You can help students by helping them to identify the positive influences in their environment. That may include helping students to find a mentor that can also be part of that support system. Examples of who I have used may also be useful.
College students, the younger ones seem to struggle with this, support is usually right at their fingertips and they do not realize the importance of families, brothers, sisters, moms and dads. Even the grandparents can lend valuable life experience and knowledge if they can allow the flow to come their way. They usually try to "be grown, do it themselves" and struggle when they do not have to. The older or mature college student will reach and fold their arms around everyone and work better as a group and group leaders as a result of life's experiences. Sometimes the older crowd needs to be directed and corralled but they are valuable to the process of learning. I always am saying, when all is said and done all you may have is your family, be kind to one another and help each other in every aspect of life.
Hi Lynda,
Good way to connect the dots for your students. This way the parts of their educational experience starts to come together and they see the big picture. They also learn that they need to call upon their support systems when times get difficult.
Gary
I think I might start by discussing how the lab is a support system for the physician and health care staff, and asking the students to parallel that with their personal lives. "What support systems are common to many of us?" "What systems do you have in place that might be unique?" "How can any of us utilize the help that is available to us to make our lives better and less stressed?" There are also many agencies and services available to add personal support to our lives.
Hi Kim,
What are some support strategies that have worked well for you?
Thanks for your input on this.
Gary
I sent in my answer and hope it was transmitted.
Introducing Group workshops, family support, and knowing your individual students learning style will assit you in helping and encouraging each student accordingly.
by letting the student know he/she is entering a new jourey n their life..and everyone is not going to be supportive
Hi Jane,
Good points about how to develop a personal support system. Such a system is so critical and many students don't know how to go about identifying people who can be a part of that system. Your efforts I know help them see the steps they need to follow to create such a system.
Gary
I believe first they have to realize who wants to help and who doesn't. Just because they're family, doesn't mean they are good for you. Second, they may need to look outside the box. I try and help direct them and send them for help if needed. Most students are able to find someone to help that are outside the school. Some find friends at the school and they become each others' support system. At this school there are also administrators that have groups they can call also.
Be perceptive to the student's learning style (i.e. tactile versus visual) and encourage students to form study groups with individuals who have both similiar and different learning styles. This encourages students to support peers as well as appreciate a variey of learning styles.
Hi Thomas,
These are all great supports that can help students stay in school as you mentioned. For many students these supports are so critical that they can't survive without them. It is good your school has such a great system in place. It could serve as a model for other schools.
Gary
Creating a personal support system for many students is a difficult task. In our school, to foster more support, we use a mentor system. Senior students in a particular program are paired with newer students to the program to assist, guide, and aide the student to "fit it, step up, and meet the muster!" so to speak. Additionally, a one-on-one chat with the student, asking pertinent questions in regard to their family and friends concerning school, and their success, assists with making positive recommendations to further the creation of a personal support system. Knowing family, friends, and yes! paid assistance in the form of tutors, babysitters, day care and the like, is available, and can be readily used, lowers student frustrations, eases student discord, and enables the instructor to assist the student to focus on what is really important... their success in the face of what is perceived as an unsurmountable obstacle. This in and of itself, aids retention of the non-traditional student, the mature student, as well as the less motivated student facing academic censure...
Hi Barbara,
I love hearing these stories. This is what creative education is all about. You looked at the most effective way of helping your students and then developed a model that would enable your students to be successful. I know this information will be helpful to other instructors as they seek to expand their instructional delivery models. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Gary
I teach nursing students and designed a mentoring program for our class. Students were paired into groups on a volunteer basis based on grades, motivation, skills, enthusiasm, and many other qualities. Groups were designed to have strong and weak students. It wasn't long before student groups were seen in the school lobby, outside on benches, or in student study rooms motivating each other. The test grades came up for all students concerned. The students with the higher grades came up also as they were able to learn from students with lower grades also -- by looking at their perspective of trying to teach those students difficult material. It was a win-win situation for all concerned :)
Hi Sherry,
This is such a great service you can provide your students. By helping them see you care about their success and that there are supports available through SRS, etc. really helps to relieve their minds. By knowing this kind of support is there they know they are not alone in trying to handle being students as well as all of the pressures of life.
Gary
Hi Rhonda,
You are very fortunate to have such a support in your school. This is great because you can continue to grow and expand your expertise as an educator while continuing to impact the lives of your students.
Gary
I have decided to for a support team of instructors at my college we meet once a month to share new teaching skills that support us all!
I try to speak to students in class and encourage using the course web site to post discussion questions that they might not be comfortable asking in class. I find that this creates a rapport between students online that might never happen naturally in the classroom. I find that students begin to feel comfortable posing questions online and soon begin to speak in class and find support through other students going through the class.
Helping students identify and create personal support systems could be done by suggesting the SRS services offered by the college or having the student talk to family, friends or colleagues with whom they believe supports them and let them they may be called at times for support.
