Hi Tina,
Right you are about the need to help students feel connected and accepted in the classroom. They are paying you a very nice complement when they ask you about your future teaching assignments. Great job!
Gary
When a student feels accepted by both classmates and their instructor, they are more likely to perform better in the class. Not only that, but they are more likely to participate in class discussions and other activities. All of this ends in a successful experience for the student. I know I have done a good job with my students when they ask me what courses I am teaching the next term.
Hi All,
Many of you have shared great strategies for encouraging and supporting your students. Thanks for these methods because I know they will benefit instructors looking for strategies they can use with their students.
Gary
Feeling accepted does not pertain only to a class. People in general need to be accepted in everything they do and everywhere they go. In my opinoin acceptance is a form of ice breaking. Once you have become accepted you are more willing to open up and share. I always have issues when I am first introduced into a new environment. Not BAD issues, im just alittle timid. Once accepted into your environment, I have a hard time not participating. Once I start participating, success finds me.
When I give critiques of my students' work, I always tell the students to not take anything personally, that this is a learning experience. I also set ground rules for language etc. so no one is offended. This is the basis of what I view as professionalism and helps build rapport between students and myself.
I think it is very important for every student to feel accepted in class. Each student needs to feel comfortable and once students feel comfortable it makes them want to contribute more. If a student builds acceptance it makes them more comfortable, motivated, encouraged, and willing to participate. Through sharing and class participation the lesson could be understood more efficiently.
I think acceptance is vital. I teach in a massage therapy program. If students are not accepted here, they are not going to get what they need out of the program.I also point out that the classroom is diverse and so our clients will be just as diverse. If we cannot be accepting of each other, how are you going to be accepting with your potienal clients?
It is important for students to feel accepted because until they feel accepted they will not feel comfortable playing an active role in the classroom. If they don't feel accepted they will not want to participate in discussions and it will also lead to them not having a good attitude towards the class.
If students feel accepted they are then able to let their guard down and participate to the fullest and it also leads to a good attitude about the class which will translate to better grades.
Hi Michelle,
Your comments have captured in an inspirational way the reasons why students can be successful in their educational efforts. Your reasons for them to feel accepted are dead on and they need to be reminded of these reasons throughout their educational experience.
Gary
For so many of our students, their experiences in the classroom may be among the few or only positive things currently happening in their lives. To have that environment also ‘turn sour’ on them might seem to confirm that their ambition and effort to obtain an education was misplaced.
A feeling of acceptance and belonging enhances their sense of self, feelings of security, and, therefore, their ability to concentrate, participate, learn, and succeed. Students experience social learning and engage with other students, instructors, and staff while practicing behaviors expected within a professional environment.
I think it’s also very important to foster a sense of ‘groupness’ among members of a class. A feeling of teamwork, camaraderie, or ‘we’re all in this together’ can provide a feeling of support in addition to the sense of belonging and acceptance that is so important to their feeling of being included, involved, and important. One of the ways I try to get the students in a class to begin thinking of themselves as a group, in which every member is important, is to have them all ‘sign in’, very early in the course, and provide their name and contact information. It is made clear that this contact sheet will be copied and provided to all students in the class, so each should provide information they are comfortable in all of the other students having and using. It is also promised that the list and the information on it will not be shared with anyone outside the group – by myself or any of the students. I’m trying to encourage them to keep in touch with each other and feel that they can ‘reach out’ to one another at any time during the course to enhance their sense of belonging, acceptance, and being a group.
The sense of belonging to the larger group of students enrolled in the same major, campus, and school, can also provide a sense of acceptance, belonging, and pride that I’ve found encourages students to think of themselves as successful GRADUATES from this program, campus, and school!
Love, Compassion, all lead to roads of success.
Dr. Meers:
Sometimes the acceptance of a student in a class is more important to them than their actual academic progress in the course.
I teach in an Online setting and students take online courses for various reasons but still want the feeling of being accepted and a valid member of the class. If a student does not feel accepted in classes more than likely they will not give 100% and in fact will do the minimum to get the grade they want and/or to keep their financial aid.
When a students feels accepted in the course and a viable member of the class they try and give the course their complete attention and are successful in the course because of the fulfillment of the acceptance need.
Kim Houck
many student feel the need to fit with thres of their classmates in order to learn and be able to participate with the class, a person that does not feel accepted in the group will feel left out or marginated.
Hi Thadeus,
Right you are so we need to "read" our students so we can make the needed adjustments to help them be successful in the class. The number one thing is to keep the focused on the reason why they are enrolled in the class in the first place and that the class is not designed to be a social networking site.
Gary
This is true, but you have to be careful I have some students that are more concerned with being accepted by her class mates than actually doing her work.
Hi Aaron,
Thank you for sharing these steps of support for working with students. Your approach is sequential and you work through the needs of the students in way that enables them to feel at ease and accepted in the class. They also feel respected for who they are and what they can contribute to the class. Well done.
Gary
All people need to feel accepted and affirmed. It is important to help the students to feel that this is their class and their education for their life. Ownership will only be taken by the student if they feel accepted and a part of the class.
The feeling of acceptance breaks down many initial barriers and apprehensions in any environment. In the classroom often as educators, although we try, we may not be able to get every student to that point of understanding all at the same rate. If a student feels that he or she is accepted and looked upon as an equal, not a less than or misfit, they will ask for understanding from another student who they feel seems to know what is going on. To me I feel that act is of great assistance as an instructor because that individual may state the point in a manner or terms that is easier for the student to understand. Once the student then starts to respond back to me with their less guarded thoughts, I start to get a better understanding of how to adjust to that students style of learning. This allows me to be more effective in communication with the student, which in turn helps to bring them success in the classroom. Also, this happens live with minimal class disruption because I work the whole class with the discussion helping to allow open thoughts and ideas.
Being part of a group and feeling accepted, encourages the student along with thir classmates to try and participate. That students success reflects all of the students. That helps the student to want to learn and be more successful with the tasks they attempt. It's always nice be cheered on.
It is very important for students to feel accepted in class. If they feel welcome they are more motivated to come and learn with everyone else.
If they are motivated to come to class their road to success is much clearer and I am thinking it will be easier to cope with as well.
