How do I help a student who doesn't seem to want to help themselves?
As a teacher, I've run into students who have felt incompetent, unable to perform, or have given up because they fell a little bit behind the class.
I have given many breaks to students such as this in the past. For example, allowing them to turn in work late, staying with them to help with assignments, and just generally trying to motivate them despite themselves.
I want to help these kids, but giving a ton of extra help to them but I feel it is unfair to the rest of the students in the class.
What can I do in this situation?
Katherine,
First establish that this is a college course and they have voluntarily enrolled in the course to help them move forward with their career development. I push this point with my students because they sometimes confuse my college class with their required high school English class. I work hard at making the course engaging and interesting for my students through the assignments and activities I select. Do I reach them all? No. But, I do know I have done my very best to provide them with quality instruction and I let them know that as some time they have to take responsibility for themselves. If they don't I can't help them.
As for repeating information in the classroom. You can review it but if you aren't careful you will be teaching the same content over and over just so those that don't care can grasp enough to pass the minimum course requirements.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
AS a new teacher I find it really hard to help students that consantly are not paying attention and, from the looks of it really don't want to be in the classroom.I dont think , as a teacher I should have to repeat answers and or information if they are not paying attention in the frist place.How do you make them want to be in class, and how do you midigate repeating information in the classroom?
Mark,
Fairness can be defined as providing a student with the support he or she needs for success. This is what a major portion of teaching is about because of what you have pointed out in your comments. Thank you for making this point about the human factor in teaching.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
As a teacher, we have to do all things and use resources available to help our students. It is not unfair to other students as you would give any of them the same help if it was needed. that is part of being a teacher/ no two students learn alike and you have to be able to understand what motivates each student to give their best
Racheal,
Does this student have very good study skills? In a one on one you are providing him/her with tutoring so the individual does not have to structure the content. What is probably happening from the time of the tutoring session to the test time is a loss of structure. Have the student develop a guided note format where the key concepts are listed so the student can review these concepts prior to the test. A review guide listing the key concepts that the student needs to review and memorize is another support that you can provide. Hopefully one of these supports will work for this student.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I am in a situation with a student who seems motivated and eager enough to learn when we are one on one but the information doesn't seem to stick beyond those short tutoring sessions. By the time the test comes around the student barely passes with a 70. This student is only in the second month and I really want to see them succeed. I welcome your suggestions.
Juvenal,
I am willing to help my students be successful in my class if they are willing to put forth the required effort. On the other hand they have decided to go to college an honor that many people do not get so I expect them to work hard, have self discipline and set goals for themselves. If they are not willing to do these things I don't think we should just let them occupy a seat and give them a grade. There is too much of an entitlement feeling already in our culture.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have tried to help students who fit this category by staying after class, by doing extra problems with them, by meeting them for tutoring on another day and then the day of the assessment it makes me feel disappointed if they still do not meet the minimum requirement to pass. My question is. Is it worth it or we just let them warm the sit? It seems to me that all of that effort given is just wasted, and it should be provided to better use!
Robert,
I understand your predicament, and I, too, have given these students "breaks" in order "to help them along"...but I wonder if we really are doing the students a disservice by "enabling" them? In teaching over the years, I have noticed a very disconcerting trend of students who feel "entitiled", that because they have had some tough breaks in life, that this education I am trying so hard to motivate them with should "just be handed to them". There is a definite lack of self motivation in regards to their studies and goals. I continue to set the high bar as far as thier work and grades are concerned, but I also try to meet them at a personal level with a little bit of personal sharing that conveys "I've had it tough too, I've made it, and so can you!".
Robert,
You raise a very good question that is difficult to answer. Yes, educators want to help their students to be successful in their classes and provide all types of supports to facilitate success. The other side is that the students have voluntarily enrolled in the college and paid to receive an education yet they want to be enabled via instructor support and exceptions to the class policies. This is a dis-service to them because even though they might pass their classes they may not have acquired the necessary competencies and skills for their career field. I feel we need to provide support to and for our students but they must put forth the effort needed to be successful in the class. If they do then I think it is fair to them when we help them with assignments and staying on target in the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
