There are times when I wish I was still in school. It is not the homework, or the bells, or the weighty backpack I am longing for. It is just a quiet hunger for someone to tell me how I am doing in the grand scheme of things. Give me a grade.
The students in my costume class were invited to fill out an evaluation of the course, which will be helpful. I want to improve. Their experience matters.
In rebooting the mentoring program last month I realized that I missed an opportunity two years ago, by not asking the participants to give feedback. I may still ask them, but the chances of them having a fresh response is lost.
There was a presentation from an Ivy League Admissions Director that gives suggestions for teachers writing letters of recommendation. These are some of the qualities they value in a freshman.
Is the student curious? Does he or she take risks? Can this person listen well? Have you seen evidence that she or he can change their mind?
These are fabulous characteristics, ones that serve us after graduation as well. Curiosity about John is a life jacket when complacency pulls me down like an undertow. Looking back on some of the uncertainties we've encountered, we grew from both the successes and failures. Listening is a linchpin in any relationship, and I am intrigued by the inclusion of changeability. The willingness to be influenced by someone you care about is a measure of robust health.
Then there were the suggestions around the classroom.
Mention that it is not an "easy A". If the student struggled, say that. Discuss whether the student came for assistance after class. Grit and determination are seen as favorable.
It can be tempting to blame ourselves for the knotty circumstances around us, but here the admissions team frames them as a platform for a student's potential to stand out.
I have no aspirations for another graduate degree. But I am grateful for the comments people send me. It is an opportunity to be influenced by those I hope to serve.
