I do care!!!
The other day a student was sleeping in my class. I stopped class and told him that he had to keep awake. I gave him suggestions on how to do this. The student jumped out of his chair and told my that he had a medical problem and I didn't care about him. When I got to him as he was trying to leave the building I told him I do care. I explained to him that I have a son with the same disability, I also told him that I'm the kind of person that looses sleep over things like that. we talked awhile and I found out that he was out of medication which was the root of the problem. I gave him a few suggestions to fix the problem and now this student is doing great. Communication is the Key. I've also had simular situation go the other way. Teaching is a never ending battle to communicate.
Mohammad,
Good point about students needing to see the value of the content being offered. If they see there is a pay off to what they are being taught then they are going to concentrate on learning the offered information.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
We do care. We need to motivate the students to learn. To motivate the students we need to explain the importance of the course material (It is easy for me as I teach Accounting and finance). If they learn well they will succeed in the real world, otherwise they will fail in the real world. Generally it motivates them to learn.
Hi Molly,
As instructors we need to maintain our professionalism and support the polices of our college. If we don't agree with them or can't support them then we need to go teach at another college. Keep the attitude of being an instructor that cares but don't let them suck into their world of complaining and debasing the administration. When students bring their complaints about administrative things I tell them I really can't do anything about those things but what I can do is help them to be successful in my course. If they want to talk about the course I am there to listen and support them. This generally moves them off the complaint and onto the course.
Gary
I agree that communication and getting to the main problem is the only way to really show we care. Unless we ask the right questions and get the student to really tell us what they need and want we are going to be at a loss for helping them and proving we care.
I think the problem is that it is very difficult not to get drawn into the web of issues. I have seen the wonderful side of this that students come to me again and again to thank me and show me how much they appreciated my help. But the ugly side of this is the students who take the fact that we care and try to use that against others. I have had students go to the Administrators and say things like "Well my instructor agrees with me that this policy is ridiculous" or "my instructor told me it was fine for me to miss class the last 3 weeks so I should not have been withdrawn." Following up with the instructors and catching that student in a lie make the administrators an even bigger annoyance to the students and those students tend to distrust me in return. It also makes me look like I just turned my back on the student. But I believe we cannot overturn policies left and right, even if others before us have.
I do care and want students to walk across that stage with the satisfaction of meeting goals but it is so hard to draw a line between "my instructor cares" and "my instructor is going to help me get around the 'bad guys' in administration."
When you are able to clarify what is at the root of the situation, one is more likely to proceed with a more sensitive and knowledgeable approach.
Hi Lavinia,
You are doing a great job of laying out clearly the expectations, requirements and polices of your course. By doing this you are showing the students that they can be successful in the course if they are willing to work hard and acquire the needed knowledge and skills. In addition you will be there to support their efforts should they need them. Keep up the good work.
Gary
I let my students know that I care about them and their future by making sure they are prepared to enter their career of choice. I want to teach them as much as possible in their computer and administration courses. I also explain in the first class that I know they can accomplish the tasks in my classes. I explain how important following directions are to their education and their chosen careers. I expect assignments to be a certain form, with headers or footers in a certain format in order to train them in following supervisors or bosses directions. I try and explain the purpose of assignments so they can see the reason or purpose of said assignment. I also listen to their fears and complaints and encourage them that they can do it or overcome itand do what I can or send them to some who can address their complaint. Have a great day. May God prosper you always in all ways.
Thank you for the key words. I will try to use them on my students that have “poor me” syndrome. Sometime I just run out of encouraging things to say to them.
Thank you for posting this very succinct response! This will be very helpful. I am very matter-of-fact, so coupling this reassuring phrase with encouragement & guidance for them to put together a plan for success should be a great!
I really like your response!
I try in my regular and my online classes to remind the students that their goals are worth working through the rough patches.
The statement that I find myself repeating on a continuous basis to students is that " I understand your problem(s) and how difficult this must be for you, but you have the power to find a way to work through your problem/disability. You are a strong person and you have the tools to find a way".
Hi Robin,
Good point about letting students know we care. As you say many of them are struggling with families that do not support their school efforts. By encouraging them you can be their primary source of support enabling them to stay in school and be successful.
Keep up the caring your students are benefiting from it, I know.
Gary
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for sharing this example of how an instructor can overcome what appears to be a major problem by seeking the student out, listening and proposing a solution.
This worked out to the advantage of everyone.
Gary
As a teacher, it is so important that the students know we care. Sometimes we are the only ones who do. I've lost count of the number of students that have told me their families (parents and spouses) are giving them a hard time because they are using time and money to get an education. I've found that the students I've had open communitcation with are the ones who strive to come to class no matter what else is going on in their lives.
