Student Expectations
I'm mazed at how many students are lost in the first two weeks of school. The first week of school is a time when every member of faculty and staff is solely focused on the successful integration of the new students.
As an "Elective" Instructor, I don't see students until they have already been in the secondary vocational enviroment for around the 33 to 45 weeks.
And at this time, the student is already conditioned to the rules and regulations of the campus. During my "new start" lecture for my Elective, I again reinforce the standards of the campus as a whole and of rules and regulations of "the elective" that the student is now entering.
As an elective, the student has already researched our program offerings and has either chosen to add our elective to their program or not.
Student expectations range form exactly what I was expecting, more than I expected, too much for me (usually this student has attended other electives and has found that my elective varies very differently from the others. My elective is driven my the Mfg. as are all of the other electives, but as with every other elective, the levels can be different from the way one Mfg. want the program run to the other.)
But here recently, oh say in the past two years, mostly among the 18 to 25ish age range, it seems to me(IMHO)that this particular age group feels that they are "entitled" to a good grade based upon the fact that they have paid (their tuition, $XX,XXX and that if they show up for class then they "deserve") and then gripe when their grades truly reflect their capabilities (or lack of).
In this choice of educational field, it is certainly not rocket science, but in every event, someone's life will be in my students hands after that student graduates and is in the field.
That's an interesting observation. The first week should be an opportunity to quiet the student fears and solidify the student's decision to stay in the school. This will require consistency and collaboration from all Depts--Student Services, Academic (Instructors), Student Financial and other key Depts that has an impact on student's perception.
Brian--
Great observation. Along with the excitement of starting school comes a ton of new experiences and new things to learn. It can be very overwhelming. Having all hands 'on-deck' to help students settle in is important.
Susan
