What is the instuctors role when there is a student in need?
I feel the instructor should have a wide range of diversity to be equipped to deal with and manage students needs.
Alicia,
Like your list of 5 key elements of providing support to students. Using this list will enables you do develop rapport with them while providing input and guidance in their learning. Thanks for sharing it.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I see the instructor role when assisting students in need as:
1. I feel the instructor should most importantly be willing and able to hear and listen to the student's full situation.
2. I think the instructor should ask questions to fully understand the situation if confused or do not fully understand the situation.
3. The instructor should use any life experiences that he/she may previously encountered to assist student.
4. The instructor should direct the student in to the proper person if the instructor is not able to assist.
5. Almost as important as listening, I think the instructor should follow up with the student to show support and also to better inform themselves of ways to handle the situation. If they were every asked for this type of help again.
Victoria.,
Right you are about what your duties are as an educator. By having the resources available in your school you can do a referral and hopefully keep that student moving forward in his/her educational career.
Gary
While I agree that as instructors we are here to help our students when they are in need, we also have to realize that we are here educationally for our students and not as councilors. We need to be able to recongnize that our students are in need by watching for non verbal cues or listening for verbal cues. Once we have established what our students needs are we need to direct them to the person or people who can help them the most. At our school in particular there is one woman who is in charge of this particular issue and who we refer our students to get the help and or resources that they need.
Christina,
Thank you for sharing this experience with us. We need to remain mindful of what are students are experiencing at times in their lives. It is good that she did in fact chose to live but sad she decided to leave school. Hopefully she will return some day and be successful.
Gary
A couple of terms ago, I had a student who was fairly quiet but particpated in an online enviroment. As the weeks progressed, she became more active but also more disrespectful. Mindful, it was not towards the other students or to me, personally, but because of the authority I represent in the classroom.
She vanished from the discussion board and several days later, I received an email where she apologized for her behavior and indicated she was going to commit suicide.
Given it was Friday evening, I attempted to contact the at-risk student help line all weekend and received little encouragement and no assitance. The advisor and on-ground support for the student was non-existant because it was the weekend and my own advisor was out of town.
I went as far to attempt to find a phone number since I had a general idea of her city, but there wasn't an entry and even if there was, she stated her power had been turned off for several weeks because of non-payment.
Fortunatly, someone from the at risk line took pity on me and located the student on Monday. She returned to class briefly before voluntarily failing and leaving the course.
I found the entire situation alarming... Not just because the student threatened suicide, but the little assistance that was avaliable from the college.
Kevin,
Can you expand on your statement about the instructor's role? This is a critical part of learner success and I would like to see more information about how you see this being done. Thanks.
Gary
I think that it is are responsibility to help that student that is in need. Because you going the extra mile to help them might help them to do well in the course.
