Get Your Students Hired
Who are your most challenging students and what strategies have you found to be most effective in working with them?
As an Automotive instructor, I find that a lot of students have trouble reading technical material. I have students read portions out loud. I know this is NOT a good idea, but I can quickly identify students that are going to need my help.
In my class, I had one student that was so bored and she was rolling her eyes. I asked student if she would like to teach and I would sit back and watched. She was so surprised, that she started participating in class.
My most challenging students are the ones that wait until the very last minute to get the requirements met they need to before they can start externship.
These students are either very nervous to get out there and are trying to stall, or they do not see the importance of meeting the deadlines. This is when I have to sit with them one on one and explain to them the consequences of not having what they need by the deadline given and how it will affect them at their externship site.
Hi Anthony,
Our students certainly like soft skills. Many of our students are diamonds in the rough.
Patricia Scales
In a career school like ours, some of the students are not ready for the academic challenges. They come in thinking all they are going to do is learn the technical skills that will get them jobs and enter the workforce. They believe that the general ed classes have no relevance. In my discussions with my students I always try to make them aware that soft skills and understanding that the gen ed classes like math and communication also plays a role in this profession.
The students that seem not to care about being in class and the ones that are always late. I tend to pull those students aside to see what's going on in their lives. I also relate their behaviors to the job place. I stress that they are in a program that people's lives are in their hands. I ask them if they would want the person that they are giving report to, to be late. Usually the answer I get is no.
Hi Caroline,
You can not let one student monopolize your time. Perhaps, offer to that student to come in early or stay late for one-on-one help.
Patricia Scales
The most challenging students can be those who require or demand all of your attention and in teaching a skill can take so much of your time it is unfair to other students in your group.
I think my most challenging students have to be the ones that just don't show up to class or come unprepared and just expect everyone else to have provided any missed work for them. I make sure all of my students have my e-mail and a cell phone number where I can be reached in case they need to notify me if they are sick or can't make class. But there are always those few who won't show up on the day that homework is due or that is the final exam day. So, I make sure it is noted in the syllabus about point deduction for late submissions or work.
Hi Kristine,
What great tactics to utilize to get to know your students and to determine if they are grasping the information are not.
Patricia Scales
I give myself at least two full classes before I can confirm who the studious ones are, the slackers and the over all lazy students are. In that time frame, I then redirect my attention to them by identifying their study habits. I teach different techniques on memory retention and have students write down a few things in their own words explaining what they've learned from each chapter. In their own words gives me a better grasp on if they understanding what they are reading.
My most challenging students are the ones who come to class overtired and overworked by having to work late just to pay for school. They want to be in class, but have outside responsibilities. I remind them that all of this work will pay off when they get a new job in their chosen profession
"no one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care" was a useful tip I picked up somewhere along my teaching path. I have found it helpful to begin with new students by talking about previous experiences they have had with their teachers. I explain that our relationship will not be adversarial. We are on the same team, and their success is my success. I tell them that learning is not a spectator sport, and we will be taking the journey together.
The most challenging students I have found are the ones who "check out" mentally in class, usually after a few weeks of instruction. These students don't participate in class discussions and usually don't know the answers to questions when called upon. They can be frustrating because often they have developed the ability to lie with their body language: they often maintain eye contact and nod vigorously when key points are being made in the lecture.
I have found that the best course of action is to meet with these students after class and schedule a one-on-one discussion with them. I'm often able to identify what preparation they are lacking. Students often become engaged when their lack of preparation or prior training has been addressed.
Hi Rodney,
Do not put up with this student's disrespect. Remove her from your class and let the DOE know what is going on.
Patricia Scales
My most challenging students would be the ones who refuse to follow rules. Being massage therapists we are pretty laid back but I discuss the classroom rules on the first day and set clear boundaries. Usually I will get at least one student every quarter who wants to eat/ drink in class even though the college rules do not allow that in the classroom. Anytime I see it I try to pull the student to the side and ask them to put it away or throw it away but lately I've had a student who is constantly defiant and even after asking her nicely to the side she will continue doing it.
I think some of the most challenging students are the shy ones who don't like to speak in front of others. I try to call on them often in low stress situations and guide them through leading questions. It helps their confidence in both their knowledge base and public speaking. I don't lead off with them. I usually wait for a light moment in the discussion.
I hae an evening student who always asks "what time will we be leaving tonight?". He is somewhat bored, but not a good student. I have used a team approach to get him involved in the subject and "lose track of time".
The most challenging students are those who put little effort onto their own learning. We review the rights and responsibilities of adult learners during the first lecture in our program. It is helpful in that the student can be referred back to these expectations: preparation, attention, participation.