I feel that any student needs positive encouragement. I include this in my instruction by involving my students in open discussions about various topics which come up, role-playing, giving feedback individually on their classwork and homework, and, perhaps, giving them extra assignments so that they feel they have mastered the topic at hand. I have also played games in my classroom, which the students love and feel very successful as they find themsevles moving along the board because they know they can only acheive that by being successful in answering or performing the particular skill.
Natasha,
Great career plan for your students to follow. By reminding them of this list ever so often they will see that even though being a student is hard it is worth the effort due to the potential they are developing for themselves. They are creating their future.
Gary
Ian,
Right on with your goals strategy. I like the clarity of how you work through goal development. This makes them understandable by the students and gives them a road map for success if they are willing to put forth the effort.
Gary
I often indicate to my students that the following are key areas to review in your life to ensure success.
1. Make sure you Research Your Program and the job options.
2. Make sure that the school you select is accredited.
3. Make sure that your support platforms are in place. Maintaining solid relationships that support you and eliminating those who do not.
4. Allocating appropriate time to study.
5. Develop an effective solid Time Management schedule inclusive or work, play, family and school.
6. Focus on the outcome of your short and long term goals. Remember on a regular basis that you are completing your education to gain leverage in today's world and gain a new career.
By offering encouragement as the student moves through the course. By inquiring of the students how they are doing and asking about any special issuses that need to be addressed.
Students should have goals that are SMART, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. These are all very helpful for a student to be successful. I think that you could look at coursework in this matter and it would clearly help a student be successful in school. I know that time is a concern for most adult learners so this would be able to help them in planning their workload also.
Thank You,
Ian
I think if you can relate school back to other tasks they have accomplished it can help to ease fears. For example, you can point out how the managed their time at a job or managed their time when they stayed at home with their kids.
It is very important to encourage students in what they are doing well. This can even be done as a compliment to the entire class. Say for instance if everyone is doing a great job on quizzes or class discussions, then inform the class on their progress. This helps with overcoming fears of unsuccessfulness.
When students fear college, the best encouragement for them is to remind them of their end goal. Remind the students to use good time management and organizational skills. The instructor should provide support, and encourage the students to continue to progress until their destination is met.
Katherine,
Good way to provide support to your students. Using your own experiences as a student is a great way to connect with your students as you know. They know you know what they are going through because you have and are experiencing it. This puts a very human face on the instructional process.
Gary
Since I was a returning student (and still am) I can use my own stories. The students like this since they can now relate to me and they see they can do it too. Then we check around the room for other stories. Pretty soon the students start to see they are not alone. Bonds are formed . The student no longer feels that they are out there by themselves.
More ways are the constant encouragement . Even as adult learners we want to hear that we are doing good.If a student says to me"I blew that test" or " I didn't write such a good paper", I review what they did do. Then we look at what they need to do the next time to improve.
I believe sharing some of your personal professional experiences helps a student overcome some fears. This way they do not feel it only happens to them,everypne has situations to overcome.
Janelle ,
I think this is a great way to get foundational information from your students. This way you can customize your approach as needed to meet their learning preferences.
Gary
At the beginning of class, I like to have the students complete a survey where I ask questions about their previous work experiences. This information helps me plan my lectures and add information in the classroom discussion. I will also use this information to call on students at specific times to add to the discussion.
As an instructor you need to offer words of encouragement and praise for the adult learner. They already feel out of place in an environment with a lot of young individuals
Let them know at every juncture possible when they are correctly answering questions/ completing tasks, and giving the best constructive criticism possible when they happen to be incorrect.
Abdul,
So true. By establishing rapport with your students you are helping them to see that you want them to be successful and that you are there to support them as needed. This is a powerful motivational tool.
Gary
You can help students to overcome their fears by shortening the gap between the student and the instructor. Then, try to convince them that the class isn't difficult. Communication plays a huge role in college.
Elizabeth,
Great advice for students. All aspects of an individual's career development needs to be included. This involves not only content, and skill development but the soft skills such as human relations. Good information for all instructors to consider. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Gary
By Elizabeth Price
In today’s society a college education is a must. Unfortunately, when you arrive at college you may find that you are vastly unprepared to undertake the future educational prospects ahead of you. In fact, you may find that other college students that you’ve talked to have informed you that college is primarily a place for fun and games.
Many students who fall into this trap normally come to the realization that they’ve been caught in it when they find out that they are either failing multiple classes or just plainly doing horrible in them. There are many expectations imposed upon college students, and everyone generally expects you to know and understand them. Even though they have never actually came out and told you what they are and how to succeed at them, they still expect you to excel.
To succeed in college you first need to learn your primary responsibilities as a student. The main responsibility you should hold in this area is complete whatever homework is assigned to you. In college, teachers no longer assign “busy work,†they assign homework that is relevant to what will be discussed in class. A good majority of what will you do and what you will read in your homework assignments will show up on your tests and quizzes.
Another one of your primary responsibilities in college is attending your classes. Most students initially marvel at the idea that they do not need to attend their classes if they do not want to. Hopefully you will not fall into this dire trap also! In class, you will learn a plethora of information that you don’t already know. If you miss those critical hours of instruction can make a detrimental impact on your grade, and could mean the difference between passing and failing that course.
College teachers also tend to spend a lot of time in class on topics they believe are important, which means the information presented will most likely make an appearance on a test or quiz that you will eventually take.
Now that we’re done taking a look at the educational aspect of school, we must take a look at the social aspect. The most important thing after education in college is making new friends. It may not seem all that important to you, but it prepares you for the working world where you get ahead by making connections.
