Rate My Teacher Pending Review

This past school year, I have found a website, mostly through happenstance that I wish didn't exist.

Ratemyteacher.com is a good excuse for kids to go on to either rag on or go crazy about their teachers. While I am sure that it was started with good intentions, I think that the results are not entirely accurate.

Most comments that are left are based on that kid's emotions at that specific time. While I know that I should just ignore this, I have to admit that on occassion while searching through the web, I have checked in just to see what my students have to say.

At first I was thrilled - one kid said I was a great math teacher. Another one responded that I was mean, and right now there is another comment that hasn't posted, and I can't help but feel it will be someone who is less than thrilled at my decision to move on to another school.

Why can't students tell me when they are having a problem instead of sneaking around on the internet to post their little bouts of friendship or revenge? Maybe there is not enough of an outlet for them at school to do so.

The website was intended to offer students to help other future students to give a brief overview of the teacher, however, I think that it has greatly strayed from this original purpose. Let us rethink what options we are making available to kids before we give them free reign to do and say whatever they want about the teachers that work hard for them.