Hi Elbert,
To expand on your excellent remarks. I try to also remind my students that to be treated like a professional you have to act like a professional. I tell them I will treat them in such a manner until they prove through inappropriate behavior that they don't deserve professional respect. Very seldom does this become a problem. They are adults and they want to succeed. When they waiver a bit I encourage them and this gets them back on the right path.
Keep up the encouragement.
Gary
When I present students with my idea of ambitious expectations, often their non-verbal communication suggests that they might be overwhelmed. For me, that response is fine and perhaps appropriate since it's the first day of class. After that initial response, I try to encourage them. My plan is to fill their plates with expectations, watch them try to figure a way to digest those expectations, and then reassure them that I will help them digest as many expectations as possible. I hope that's clear; the analogy seems a little trite.
But I welcome negative responses to my ambitious expectations. It is my job to show students every class that I am committed to their (personal and professional) growth and learning. My oft-repeated slogan throughout the class is simple: "We are working to make you professionals." With this statement as a clarion call, students usually cope with the seeming madness of my method.
Hi Elbert,
Well said. I like your approach with the ambitious expectations and their owning the course. Those two things do much to keep the students invested in what you are asking of them.
What kinds of feedback have you gotten from your students about your ambitious expectations? Do they get excited, groan or have someother reaction?
Always like to hear from instructors that work in other career preparation areas in relation to types of students and their dedication to learning.
Thanks.
Gary
Setting expectations for students is fundamentally an opportunity for the instructor to establish a tone of success (or at least from the students' perspective) success-in-progress. Students need to know that an instructor has high expectations for them, even if they might be apprehensive about how to achieve those standards. One skill of the instructor is finding a way for students to achieve outcomes higher than they believed they could.
I like to tell students at the outset of the course about my ambitious expectations for them. This strategy creates for them an understanding about how serious I am that they function well and learn in the course. Also, it creates for students an opportunity to see the outcome at the beginning. That is to say, students must make a decision in that moment about the level of personal investment they need to make to learn (and grow) in the course and ultimately in their profession. It forces students in a subtle way to become personally and professionally responsible for their development in the course. And when students “own†courses, they usually learn better.
When we have new students there is a process in which we take them through. During that process we explain to them how the program works and what the need to do for the first week. We let them know that it takes about two weeks to get settled in. We are checking on them daily to reinforce there access to their program all along letting them know what should be done as a new student then as they learn how things work what they need to do weekly. This gets them into a pattern of knowing how to meet their goals.
Hi Carol,
You are on the right track, that is blending different ways of allowing and ecouraging your students to work together.
Gary
This true, but some of our students do not own a compputer so theydannot get in touch with others via the internet. We encourage group study, to help the slower and enhance the knowledge of those who are quick learners.
Hi Andres,
Excellent suggestions for sharing expectations with your students. We use Blackboard as our software carrier and use it as a means to communicate expectations with our students. This way they get directly from me, in print, and online. They can absorb all of the information through the learning style they preferr and avoid feeling left out.
Gary
Hello everyone,
In setting student expectations from your students the easy way to would be to have it printed out for them as a handout they receive upon arrival on the first day of class. You may discuss this expectations during that first class, but now that most people have internet, you may direct your students to a internet web site that student can use as a forum.
Andres
On the first day of the course each student is given an outline of each class and what is expected. I then ask that before we take questions regarding the syllabus that each student take down a short synopsis of his/her fellow student in order to introduce them. This is what we call an ice breaker. I begin the introduction of myself and ask that each student be sure to state why the person wants to take this course.
We then open for questions regarding the syllabus. If there are none I personalize it by saying that a particular part of the class would satify "John Smith's" reason for coming to class.
I then explain to the class that the expectations we set here mirror that of the workplace. Their assignments must be completed on time and done right. Just as in the work environment, I expect everyone to be on time and if for any reason they are detained or will not be able to attend that it is required that they call us "office", etc.
Students are confused enough by learning new thing and by explaining the expectations to them upfront elleviates wondering if in fact they are doing the right thing.
Everyone is told that asking questions is a sign of intelligence and that I expect to be asked a lot of questions since they are all intelligent human beings. This eliminates the fear some people may have about being embarrased.
If students know what to expect and know that you are open to questions I feel it simplifies the entire process.
My opinion regarding setting expectations is communicating what you are expecting from the students during the first class meeting. Also, I would advise to encourage questions and explain to the students that you are available if they are uncertain of the course load and if they need additional one-on-one time to discuss the material.
Hi Paul,
As has been mentioned in the course, instructors are models whether they want to be or not. By being a positive role model you are giving your students the gift of opportunity. This gift allows them to see what they can become by successfully completing the course you are teaching.
Gary
I feel that by setting a good example with expectations for yourself as an instructor, students will follow that (kind of like the "model" aspect of being an instructor). If you give the students the opportunity to teach the instructor something, it shows them the most immediate values of learning. Makes them feel all big and proper...
I believe in an open door policy and have daily office hours. I think for effective learning, instructors should be approachable and student should be made to always feel comfortable to ask both in-class and out-of-class questions. For instance, to make students feel comfortable when asking me questions, I make sure that during the first few weeks I learn their names as much as possible. I found out that because I am
approachable to my students, they are comfortable
asking me questions. Through these daily interactions and communications with the students, I believe I can make the students understand more of what I expect of
them.
Hi Jennifer,
Great comments! Expectation management is a model that keeps the students forward focused. I try to use forward focused questions when I am in a class discussion format. Any time you are looking to and for outcomes you are moving forward with your students. Also, your comment about expectations for both the students and yourself is good. This way there are no surprises. Surprises are great for birthday parties but not for students.
Keep up the good work.
Gary
Hi Gary,
I am a big proponent of expectation management, with both my students and my patients. It makes for such an easier flow, even if bumps arise along the way. With regard to Steven and Juan's comments, I couldn't agree more. I find that letting the students know exactly what I expect from them and what they, in turn, can expect from me, sets a great tone for the rest of the course. A favorite saying I've heard in the healing arts is, "If the client doesn't know why, they aren't likely to comply." Through expectation management, I can address the 'why' and the class starts off with a connected energy.
Jennifer Allen, D.C.
Hi Tina,
You must be clear on expectations and outcomes. Covering these both verbally and in print will help to reduce confusion. On assignments where I have found that students may get confused I include examples. I have found this to be very helpful.
Gary
You can tell them what you expect of them and you can also have it outlined in the Syllabus perhaps so that they can see what it is that you expect of them, so they cannot say that they didn't know that a certain thing was required of them, because you have it written down for them. You can also ask them if they have any questions for you regarding the class and the requirements of the class.
As students take my class, it is my responsibility as a lead instructor to be very precise in what is expected of them. Giving realistic goals/rules for them to follow will help them along this learning process. I think it is also important to create a helping relationship with each student as each student may have different visions of thier future in the field of work they have chosen. This is where I can also use my past work experiences in the field, as prime examples of what to do and what NOT to do. Learning your trade never stops even past graduation, it's having the self-motivation to learn & to excel to the top of thier profession.
Hi John,
You can list the expectations in written form and reinforce them through class discussions about outcomes. This time will be well spent as it helps the students to capture the vision of where their careers can go.
Gary
