difference.
In the year 117 after Jules Verne
Jules Verne leaves to posterity to have been one of the precursors of a new world turned towards the future, will the rockets of Bezos be enough to transform our glance on our human nature?
Building a virtual sense of community
The virtual classroom device can create some discomfort. We are talking about various people in front of their computers communicating more or less with others. Not necessarily a warm context. Yet it is possible for the teacher to "forget" the distance and develop a sense of community with the learners.
