I teach parasitology in a veterinary technology program. I have my students create a client education brochure on one of a variety of parasites that people can contract from their pets. In it they describe how the disease is transmitted, diagnosed, etc. After the first couple of quarters, I was very dissatisfied with the work being produced.
Now, for 25% of their grade, I ask them to submit proof to me that they have either submitted their work to an on-line "proof-reading" service (provided to them as part of their tuition)twice during the quarter or have attended a writing lab twice during the quarter to get help with their work. I find that many students seek help with organization, as well as spelling, grammar, sentence structure, etc. I've seen a dramatic improvement in the final product! (And, hopefully, the students have learned the value of getting input from others as they produce their own professional work.)
Hi Maureen- You said something very significant in your post. "I encourage the use of soft skills in the classroom amongst their peers. It almost becomes routine by the end of the session." That's wonderful! Great work! Best wishes - Susan
Soft skills are key to my subject matter and you are right, students seem to "come up short" in this area. I encourage the use of soft skills in the classroom amongst their peers. It almost becomes routine by the end of the session. Their testing includes how soft skills are incorporated into their activities.
Hi Carol- I agree - we need to be consistant in modeling the behavior we want our students to have. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
Hi Carrie, I've also encountered the soft skill problem in the classroom, and in the business world. I worked for a large office supply company that had a problem with executives who couldn't stop using bad words. This was over 10 years ago and I concluded that people under the age of 45 might not know the difference. It was just commonplace. When these people go home, they take the language with them and their kids pick it up so quickly. If the verbal is bad, the written skills won't be any better, but how do we as educators make a difference? Example is the best way.
Hi Karl - Yes - those are the bottom line, real life skills that will vary with every career goal but are essential if our students want to succeed in their chosen arena! Best wishes- Susan
I find that it helps to make an explicit connection between their career aspirations and the standards of behavior future clients will expect form them. For example, interior design practices that want to compete for the most lucrative contracts are appealing to clients who see themselves as members of the social elite. If students want to work in that practice context, they have to have the class skills commensurate with their goals. I frequently pla a game where we talk about light social indicators (e.g. wine vs. beer, cats vs. dogs) to get them to acknowledge the distinctions they are interested in participating in.
Hi Patricia- Thanks for your post to the forum. Although our students may protest, it is indeed our duty to teach them to communicate in a professional manner. They will thank us someday! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I find this hard to break the students of with text messaging so much a part of there every day life. I stress several times for written assignments how critical it is it is to be clear in what they are saying, both verbally and written. This could mean the success or failure in the health and well-being of a patient (I teach medically-related classes.) Because of cultural diversity, slang that they use every day may be very offensive to a patient of a different culture.
Hi Melanie- We try to bring those community advisors/corporate HR folks etc. into our classrooms to make that point directly to our students. They listen!! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I agree that soft skills are hard to find in some of our students. Many times, though, these skills can be a reason that a graduate does or does not get a job. Many of our community advisory council members stress the importance of soft skills, being able to communicate with people being the number one skill.
Hi Connie- Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree, it is so important to have "buy-in' from your students so that they understand the importance of soft skills. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I teach Critical Thinking as well as English Composition and Literature courses. In Critical Thinking, in the first class of the semester, I explain why this course is being taught and how important soft skills are to the success of the student after they graduate. They don't question it and seem to agree.
Hi Gabrielle- thanks for your post to the forum. Not only have they often never heard the term "soft skills", but when we explain what they are, they question why they need to learn them! Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I have found many of my students have never heard of the expression "soft skills," so just having the discussion with them seems to be beneficial. Including points for grammar and spelling is definitely helpful as well.
HI Bryan - Thanks for your post to the forum. I agree, counting points for spelling and grammar really helps students to improve those skills.
Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
I agree with Bryan, the more a student is required to do the task, the better they will become.
i would make them read and write more. Also if you make it all graded they will get better with time
Hi Carrie- Thanks for your post to the forum. You mention a problem we are all encountering. It seems like an impossible task to try to overcome the bad habits our students have acquired. Still, we need to do the best we can by modeling correct speech and writing and insisting that our students do the same. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career. Susan
