A fine line between empathy and being played by a player.
There's a fine line between showing empathy and bending the rules for a well rehearsed sob story. Years of experience has taught me to always be prepared with alternate arrangement which allows the student to save face while testing their sincerity in completing their learning tasks . . . If properly administered a great instructor can create alternatives that allow students with hardships to navigate the tasks yet making the experience a behavioral teaching event i.e. learning themselves to be better prepared. What say you?
Tanya,
Good point and one that all instructors need to consider when such situations come up. We can and are played but we need to try our best to be supportive but not taken advantage of. Your approach is a solid one for overcoming such manipulation.
Gary
Hi George,
I agree with your point about the sob story. I would admit that I was played a few times when I began teaching online. Now, I only allow a student to make-up an assignment/test under an extenuating circumstance. Even in this case, I usually alert student that this is a one time favor only to eliminate being played by a player.
In certain situations, depending on the nature of the excuse and what the student is asking for, it might be appropriate to ask the student to submit some proof of his or her claims. This has to be applied consistently, however.
Many students do like to play on instructor sympathy, but others have genuine problems that the instructor should be aware of. It's part of our job to put some effort into telling the difference between the two situations.
Agree. Totally. Empathy does not mean lowering standards or creating alternatives that are actually unfair to other students.
While I am cautious to question another instructor about a student BEFORE I have them, once you see issues it is extremely helpful to check in with previous instructors and get an MO on the students you might have concerns about.
Hi Susan,
Good advice for beginning instructors. By doing a little checking and listening carefully to what the students are saying you can sort out those that don't want to do the work but want the credit. If they want to be successful bad enough they will work through life challenges with your help.
Gary
Students will use every excuse in the book. You have to be able to know which ones are real and which ones are sob stories. We have students who have the same problems and have perfect attendance and good grades. I sometimes will check with the previous teacher if this a pattern or something that just came up in my class. Sometimes, you just need to talk to the student and offer extra help after or before class.
Hi Steven,
Good point and one we instructors always need to keep in our minds.
Gary
yes so true.. they must save face, but being honest gets you so much father. A player always seems to run out of cards to play .
