Constantly offer words of encouragement by letting the student, regardless of age, know that you as the instructor will be with them every step of the way of the learning process to help, assist, and guide them. One way of demonstrating this is to work with each student individually during each class meeting even if it's only for 5 to 10 minutes. This helps you find out if the student is understanding the material, what areas they need tutoring, while also giving them a sense that you care about their learning process.
Hi Kathleen,
Little successes really help students to build to the next level. By keeping them energized you are doing just that. They want to keep coming back to class to see what they will learn next. Keep up the good work.
Gary
We start off with some basic activities in class, sometimes in a group, and have students share their outcomes with fellow classmates. Once they've achieved a small "win" they feel energized to be able to take on bigger challenges. Also, basing the initial activities on courses which are prerequisites is a good way to refresh previously learned information and increase the chances of the students being successful since it's information they've already learned.
Hi Jeffrey,
I know what you mean about students liking to hear "our" stories. By sharing our stories they can see that we have had the same challenges they are currently facing and that we were able to overcome them just as they can. These kinds of reminders help to keep them focused on the prize that they are seeking and that is a career.
Gary
Hi Marilyn,
You make a good point about reminding students how far they have progressed in a short period of time. Students get so caught up in the everyday aspects of being a student that they sometimes forget they are really progressing in knowledge and skill acquisition. A reminder of this progress in the form you shared gives them a clear picture of where they were and where they are now.
Gary
I find that my students are inspired by the story of my own academic failure at the beginning of my post-secondary studies. I share with them honestly the reasons for my failure, and then tips that were shared with me by others that led to later success. The end of the story is quite clear: look how it all turned out! If I can do it, so can you -- and I am here to help you do just that!
Keep encourage them. Let them know when they are doing good work and showing a grasp of the concepts. Also, reassure them that one bad quiz or assignment grade is relatively minor in the whole scope of the quarter, so don't give up hope due to one bad performance.
Set a goal for them. Sometimes focusing on the easiest task a student ignores make the hard task seem manageable.As an example, I teach cake decorating, and on the first practical, I make my students focus on the wording on the cake. I ask them to remember how the wording on their first cake looks, and point out how I will expect them to improve from Practical 1, 2, 3....It becomes their goal, and by the time they are done with their fifth cake, they didn't realize, not only did they achieve their goal, they didn't mind the harder tasks of making the flowers,etc
Hi Julie,
What are some methods you use to draw your students out and show them how they can use their life experiences to help them be successful in the class?
Gary
By letting them know that you are there to help them and they should feel free to ask questions. Let them know that life experiences often give them a leg up when it comes to understanding more of the basics.
Three major concepts can help students to be successful in their college classes. First, to allay student fears and increase student confidence, the instructor needs to discuss the course objectives and expectations stated in the syllabus during the first meeting of class so that the students have a picture of what the course entails and how it is set up. A basic guideline helps students see where they are going and what they need to do to be successful in the class. The second major suggestion for student success is to create a "note buddy" or student support of three so students have a built in support system plus the support of the instructor. A simple exchange of emails makes this concept work. Students not only gain self-confidence from the teamwork, but they also build a social network from this course which will create connections for future course work. Finally, a third suggestion to improve student success is to provide frequent feedback that contains improvement recommendations and at least one or two positive comments. Student support needs to be on-going and takes place through various means. These are only three major points that will help students feel confident and overcome their fear of college.
This form of phobia can be remedied by having a some type of support structure in place very early on and prior to college student entering classrooms. For example, speaking to the department counselor, parents or friends who had attended college who can offer guidances or strategies with coping such fear.
tutor them to understand that they can do it. Repeat the fact that we as instructors will help them any way we can. Repeat that they can email, phone for help.
I think some of the best ways you can do this is through responsiveness and feedback. Students need to know that you are accessible for questions. I always provide a phone number, an email, and an instant message profile for students so that they feel they can get a hold of me at anytime during the course. I also respond to their emails and phone messages (if I wasn't able to answer the call right away) within 24 hours.
I give extensive feedback to the students. I try to provide positive comments as well as comments for improvement. I also provide very specific rubrics for my students right at the start of the course, so they know exactly what I'm looking for in their work. I enhance the rubric with a "Welcome" announcement detailing my expectations. I feel it's important to say things more than once in order for students to truly grasp what you are saying.
