How to tell what your professor thinks of you

Your co-worker makes a sarcastic comment when she has to cover your shift at the last minute. You know she is annoyed.

Your girlfriend crosses her arms, rolls her eyes and says, “I’m fine.” You conclude that she is anything but fine.

People pick up on these cues from both verbal and nonverbal communication. Professors communicate in these ways, too, and students need to gauge what impression they are giving off throughout the semester.

It’s common sense that if students constantly show up late, fall asleep in class and miss deadlines that they aren’t in their instructor’s good graces. However, it’s those subtler things -- like an instructor’s graded remarks, body language and verbal cues -- to which students really need to be attuned in order to build a positive relationship.

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Here are some common verbal and nonverbal cues from professors, what they signify and how students can change things around.

1. Comments at the end of your paper that say something along the lines of, “See the textbook for the correct format,” or “See the syllabus for the assignment description.”

Code: This student is not reading material that is readily available and contains all the necessary information. College requires self-motivation and being resourceful.

Change: When the time is appropriate, discuss something in class that refers to the readings. If you have a future question about the assignment, ask what is confusing you after reading the full assignment description.

2. The professor gives a short response and crosses his/her arms after you speak in class.

Code: This student is being disrespectful, and/or making the professor defensive. A professor is usually thinking that you should have learned better social skills at this point.

Change: Modify your tone. Ask for clarification instead of blaming the instructor for confusion. Also, if you are about to say something just to get attention, stop yourself. If you have to question whether something is appropriate, I promise you it shouldn’t be said.

3. The professor glances at the clock multiple times while you are speaking.

Code: You are monopolizing class time. Professors are usually on a tight schedule to cover all the content required for the semester.

Change: Participation is great, but limit your answers to a few sentences, usually staying under a minute. Also, if you see a lot of other hands are raised and you just spoke, wait this one out.

4. The professor either sternly or jokingly says, “You need to take the class more seriously.”

Code: You aren’t meeting the professor’s expectations. This also serves as a fair warning that you probably aren’t getting the grade you are expecting at this point. Also, the professor is clearly noticing problem behaviors like showing up late and turning in low-quality work.

Change: Start setting your alarm earlier, reading the book and proofreading your work. There is really no soft way to say, “just get your act together.”

5. The professor suggests that you apply for a scholarship or internship.

Code: Not everything is negative! This means that your professor notices your effort and wants to see you be successful.

Change: Nothing. Keep up the good work and continue to put effort into the course. This could be a professor willing to write you a letter of recommendation.

Jorie Scholnik currently works as an assistant professor at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fla., where she teaches career classes and leads an etiquette club. She has also been working as an etiquette associate under the direction of Jacqueline Whitmore at The Protocol School of Palm Beach for the past six years. She earned her master’s degree and undergraduate degrees from the University of Florida. For business inquiries, you can contact Jorie Scholnik through The Protocol School of Palm Beach at info@etiquetteexpert.com. You can follow her on Twitter.

This story originally appeared on the Paste BN College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.