When The North Wind was presented with information that professors were now receiving photo rosters of their class at the beginning of each semester, it became obvious what the faculty was thinking during those pauses in class time:
Peek-a-boo, I can see you.
Sure, we might have changed a bit physically from that photo you’re looking at; finally achieved the ever-desired neck beard, grasped onto the whole idea of dental hygiene or removed that pesky hoop in the nose. But it’s definitely us, and you’re clearly staring. We’re not necessarily offended; in fact, we’re extremely flattered when the staring is being done by the professor from Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher” video.
Overall, though, we’re okay with it . with some serious exceptions.
Do not take our photo home to your significant other and say, “See honey, this is what I used to look like.” Don’t compile a most wanted list and post it in the main office of your department and for God’s sake, don’t cross the photos off with red lipstick after those students drop your class. And I think it goes without saying that our beautiful faces shouldn’t meet with the head of a dart anytime in the near future; so photo rosters as dartboard backing is out of the question.
Aside from those miniscule problems, though, we’re on board.
Hopefully, the rosters will help professors remember all of us this year, not just the student with the hilarious one-liners or the quick to answer go-getter. For those professors up in age, the rosters can serve as a useful reminder during a time in their lives when “those darn kids all look the same.” With a little hope, the photo rosters could prevent those self-esteem bashing moments in class; after weeks of silence, the quiet student would muster up enough courage to participate, be sized up by his or her professor and asked the dreaded question, “And you are?”
Through process of elimination, the rosters can also help name the slackers in the class, sleeping in the back with their heads glued to their desks. It’s like a real life game of “Guess Who?” Soon we may be overhearing, “Does your slacker have orange Cheetos fingers?”
But despite the perceived silliness of the photo rosters, they are useful, and will help to build student-teacher relationships throughout the semester. And all kidding aside, we’re for it. Seriously.