THE professor-student relationship is a vital and timely academic issue, as it profoundly affects the outcome of educational efforts aimed at improving and developing students academically and making professors exert their best efforts in teaching. Within the Saudi higher education context, this relationship is passing through a state of erosion primarily due to the failure to clearly define the desired expectations of both Saudi professors and Saudi students. Due to the long-lasting impact of high-quality and supportive faculty-student relationships, they ought to be maintained as one of the core principles of the mission of Saudi higher education, in addition to being a priority for every Saudi college professor across the country. The expectations and wishes of students that are not very well perceived by their Saudi professors center on a number of general concerns and more specific issues. Saudi university students have stated their wish for their professors to develop a rapport with them by showing an interest in all of them as individuals. A substantial number of students at this higher academic level also yearn for their professors to show supportive, real concern for their students and make them feel welcome when they seek help for academic or personal problems. A student of mine once said, “I am more motivated to do well once I have had the chance to chat with a professor because my motivation shifts to a more personal level.” In more specific terms, students maintain that their expectations include that professors will treat them fairly and equitably, will be available for questions and consultation in and outside of class, and will avoid using their position or power to coerce the judgment or conscience of students or to cause them harm for arbitrary or personal reasons. They often indicate that they want their Saudi professors to avoid deliberately abetting disruption or intimidation in the classroom and avoid becoming irritable or annoyed with students. Further requests include evaluating students mainly according to their performance and efforts and interacting with them in a responsive and respectful manner. By the same token, Saudi professors have stated their expectations of Saudi students. Professors expect their prospective college students to know what is required for class, to come to class well prepared, and to read ahead if required. They also emphasize that their students should be interested and enthusiastic about the subject and about learning it, even if it is a required class, and be open-minded enough to think in new ways and learn things that may not be the most fun at the time. Additionally, they request that their students be engaged, ask questions that are appropriate and challenging, and be respectful. Personally, I wish that all Saudi professors and students would adhere to some of the following traits or characteristics, which, I firmly contend, make good professors and students. Saudi professors should be warm, open, available, predicable, and highly student-oriented, and they should believe that students can learn. I was once astonished when a colleague of mine told me, “I encourage you and all of my colleagues not to allow your students to converse with you when the class is over, and also, you must not allow them to come see you at your office.” Professors should also present the class material in a form that aids learning and in a very well-organized manner. Other necessary characteristics include being stimulating, clear, well-organized, approachable, prepared, helpful, enthusiastic, and fair. Saudi professors should also present to the students state-of-the-art subject matter. Moreover, they need to provide their students with clear guidance and reward students' work much more than punish them. It is equally important that they consider their students to be a vital part of every class that they teach and foster students' resiliency in academic performance. On the other hand, Saudi students—from both practical and philosophical perspectives—should exhibit a number of characteristics such as showing a genuine desire for learning (not just for passing) and being diligent, enthusiastic, and serious. Furthermore, they should be attentive and involved, have a positive attitude, and be fully engaged. Saudi students should also display good classroom behavior including coming to class on time and being very well prepared, as well as having intellectual curiosity, showing willingness to ask questions, wanting to learn, and willingness to work hard for the sake of maximum learning from their professors. The question that we need to consider is what can be done to promote professor-student relationships in Saudi colleges and universities. I believe that this relationship can indeed be fostered via three essential means: setting from the outset a clear set of expectations, establishing a floor for effective communication, and allowing for ongoing dialogue between professors and students. My final thought is that the key to fostering successful relationships between Saudi professors and students lies in the necessity of working together to make the whole pedagogical experience an efficient and enjoyable one.
— The writer is a Saudi academic who can be reached at [email protected]
