Dealing with students who shift blame to others
What are some strategies you use in dealing with students who always blame others for their lack of success?
Hi Jennifer,
When things are clear, it is a win-win situtation for the students especially and instructors alike.
Patricia Scales
I have really enjoyed this section of the module. I've found that if I can present clear expectations at the beginning of course it can prevent some issues. However, the enforcement of the expectations is where I have found the most success. It also helps to create a fair playing ground for all students, especially showing students that are doing the work are appreciated.
I generally listen to them as they blame others and allow them to voice their concerns. I gently redirect them to look at how they can change the situation so they have control. They typically recognize they are the in control already.
Hi Christopher,
Great way to handle this. Sometimes the common denominator is the student who shifts blame. We will see how well she works out in the other group.
Patricia
I try to humor students, and through humor encourage students to see the role they play in their own lives, and to see how claiming personal responsibility for their actions will bring greater rewards down the road.
I always speak to the student in a private setting and advise them that they are now adults and they are accountable for there own actions and at this point in life they need to take a different approach and stop blaming others and take a look in the mirror
I have currently have one of these student in my class. I have six groups in which the students are broken into. they have a large project that has differnt components all due at seperate times. this student made it clear to me that it was her groups falut that they had not made any progress. Of course the group hada differnt story, but did not blame her. I switched her to another group and explained to her that I was willing to do this to help her be sucessful. In doing so I believe I put the responsibiliy back on her in addtion to making her aware that if this is a problem in her new group, that it prove that it is in fact her issue with other people, not the group.
What a great term: 'Ownership Spirit.' Not only does it put the owness on the individual, but it incorporates the idea of energy and fun with the idea of spirit. I am going to use this one.
I like to use learning contracts at the begining of my class. This cintract has expectations the students may have of myself and i create expectations i have of my students. We all sign the contracts. This teaches the students accountability becaUSE THEY TEND TO FOLLOW RULES AND GUIDELINES THEY THEMSELVES HELP CREATE OVER FOLLOWING RULES AND REGULATIONS SET FORTH BY THE INSTITUTION. IT GIVES THEM A SENSE OF CONTROLL OVER THeir OWN LEARNING.
I try to make my student understand, that no one is perfect, and that they must take the blame for any mistake that they make. I also let them know that owning up to their mistake is the first step to succeed.
From the very first class moment, I explain my grading policy which is (in my humble opinion) calculated to make the student responsible for the their grade and success in the class.
Students often blame their jobs for lack of assignment competition. I often get the excuse of: “They switched my schedule†or “They made me work overtimeâ€. In the first days of a new class I explain that there is 168 hours in a week. Divided up there is 40 hours for work, 10 hours for the commute to and from work, 21 hours to fix a meal and eat it, 56 hours to sleep (if they do sleep 8 hours a night), 7 hours for personal hygiene, 7 hours for family, friends or the dog, leaving 27 hours for attending class and doing the assignments.
Hi Annabelle,
We have to continue to talk to our students and motivate them as best that we can so that they understand the importance of accepting responsibility for their actions.
Patricia
Hello,
Yes, putting the responsibility for acheivement back into the student's court is the main goal. Only individual accountability and ownership of responsibility can enable a person to recognize their role in the process of learning and personal accomplishment. I like to tell the students, "You are the one that must perform out there in the work force; if you shortchange yourself now and do not learn the material or give anything less then your best efforts, you will be the one that does not have the answers on the job and that can be a potentially embarassing situation!"
Hi Julio,
It is a lot easier to blame others, and I too agree all of us have probably done this at some point.
Patricia
To be totally honest, I think we all have at least once in our lives applied the "blames others" method as a reason of why we didn't succeed at something we may have put our minds to.
On that note, the approach I take with those who shift blame is to honestly and sincerely as the student of what they did themselves in the situation that they are blaming others for.
A prime example of a situation is in one of my current classes I am teaching this term. A student was complaining about another student seated next to them in which the student complaining felt the other student was always asking the student for help, and kept bugging about trying to help her get her work done. I did also notice that the complaining student would constantly just get fed up with the other student, and practically do the other student's work so that student could stop bugging the student who was complaining to me.
I then asked the complaining student why the other student has leeched on to that student, and why the bugging student has now expected the complaining student to help everytime the student needs help. Complaining student then states that "well I'm not a mean person and I can't tell the student no". I then tell complaining student that the student was only encouraging the leeching behavior by helping the bugging student practically do the whol presentation that both have to do for part of their final.
The student then realized that the other student was only half of the equation and that the student who complained to me about the other student took responsibilty for the actions that took place that eventually led to the occurance of the other student expecting help and leeching on to the student who complained.
Hi Maryrose,
I agree! Students need to know that we genuinely care. Let our students know how much we care by handling them on a one-on-one basis if there is a need.
Patricia
I like to focus students on the the good feeling they get with good things so they hopefully never need to look at blame
There is much discussion on accountability. I tell them that we are accountable to one another. I will always do my part but they need to do theirs as well. There are times where a face to face conversation is needed. I honestly believe this is where I make the biggest connection. Sometimes a small personal touch is all that is truly needed.
