Negative students
How do you deal with students that are negative to all learning environments?
I also find that "killing them with kindness" sometimes works to your advantage - I find that negative students often are looking for a little extra something or just some positive reinforcement
lydia,
This is the human factor in education. This is how you earn the respect of your students and then develop rapport with them. The see you as their learning leader and are willing to work hard in order to meet the expectations of the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I try to change the negative student into a positive by advising them on ways that they can change. I try to obtain as much information as possible to get to the core of the issue. Sometimes the students have different reasons why they are negative. Sometimes its issues at home. I refer them to the right paths through referrals we have here at the school. Usually they want you to help them and they respect you more because of it.
I talk to them individually and try to find out after they enrolled in my class, the reason that They do not fill happy, may be they are in the wrong field, the faster that I can identify those students ,the faster we can help them, most of the time I am able to help them, either they stay or they go to another class.
I give them all the support and guidance to help them to be successful.
MICHAEL,
I like your approach because it helps negative students to see that you care about them as individuals and their success in class. If they do not respond then they need to understand their failure is upon them and they cannot blame someone else which they most commonly do. I have talked with such students and encouraged them to step out of school until they get their attitudes adjusted and want to be students. Most of them thank me for being candid and either change their attitudes or step out of school for a while. Part of their problem I have found is that fact they for the first time in their lives are being faced with making decisions about their future. No one is going to hold their hands or give them anything, they have to earn it and this is quite an adjustment for them to make, especially if they are younger students just out of high school.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
This is a touchy subject and not an easy one to deal with. I have always found to first be empathetic to the student's feelings at the same time help them discover that they, themselves should hold themselves accountable. By first helping the student in determining why they are being negative and addressing these issues on their part and them moving on to external reasons that may or may not the reasons for these feelings.
Kenia,
I talk with them individually and see if I can do anything to provide support to their learning efforts. I remind them that they have chosen to enroll in college so if they do not like the learning environment then they might want to consider dropping out. I do not like to lose a student but I will not allow negative students to influence the learning of other students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
