Students Play Favorites

Photo by Donald O'Mahony.
Carmen Rioux-Bailey has a perfect score on RateMyProfessor.com.

By Broadside Correspondent Donald O'Mahony

Carmen Rioux-Bailey is one of a select few professors at George Mason University that has a perfect overall rating from her students on RateMyProfessors.com. She is well respected by her students because she has walked in the shoes that they wish to be in someday.

“I was a public school special education teacher for many years,” said Rioux-Bailey, who now teaches in the special education department at Mason. “I think they like how I walked the walk.”

Rioux-Bailey’s students appreciate that their professor can help them learn from real life situations.

“I think Carmen is rated highly because she brings real experiences into her teaching,” said Colleen Freyvogel, a special education graduate student. “She constantly refers to her past students and real experiences that took place when she was a classroom teacher.”

Rioux-Bailey believes her students have a lot to do with her success as a professor here at Mason.

“I think we have really good students,” she said. “They are interested in their field and it makes my job easier.”

Many students of Rioux-Bailey appreciate the effort she puts into getting to know them as people, not just students in a classroom.

“She is one of the most personable professors I have ever had,” said Dan McGraw, a special education graduate student. “Get to know her, and let her get to know you. She is a wonderful person.”

There are three parts to being a good professor, according to Rioux-Bailey.
“Teaching is interesting because it is part art, part smart and part heart,” she said. “If you are missing any one of these, it can bring the experience of the students down.”

She also believes her students respect another aspect of her classes.
“I try to hold my students to a high standard, and they appreciate it,” she said. “They don’t want to pay for a class that doesn’t challenge them.”
Many students agree that their outstanding professor teaches her classes in an efficient manner.

“She is entertaining and constantly seeks out real world learning for her students,” said Kristen Schiavone, a special education graduate student. “You never feel like you are wasting your time sitting in her class because she makes any topic applicable to your world.”

Rioux-Bailey tries her best to present information to her class in a way that is easy for them to understand.

“Teachers are hired for content knowledge, not how well they deliver the material,” she said. “I think that if a professor can deliver that material well to the students, then they will get high ratings.”

Students who have the opportunity to work with professors like Rioux-Bailey will be more willing to listen to their instructions, leading to a sense of trust and understanding.

The fact that her students recognize her with high ratings is important to Rioux-Bailey. “Professors put great stock in student evaluations,” she said. “Rate My Professor is just one more thing that shows how students feel.”
Rioux-Bailey puts some of the responsibility of learning on her students. “I try to blend lecture with group work while teaching so students can also learn from each other,” she said.

The sense of community developed by group work in her classes plays an important role in the overall experience.