This spring, we continued a longtime Hyde tradition where faculty are evaluated by the entire school at one of our regular weekly school meetings. Faculty members volunteer to come up to the front of the room and receive comments from the students and faculty in the following areas:
- Strengths - What are the strengths of this person's teaching?
- Challenges - What could this person improve upon to be more effective?
- Special comments - How has this person had an impact on you and your experience here at school?
During the Thursday school meeting, we began this year's faculty evaluations. We started by helping all the new students understand this tradition, where we show respect, honesty, and concern while sharing thoughts. This is some of the feedback given to teachers during the meeting:
Strengths
- Enthusiasm about your subject
- Tough but fair
- Energy
- Humor
- The right balance between serious and fun
- Positive and caring
Challenges
- You take on others' responsibilities
- Be tougher when you need to be
- Take time for yourself
- Listen more before reacting
- Get to know students outside of your area
- Ask for help when you need it
Special Comments
- "You changed the way I view myself as a student."
- "You understand me."
- "You have always been a guide for me throughout my Hyde journey."
- "You believed in me before I believed in myself."
- "You were there when I got sick and stayed with me."
- "Thank you for helping me commit to something larger than myself."
The students did an exceptional job during this important process. As one of the faculty members said, "When I heard that this was a Hyde tradition, I admit that I was nervous, but this was so helpful, and the feedback means a lot."
We are fortunate to have amazing students who can summon the maturity and insight to help us as adults. It reminds us that growing and improving is a pursuit that has no expiration date.
Laura D. Gauld '76