Dear Professor Mendham

At the end of the College Writing II class I taught in the spring of 2007, I asked my students to imagine that they were one of their future instructors: how might the teacher describe and evaluate the skills of the students? Here are the letters that the class produced:

Dear Professor Mendham,
I have several of your College Writing II students in my criminology class and I must say their investigative research skills go far beyond any professional private eyes I have seen. They always know where to find their reliable sources to back up their evidence. I'm impressed with their abilities to solve crimes with the clues they research and cite.
Sincerely,
Professor McGruff
"Take a bite out of crime."

Dear Professor Mendham,
I have several of your students in my Roofing class. Through your class they have been able to develop the skills necessary to understand structure, which guides them in their research.
Your showering of criticism has toughened their skin, making them able to withstand any pelting criticisms I might have. They are truly capable of shingling in any weather and when lightning strikes they are even more productive. Your demand of quality in class has allowed them to hit the nail on the head every time.
I have discovered, though, that allowing them to choose the shingles results in better work.
Thank you for your commitment; keep hammering away.
Yours truly,
Mr. Rufus Leaking