Working with Student Characteristics.
I am a Registrar and see the ups and downs everyday. My problem is more along the lines of how do I keep my instructors motivated to keep working with the more difficult students. The ones that you almost have to "spoon feed" or "babysit"?
David,
This is such a great service to your students. You are showing them by attending the graduations that you care about them and their success. This establishes you as a learning leader.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
We have graduations every 3 weeks and I try to attend every one that I can. This helps me see the real reason that I love doing what I do.Such an amazing day to watch these students that you have seen grow so much over the course of a year.
Tracy,
As and instructor for a career college I have encountered students as you metioned that need to be "spoon feed". What have help me to motivate these students is my ability to relate, understand, analized and then apply what the students need in order to move the students to the next level, which will be the student's satisfaction of self-directed efforts and continue my focus around encouragement and the value of their chosen vocational career skills.
I believe we all as humans and adult learners have something to offer to society. Finding the ability of our students is without a doubt what will diferenciate between a good teacher from a great teacher. Inspiring our students to be self-directed and independent learners takes patience, practice, critical thinking skills and nontheless, passion in our field to convey it to our students.
Karen,
Students like to make application of the content they are being taught. So the more interaction and application they can make the more value they associate with course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I find the more intereactive I can make a class, the less babysitting I need to do. If they are drawn into it, can relate to a topic, or sometimes I even have them "teach" a concept, it tends to help in the long run.
Stacy,
This is one of the ways I recharge my battery. Graduations are wonderful places to observe the impact we are making on the lives of our students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree with Gary. I also, have the instructor attend graduation and see how amazing it is. It is a day that can recharge anyone and get them back into the spirt of changing student lives.
Tracy,
If you can help those instructors to see the value of providing the needed supports to the challenging students. The instructors need to know their field of study is not being compromised by the challenging students. In my own teaching I am willing to do what I can to help a student be successful if he or she will put forth the effort but I will not reduce my standards or reduce the number of required competencies since I am training individuals for career success. If I don't uphold the standards then I will be turning our an inferior product (graduate) and I will be out of business as an instructor. So the more you can support your instructors and help them with supports for these students then the more success everyone will have.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
