I agree taking personal responsibility is key to maturing, being a good student and a good employee. sometimesstudents need mentoring in this area. When I take responsibility for my mistakes I show them how to respond.
with some students I listen to the "excuse' and try to show them solutions. many students are not looking for a solution. This becomes apparent during our converstion. I then return to the syllbus and enforce the standards.
I have a question about students who manipulate to get other students "in troube". Have you had this problem in your classroom? i was observing this one day, but not sure if I should intervene.rebecca Whittaker
There are not a great deal of students that behave this way, but for those that do my sugestion is to have them blame others for all the successful thisngs that come their way.
I always tell them to "man up" to your mistakes, plus making mistakes is part of being human, and it is also a learning tool. The students that blame's others for their mistakes or misfortune will most likey continue this like a bad habbit. Until someday there is no one to blame.They will have to learn that they will and must be held accountable for their actions in life.
Hi Janet,
Students need to learn how to accept responsibility for their own actions. In the workplace pointing the finger at others will get old real quick.
Patricia
Hi William
What a good way for students to take responsibility.
Patricia
Hello Shelia,
We all make mistakes, including the instructor.
Patricia
Hi Shelia,
Simple, take responsibility for your own actions.
Patricia
I agree with your assessments Thomas. Getting students to take ownership for their mistakes is a vital step in character building. Until the person can accept that we all make mistakes, he or she will continue to be socially inept
I try to encourage the students to be honest with themselves and let them know that no one is always right by using myself as an example.
When I was a child, my father said to me son, Look at yourself in the mirror each and every morning and ask yourself this simple Question. Who is going to feed me today, i apply this to todays assingments. I like to give indivual assnments to each and every one in the class. This way there is no excuse for blameing another for not compleating the task at hand. The assingments are simple at hand but they are enough to chalenge oneself.
I inform the students I associate with that you are the one person who controls their future and at some point in time there will be no one else around for them to blame. The control over their future is in their hands and the control should come from them because at some point they will not be considered the new employee who just did not know or was told.
Hi Paul,
I see your points. I've had some students to quit their employer that were not supportive of their schooling and found jobs that had schedules that were conducive to their education. This is a student that is determined not to let others define their destiny.
Patricia
Hi Juli,
By giving the students various scenarios and have them tell how one should take responsibility.
Patricia
Hi Tina,
I certainly understand your points. You've made some valid points. These type students will even go into the work place pointing fingers. These students need to be talked to and told to take responsibility for their own actions. People do not want to hear their whining and excuses.
Patricia
This is by far and away a favorite topic!
Many students shift blame-- that I don't do enough projects, they need more group work, the reading is too difficult, the coursework is too demanding, grading is too difficult, etc.
Some say te class is too easy, others comment that it is too hard. Though I do reflect on my teachings strategies, it is hard to know what to take and how to take it!
Think about your teacher evaluations. A student who gets an A in your class is most likely going to give you a favorable evaluation. A student who earns a D in your class is not going to say it was a great class and you are a great teacher-- I just didn't do anything.
Some students are so used to blaming others for their lack of preparedness or expertise that they don't even realize that they are doing so. I like to restate the situation back to the student, shifting some or all of the ownership back on to that student. When they hear it aloud, sometimes they recognize their lack of accountability and actually start to take ownership in future situations. Like we learned in Intro to Communications class, "I statements" can make the situation seem more palatable and less threatening.
What other techniques have you found helpful in redirecting the blame?
I often see this with some adult students. There is one situation however where the students fall behind because of an employer that is not supportive of their educational goals. In this case the deflection may be warranted. I find that some employers do not want their employees to further their education because at some point the employer fears he will be out a good employee and then must train a new one. In these cases it is often true that the student is correct in blaming someone else for there lack of time. Military students may also experience something like this with TDYs, though the Military is definitely pro-Education. I try to identify this situation ASAP and then work with the student one on one. I find the other students appreciate this flexibility as they may need it someday themselves....
Hi Steven,
They will see the value once they begin repaying the loan and grow to become wiser and smarter.
Patricia
I have found that many students put a very low value on their education, because they have not "paid" for it (yet). Many do not understand the value of what they are receiving. They have not put out any money, only taken out loans. While they have "paid" for it, they do not see the value right now.
Hi James,
Please elaborate the role each component plays in the approach.
Patricia
