Meeting with the Dean

This semester, and last also, I have had continuous issues with one of my professors. She is totally unclear and seems to be clueless about everything relating to her class. For example, here's how an e-mail conversation went between her and I.

Me: Webct says our lesson on Phonemic Awareness is due tomorrow but our syllabus says that it's due next week, which is the correct date?

Prof: That subject is okay.

Me: Uh. So is it due tomorrow then?

Prof: Ok.


If anyone can make sense of that conversation please let me know. She's also the professor from the beginning of the year who said, "I'm not going to teach you how to teach." Which is exactly what the class is for. Here's another conversation that she had with a student in class.

Dana: I don't have a field placement yet, so who do I teach the lesson to?

Prof: Well what school are you at?

Dana: Um. I don't have a field placement yet?


Anytime we ask her a question she completely avoids the question. It's very annoying and makes it impossible for us to know what we need to do. I'm definintely not learning anything about how to teach reading from this teacher.

Yesterday I decided that I want to talk to someone above her about her teaching. While I know that professors have tenure and all that crap and so her getting fired is highly unlikely, I would like to at least bring it to the Deans attention that she is an awful professor. I have no idea what will come of it. But I am armed with examples haha. And I know that my whole class will back me up.

So, Friday, at 1:30 I'm going to talk to the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The little interaction that I've had with him hasn't gone over too well in the past. But I know that he is where I need to start at least. This probably sounds childish that I'm going to "tell on the teacher." But I think that it is a serious problem. She is teaching reading methods and math methods and those two subjects are the hardest subjects to teach, and most important with NCLB guidelines. I'll keep you updated on how it goes.

-Kristina