How do I thank a professor for a great semester without sounding like a suck-up?

Say, “Thank you for a great semester”?

I would just send an email telling your prof exactly what you’ve told us here. As long as you’re not inappropriate, you shouldn’t have any problems. Who are you worried will think of you as a suck-up? It’s not like your classmates will be seeing the email. If you have the prof again for another course, (s)he won’t treat you any differently because of it.

When I was accepted into grad school, I sent a thank-you email to all of my undergrad professors thanking them for having supported me and having helped to shape me into the student I am today. They all played a role in my decision to pursue my field of study, and I thought they should know how much I appreciated it. I ended up deferring my acceptance for a year, taking a few more classes with those same profs in the meantime, and no one ever treated me strangely or anything like that. In fact, all of them replied to my email thanking me for the gratitude (one prof told me it made her cry). Professors too often go without the praise and gratitude of their students, so take the opportunity to thank someone deserving while you have it.

Just be sincere. Tell him how much his teaching style meant to you and try to give some specific examples. Because the grades have already been given, he probably won’t think you are being a suck up. I don’t think many people thank those who should be thanked. People mostly complain about stuff they don’t like.

Let’s have a Fluther prod and see if each of us Flutherers can send a real letter to someone, be it a teacher, a friend or a service-person who has made our lives a little nicer.

What you have said doesn’t sound at all inappropriate or like ‘sucking up’ to me and I am sure it won’t to him.

There’s never anything wrong with a sincere “thank you”. I’m sure your prof would love the positive feedback.

If your professor is going to brush you off as a suck-up for sending them a sincere thank you, then they are in the wrong profession. Every one of my professors has been nothing but gracious when students thank them for the quarter, letters of recommendation, advising appointments, and any other extra time they put into furthering our education or benefiting our campus. Considering your professor sent you a congratulatory notice first, I am sure that they would appreciate the gesture you have in mind.

Send them an e-mail or post them a card (if this option is available!) They are sure to be thankful that a student took the time to appreciate their work :)

Please let your professor know how much you valued his class and his teaching.

Being teachers are always being evaluated by the school. Just note on there that you felt his teaching was of such high quality that you thought this professor should be commended for their hard work in making sure you got the quality of education you are paying for.
I’m sure it will make his day. Like any other job, people are quick to say negative things but few are willing to thank someone for a great job done. At least in writting.

Since you’ve gotten your grade already, you can be as effusive as you like in an e-mail to the professor about the course. He will be delighted and you need have no fears of sounding like a suck-up.

If the semester’s over.. you can’t be trying to brown-nose to get a better grade, so I wouldn’t worry about it. I’ve done that a few times, when I really, especially enjoyed a professor and their class. Just be genuine!

I wouldn’t overthink it. Professors love to get feedback, so in addition to saying how much you enjoyed the class, include a couple specific aspects of the class or his/her instruction that you loved.

I just thought of another idea. Not only should you send a nice letter (or e-mail) to the professor, you might want to send another letter to the professor’s boss. I guess that would be the Dean of that department, right?

Just thank him/her. It isn’t a suck-up to give a sincere compliment and it will make your professor feel good.

As a person who was married to a great professor, I can tell you that when students wrote letters about their experiences in class, and also continued in contact down the line when what and how they had learned affected them later in life, it was always a thrill for him.

As has already been said, just sincerely tell your professor you appreciated their teaching style etc. I teach at a university and I have never felt people who take the time out to say thank you were sucking up. It is nice to know my efforts are appreciated and more importantly really, that the students I am teaching are enjoying the experience and learning.