Student's Self-Evaluations
The student writes a self-evaluation every quarter prior to the evaluation among Teaching Pastor, Student, and Director of Field Education. These evaluations are due a week prior to the above meeting. During exam week, or sooner, of the fall and winter quarters, the student will meet individually with the Director of Field Education to discuss the student's and Teaching Pastor's evaluations; afterwards, the Student, Teaching Pastor, and Director of Field Education will meet to discuss evaluations and progress. At the end of the year, the student, Teaching Pastor, and Director of Field Education will meet at the field education site for a final conference.
The autumn and winter quarter evaluations cover those particular quarters and should focus on experiences in the seven areas of ministry outlined in the Learning Agreement: preaching, worship leadership, pastoral care, religious education, church administration, denominational and ecumenical relations, and social ministry. (Of course, you may not participate in all of these areas of church life each quarter; please address those that are applicable.) What have you learned this quarter about the practice of ministry and about your own specific style of ministry? Reflect on the experience of being a leader in your faith community; what did you learn about your own pastoral authority? What did your successes and failures in ministry teach you? How are you different after this quarter? Suggested length is three to five pages.
The end-of-year evaluation covers the entire year and should focus on the following questions:
- What are your strongest gifts for ministry? What are your growing edges?
- How can you best use your gifts? How might you engage your growing edges in the future?
- How do you now understand your particular theology of ministry?
- In light of your field experience, how do you understand the relationship between the academic study of religion and the practices of communities of faith?
- What are the most important things you have learned about the practice of ministry?
- What are the most important things you have learned about yourself?
- If possible, what would you do differently?
Suggested length is eight to ten pages.
