Hi Christina,
Good point. These "soft skills" cannot be taught too much. Students sometimes think they can be absent or tardy and then by "magic" they will be transformed into super career specialist. We both know it doesn't happen that way. Career prep and career success is a lot of hard work. Keep up the good work with these students.
Gary
I also address tardiness by reminding the students that they will carry this bad habit with them to the workplace and that class instruction always begins on time.
Hi William,
Well said. The students need to know where you stand on attendance plus this is good training for their future. Their future employers will not tolerate their being absent or tardy either. These are the "soft skills" students need to learn in order to be successful.
Gary
I do not like it at all, especially if no solid reason if given. I teach in MN, so in winter, bad roads and traffic are acceptable. One time late can be forgiven, twice, and the student gets a quiet one on one.
Hi Andrew,
Not only are you trying to get the students to come on time but you are educating them about the consequences of being tardy in the real world. They need to know that they will not keep their jobs if they are always late to work and learning it in the class room and lab is a way to get a start on this most important lesson.
Gary
I give 2-3 minute "attendance quizzes" that I distribute promptly at the beginning of class. Anyone who is habitually late will suffer the consequences of zeroes when they are tardy; these very low scores will add up as the student racks up the latenesses.
Hi Steven,
There has to be consequences for actions and you are right many students will just take the hit for being late since it doesn't really matter to them anyway. You and your college will have to develop policies that insure that the students know the consequences of their actions and that the consequences are such that they can't afford to have these consequences in their lives.
Gary
Hi Scott,
Way to go in teaching students about the realities of life. They have to be there and on time or they won't have any place to go before very long because their boss will not put up with it. In today's economy they have to set themselves apart if they are going to retain their position. Our programs have to reflect the standards of business and industry.
Gary
Students who are habitually late; the loss of points, a 78 instead of a 82 has no effect, it actually gives them an acceptable consequence to their action.
Hi Emerson,
90% of jobs are lost because of being absent, tardy and/or human relations. Students have to get the "soft skills" integrated into their behavior or they will not ever be successful in the workplace.
Gary
I let them know right off the bat what time class starts and what time I expect them to be here. I also tell them if this was your job and you came in late your boss would not like that. I tell them this is only training for the real world. If this keeps going on I pull them aside and let them know that I keep track of there tardies and these will effect there grades as well.
I agree. Students who are always late will be employees always late
Hi Steven,
Consistency and control are two essential elements of student management and instruction. The students need to see how what you are requiring of them in the classroom or lab is directly related to how the real world operates.
Gary
5 minute warnings become six minute warnings...Invest the time to make sure all understand the parameters that they are working with...Use real life examples that focus on th econsequences
Hi Tiffany,
You are right on with the behavior management plan you are implementing. Students have to meet the standards of behavior, knowledge and skills of their career area. As their instructor you are preparing them for these three areas by imposing the requirements of the field on your course.
Gary
What I plan to do is to act as an employer would. I would give a warning, followed by a final warning that the student signs or something like that, and then some type of disciplinary action such as a loss of points or a referral to the program director.
Hi Michael,
You are teaching your student the "soft skills" when you focus on being there on time each day. Without the soft skills of working with other and being responsible student are not going to be successful. Good job.
Gary
One on one and express to them how important it is to be on time each and every day. How this will help them in the working force
Hi Mary Anne,
We must train for the industry that the students are going to enter. Your approach is that you are using the same standards as is required for successful employment. That sometimes is a hard lesson for the students to learn but learn it they must if they are going to be successful.
Gary
Ours also get a warning for 5 minutes. The second time it happens they are sent home and required to make up the clinical at a later date. However, students with an approved reason for missing clinical get first priority for making up clinical. If the student does not get a specific number of hours of clinical they can fail clinical and the course.
