Students' Challenges Outside the Classroom - Do we really care?
This course reenforced my vision to instill with or in my students' minds that WE CARE about their personal challenges outside the classroom. Understanding our own challenges to cope with our struggles with our personal life, academic life, financial life, will strenghthen our belief that students are not only students but also HUMAN beings as well. Oftentimes, when I conduct my class the first hour, I wonder, that my students encounter on their way to school, what are the experiences they encounter at home prior to reaching the school? DO WE REALLY CARE?
I agree with a lot of these posts, career schools do attract/cater to those in very different situations. I do care a lot, but I've learned that sometimes I care too much for students who aren't willing to take themselves out of situations that "put them behind". I worry, I have learned to offer to those students help or someone to talk to, but if they don't take me up on the offer I have to mentally disconnect from their situation. How do each of you balance between not caring, caring and caring too much? Does my strategy seem sufficient?
At my school, it is that rarest of students, the Achiever with Goals that looks down on the slackers. It is often myself and other instructors who pull our hair out when contemplating the waste of an educational opportunity that these students are perpetuating every day. Your post has reminded me that we advertise ourselves (through the admissions department) as an alternative institution. I had forgotten this. The "slackers" are unresponsive and noncommittal. I had forgotten that this was due their often dysfunctional circumstances. Thank you for the reminder.
I agree as well. I found myself with at least one student each quarter that has a horrible "home" life and sometimes they just need someone to listen. As an instructor, I feel, it our duty to see that our students succeed at making themselves better. That little extra time that you spent a particular student may send them on to do great things.
Yes as an instructor, I do care or I would not be teaching. But sometimes there is only so much we can do. Teaching adults, we can talk to them, guide them and be a mentor but if somewhere down the road they do not want to learn or do their work we can help them but not make them.
Sometimes students look down on other students that they think are slackers. What they don't realize is that for some just getting to school is the hardest part of the day. Some of my students have to fight their way out of a sea of negativity just to catch a bus to take them to a cab to get them to school. After school it's more running around to get to work and then back home. It's important for us and our students to slow down on judging people and really get to know them and their struggles.
I couldn't agree more! Being a mentor and role model to become a professional is probably just as important as what we teach them from a book! We do care or you should probably not be at a career college!
Get to know who your students are the first couple of classes and you'll better understand them. A lot of our students are from dysfunctional families and we might be the only "adult" that they have ever put trust in. When they trust you they'll open up, not only will they be learning from the lesson plan that you teach but they'll be learning about "LIFE" from you. Do We Really Care??? YES!!!
