As a Communication student, while you do take classes on how to communicate, I never realized just how beneficial those skills were to me in my day to day life, specifically with communicating with my professors. Even as a fourth year it can sometimes feel daunting to speak to a professor. Society has ingrained such a hierarchy and almost fear of authority that it can prevent many from seeking help. Discovering how to communicate with professors is a skill that I am still trying to perfect, yet these next few tips have been helpful to me as a Communication student.
1. remember their preferred mode of communication
Many times, the syllabus will inform you of what mode of communication your professor prefers (i.e. email, school software message, Zoom meeting, etc). Knowing this is beneficial, because it’s one of the main ways to show a professor you value their opinion and listen to them. If a professor prefers to be contacted through email and you use Canvas and never get a response in a timely manner, it is not inherently the professor’s fault, because the mode of communication they prefer is the one they check the most frequently. If you use the mode of communication they prefer, you are most likely to get a response for any question or concern in a timely fashion.
2. schedule an appointment/send an email at the beginning of each semester
The beginning of the semester is a very prominent part of the semester, as it’s the period in which you set up the ground work for the upcoming semester. Setting up an appoint or sending out an email at the beginning of the semester because during the appointment/in the email, it is your time to inform your professor of any questions, comments, or concerns you may have. Having any kind of disability (physical, mental, learning) is an important on your education and should be discussed as early as possible in order to give the professors an opportunity to understand the best way for you to succeed in the classroom.
3. be ready for small talk
If you plan to meet up with your professor in person, understand that the entire conversation doesn’t have to be strictly academics. Having a personalized introduction to your conversation can create a connection to help the conversation flow. You as a student can feel more relaxed as you’ve broken the ice with a simple comment regarding your weekend plans, and the professor can feel less entitled to present themselves as only a professor, creating a less tense atmosphere.
4. understand each reasoning for each visit
When I go to office hours, I make it an effort to either mentally or physically write down a list of every topic I wanted to discuss. This tremendously helped because when people are nervous, they have a tendency to forget certain things, and having a physical copy of everything I wanted to discuss. Sometimes when I am making a list, I think about other, less significant, questions I wanted to ask (i.e. future absences, introduction to next chapter, resources for studying, etc). Asking multiple questions during office hours does not make us seem ‘stupid’ or ‘lazy’, it makes us look critical thinkers and proactive. Professors notice when students are proactive, and take note of it.
5. use office hours
I know you’ve most likely heard this tip a million times, so now you can say you’ve heard it a million and one times. GO TO OFFICE HOURS. I feel like every semester when professors tell the class to go to office hours, they will remind us of how they are frequently bored during the office hours because no one shows up. As someone who has had semesters where I rarely used office hours and semesters where I frequently used office hours, I felt much more confident in the classes where I was actively showing up to office hours. When you use office hours, the professor gets used to seeing your face and hearing your voice, and will be reminded of your productivity with going to office hours.
6. be honest, but not too casual
It’s understandable that sometimes we don’t feel comfortable with telling our professors certain aspects of our lives, even if it may greatly affect our academics (mental heath, family life, etc), but professors are not mind readers. They have no way of knowing that these past few weeks have been difficult since your grandfather died or that you weren’t able to come to class the other day because you had to take your pet to the vet on short notice. These are all understandable reasons for not being able to prioritize your academics, but when we refuse to communicate with our professors, they are left to assume that you didn’t come to class for no particular reason.
7. remember professors are people too
As a child when I first saw my teacher outside of the school, at the grocery store, I remember being freaked out, and for the first time, understood that teachers were people too. It’s a lesson I continued to learn through my K-12 career, but year by year, the realization continues to dawn on me. When we are reminded that authoritative figures are humans, there is less pressure on the student, because your professor is mirroring you as another person in education.