Gaining Students trust
I replaced another instructor in the middle of a module in the Ultrasound scan lab. The students had a hard time handling the change in expectations. They have relaxed a little, but still occasionally try to make it easy on themselves. Are there any suggestions for this situation?
Sandy,
Great way to set the stage for student success. This way there is clear understanding by the students of what the expectations are as well as the behaviors related to being a professional. Then is building on this information from there.
Gary
The approach used to being up front is exactly what we do as well. The first day of every term we discuss the "Guiding Principles". These are the school wide common protocols for professionalism. The students seem very comfortable knowing what to expect up front. We also share note taking stratigies and walk them through the course syllabus. The tone set on day one is usually what we can expect for the entire term.
Sandy Gecewicz
Angela,
Great way to overcome what could have been a tough situation. As a result you established rapport with your students and have created a positive learning environment. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Gary
As a new instructor I encounter some issues with student in opening up and with trust. Some student felt that other instructors expectation of them were lower and easier for them to reach. What helped me overcome this issue, is talking and relating to them an a personal level. I explained that my expectation were higher because it will push them and they will have the end benefit in being better in their fields.
Hi Denise,
This is the way to set the stage for the upcoming class. The students know your expectations so they can work on getting settled into the course and prepare themselves for success.
Gary
On the very first day of class, I read the syllabus AND my "Rules of Classroom Management". By being up front and letting the students know what I expect from them gains their trust from the beginning, knowing that I am a "No Nonsense instructor," and being insubordinate, will not be tolerated in my class. They know what to expect and know that I will follow through with my consequences if rules are not being followed.
Annmarie, this could be a situation where your expectations are more than reasonable but it's just an adjustment period for your students. In this situation, I would play it safe and communicate your expectations and the reasons for them. For example, if students submit an assignment with high similarity rates, you may have a policy in place to automatically deduct points if its over a certain percentage. This is something they may not be familiar with, so I would explain as a facilitator its your role to grade them on their knowledge and understanding. When they present work with high similarity rates, explain how you aren't able to confidently asses this knowledge and skill set. This is a great way to let the students know you're not out to get them, but help them gain a better understanding.
Hi James,
Thank you for sharing this example of how an instructor can be adaptive to the setting. Tough way to start a course because you were taking over from another instructor. Great way to cope because you pulled it off, gained the respect of your students and the course was successful. Congratulations on being an instructor of merit!
Gary
Having had the experience of becoming the instructor half-way through a 15-week course (a General Studies Communications course), I had to consider how I was going to adequately communicate my expectations and get my students comfortable with my instructional style. To gain their trust, I made sure to almost over-communicate with them to be sure everyone understood the changes and answer any questions/concerns. Besides checking in with them during the class, we communicated via email between weekly sessions. They liked my pro-active approach and we had a great learning experience.
They are going to have to know the material no matter who teaches the class, they could get a new boss with different expectations in the work place, dealing with your change in expectations will help them develope skills to manage this problem in the work place. Dont change anything
