*Disclaimer, I am not an English buff, nor do I claim to be a prolific writer. That is why this letter is on my personal blog. Will I actually be sending a copy of this letter off? No. I will most likely send a short e-mail to my professor expressing the one major concern I have. It will be light-hearted but hopefully it will make my point and the professor and I will have a good laugh and move on. I would also like to state that I make a point about paying for education (if you read this you'll know what I'm talking about) and I feel very strongly about my stance in regards to a post-high school level education. I would also like to state that I believe every educator, no matter their capacity, should be treated with respect and dignity. They are human, they have faults and I don't feel that it is wise to rake them across the board simply because of a couple imperfections. This letter has more...sass, if you will, than I would ever intend to give a Professor but it does illustrate my annoyance. It's a venting mechanism and is not meant to be overly ignorant or selfish. That being said, I hope that you'll read it and tell me what you think!
Dear Professor,
First and foremost I would like to acknowledge and thank you for your hard work, the time and energy you have put into your lectures which is time and energy you probably could have spent seeing a new movie, playing with you children, or on a date with your spouse, etc. Yet, you spent it on us. You're pupils. That being said I would like to point out a couple of things that you may want to take under consideration for what could be a better set of lectures.
The first topic I wish to discuss is the biggest annoyance I have faced in the lectures I have attended thus far. Students leaving five to ten minutes early. And by students I am referring to that one student-please note the singular form here- that left each class period ten minutes early. Now, I know you have no control over who stays or who leaves and when that event takes place. However, you do have control over you. If I am being completely honest, I did not even realize that a student had left the room. I was enraptured by the topic which the class was discussing, the topic which you were teaching us about. Then, mid-sentence you said, "Do I smell bad? Do I look funny? Why did they just leave?" I was so completely caught off guard. I thought perhaps you were characterizing a face of one whose painting we were discussing. Unfortunately, this was not the case. You drew attention away from the lecture to the student whom had left. A student whom I, and probably others in the class, did not even notice had left until you interrupted your own lecture. Why would you do that to your own lecture, something you put time and effort into making an enjoyable, educational experience for those enrolled in your class? The very first day of our class, you asked that we be respectful to you and take notes "the old fashioned way" no computers, no phones etc. so that we could be properly edified, non-distracted and uninterrupted. You asked us to refrain from noisy wrappers so as to minimize distraction. So far, we have all done as you have asked. Why then do you feel it necessary to create your own distractions that exceed that of a noisy wrapper or your neighbor browsing Facebook? You were the only one to literally interrupt and distract me and my classmates in that situation. I hope that this is not a habit that will prevail throughout the remainder of our lectures and would ask that you be aware of it and respect me and my time by avoiding such behavior in the future.
The next topic I wish to discuss with you is your pronunciation of certain words. Perhaps this is trivial and does not bother your other students as much as it does me, but here we are. I suppose it would not be as bothersome had you not touted your prolific credentials in regards to your field of study, which happens to include the English language. By repeating multiple words again and again incorrectly, you make me question said credentials. Though I know how these words are actually said, for example that the word "anyway" does not actually include an "s" at the end, and will say them and think them correctly in my own life, I do hope that you might consider that your credibility as a "master of the English language" is questioned when I hear that word, among others, coming from your mouth, repeatedly.
This letter may seem as improper as the word "anyways" is, however, I needed to express my thoughts to you so that you might understand that I, and most likely other students, have expectations for our education. Often, we see the reverse. The professor provides a syllabus, an assignment calendar and outcomes for a course. A student is expected to be grateful without question for the education that they are receiving but one they are paying for. The student chose the college based on standards in education and standards they hope the faculty and staff will adhere to. They were willing to spend their money for an education provided to them by others who have preceded them in education and who have willingly dedicated their lives to raising up the following generations with good breeding and understanding. If the institution begins to fall short of that standard, the decline of respect is sure to follow. That standard is not made up by the board of trustees. They may put that standard into words but the actually reality of it comes from the student-professor relationship. I can show respect you as an individual who can teach me things I do not know but have a thirst to know and follow your class "rules". You can show me respect by keeping focus in lecture so that I might utilize that time for my edification, and by organizing your materials in such a way that any student can understand.
In summary, I hope you can understand that I appreciate the time you have spent preparing the materials for your class and hope that as the semester continues, you will take into consideration those things that I have pointed out.
Sincerely,
Your Pupil
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