James,
"Bubble" students need to be supported and feel accepted. In not they will leave so you make a good point about how they need to see how they can control their future through effort and engagement.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Most students who do not feel accepted will eventually drop from school. This not true 100% of the time, but it is preventable. If small groups are formed, acceptance within that group can be enough to retain a particular student who may not feel accpeted by the class as a whole without the small groups.
Jim Thorpe
David,
Thanks for sharing this class sharing exercise. This is such a fun and comfortable way to get the students talking with each other and started the development of a learning community.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
As part of the first class I have student's pair-up and engage in a 10 minute discussion period. They have an opportunity to meet someone new and find commonalities. I then have student's introduce their partner to the class. This cements in the likeness and uniqueness of each student. Other students are allowed to contribute to each introduction with their own similar experiences. I then provide them with a 15 minute break and observe the interactions among the stuedents.
Carolyn,
Understanding the life experiences and backgrounds of students really helps in targeting instruction. Good point, thanks for sharing it with us.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I feel it is good to let the students get to know each other in the beginning so they feel peer acceptance. I also try to relate to all of the students personally and give them time with me so they feel accepted by me as their instructor. The class seems to run smoothly if I give them each a little time. It is also important for me to encourage each of them after they have done their work whether they did it right or not. I will say "well lets try to do this part again, but I like how you did this part..."
All of our students come from different backgrounds. with this being a known factor, we have to make them feel comfortable and accepted. This fosters a better learning environment for both the instructor and the student. Motivation is the key for their success
but don't force someone to accept you by trying so hard to fit in
If students feel accepted they will have an internal support system. If they know that others are working toward the same goal they may feel better and be more accountable for their actions. When you have a close group you want everybody to succeed so you may see peer support help where an instructor or outside party may not be able to.
Daniel,
Well said and your point is so important for students to know they have someone that believes in them and their success. Their motivation and desire to be successful expands in relation to the comfort they feel in the learning setting. Keep up the good work of supporting your students.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I do not even know how to impress on those who may read this posting just how important acceptance is to a student's success. I have seen it time and time again: Someone who is not sure if they are in the right place in life, but they bond with others and they are welcomed into the fold, and suddenly they are walking on cloud nine -- and making the cut. Other times, someone will be the outcast, and the next thing I hear is they they dropped the program. Humans are generally social people. College can be a scary experience. A support group and friendly smiles can make going through lectures, homework, tests, and so on a much easier time. And believe it or not, you can walk away from an initially scary college experience with a lot of fond memories and maybe even a few lifelong friends. Oh, acceptance in huge!!!
Jessica,
Good observation and one that will serve both you and your students well. By knowing that students have a tendency to close off you will be able to observe this and then reach out to students that are doing so. This will increase their engagement and focus on the course content.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
In my line of work (cosmetology), being in a huge school full of girls and women, I often find that my newer students feel intimidated. I think this is natural of women to compare and contrast themselves with other women. I find that when a student feels intimidated they close off. If a student is closed off, they don't perform to the best of their ability and are too focused on others around them to absorb and implement course information.
Shelle,
I think this is a great way to get students engaged in working together on different goals and projects. They need to see how in the real world we all have to work and cooperate with others if we are to have success in life.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Many students say they are in school to learn, not to make friends. However, learning in a supporting environment can help their chances of success. We developed an organization for students here at our school to get them involved and connected. It is a program specific student council that provides the community with services and allows the students an opportunity to engage in their surrounding community and give back. Participation in this group is voluntary, but has been able to pull together all ages of our student population! The students all have a common goal to work toward that is career focused, and not so academic.
Not feeling accepted in class may lead students to believe they don’t belong in college or maybe even that particular field. If they feel like they belong they’ll try hard to make it work and this contributes to their success.
Hearing personal experiences where others have overcome obstacles might be useful to students with fear issues. Try the “Can’t Lose System†– This technique is a way to combat your fear of failure. It works by listing your fears, exposing distorted thinking, and identifying ways to cope.
With the feeling of acceptance and belonging, the student is more likely to participate and share their knowledge and life experiences with the class and instructor. This allows for a much more efficient environment in which the instructor relates to the student and the student finds more value in the educational decision they made.
Ashley,
You are creating a connection to their future from the very beginning of your course and I like that a lot. Too often students get focused on the requirements of the course and don't see how success in this course will benefit them as they move toward their career goals.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Acceptance has a direct link to self-esteem. If you were to enter a classroom and see cliques already formed and you were left by yourself on the outskirts, I don't believe you would want to stay in that situation for very long.
If a student feels accepted in their class, they are more likely to voice opinions or ask questions, thus furthering their knowledge.
Acceptance could even be the difference between staying in the course or dropping it.
As a legal office administration instructor at a distance education college, there are online "common rooms" for the students to speak to each other in a forum setting. They are not required to speak about just school, but instead are encouraged to speak about whatever they like. This allows our students to realize they aren't alone in their program, as well as give them someone else to turn to besides me if they feel frustrated with an assignment or life in general.
I am also available for the students to contact, and strive to ensure each student understands that I want to see them succeed in this program. I feel that once a student makes the decision to enroll in a program of their choice, they are more likely to enjoy and understand the material. I tell the student on our initial call that my goal for them is to see them become the best legal assistant they can be. I find this approach has helped a lot of my students feel accepted by me personally because they know that they are not just another student, but a person who I want to help make successful.
