It is one of the most difficult things to deal with to try to help a student realize that what happens in their lives and the outcomes of all actions are their own. Especially in today's society of blame shifting. In the medical field there is no room for it so I give scenarios of "what happened, how it happened" and I have my students write out the response or action they would take, then analyze the situation with their response and it begins to show them that they had the final choice to provide the optimal outcomes in each situation.
We have very fast paced courses at our school. Each class is only 15 days long, but it is 5 hours per day. As you can imagine, missing a full day in one of our courses can set a student behind pretty significantly.
Just this past week we had a student who had missed TEN out of the fifteen days. When he found out that he had failed the course, he flipped out and was trying to put the blame on everyone else. He even called his Mother and had her call the school and talk to several people on his behalf. I am constantly amazed at the lack of responsibility that some students show. This student in particular missed two thirds of his course time and still expected to pass? It's amazing the mentality of some people.
It really does seem to be a maturity issue for many. I have 18 year-olds who are wonderfully professional and fully dedicated to their education. Then I also have 50 year-olds who act like they're still in high school. You can really try all the psychology that you want but it often does not work. The bottom line in our school is documentation. We document all student issues and do weekly progress reports. That way, if a student is failing and tries to blame it on anything else, administration has all the documentation they need to address the issue.
Hi Barbie,
I concur! When things are put in writing, you tend to get a better understanding because questions can be asked based on the written material. In addition, when things are in writing, you have something to reference. Clarity is key!
Patricia Scales
i definitely agree with edward , i think talking about real life and the industry is important
i agree with jeff. yes we have our part to do. but ultimately its up to the student to accept responsibility for their own learning and success
i give them assignments that only they control.. so they have no one to depend on but themselves. and if they fail, do the required work or not its ultimately only their issue. taking responsibility for ones actions is very hard to do . but it must be done to ensure that they are responsible for their own success
I explain to the students that in the field if things aren't done properly lives of their patient could be at risk. We talk about accountability and I give examples of mistakes that I have made in the field and give examples of how I owned up to the mistake BUT always had a solution to offer to rectify the situation.
With this example they see that they don't have to be perfect but they have to take responsibility for their work as well as rectifying the situation to the best of their ability.
I usually have a running minilecture based primarily on the concepts found in the movie "The Wizard of Oz." A primary focus has to do with the discovery by Dorothy that the big-headed, scary, green-faced wizard that has been inspiring fear in all is nothing but an "ordinary man." In relating such stories to students, I emphasize the importance of self-discovery and in particular how the discovery of self relates back to how one might have been raised and, maybe more importantly, how certain individuals or groups may have influenced not only one's self concept, but one's behavior. Briefly, the "blame shifter" may be steered to insight and hence to behavior modification.
I have seen this often in my 3rd grader who often balmes everyone for his homework not being completed or assignemnts not brought home. I have found that when he does not bring an assignment home, or conveniently doesn't finish his homework, it was because he was unclear about the assignment or what needed to be completed on the homework. When I would look at the assignments or homework requirements, it would also be unclear to me what needed to be done. After speaking to the teacher, we were able to get clear, concise, and written instructions and objectives for the homework and assignments. Just by having something in writing detailing what needed to be completed and what the grading rubric for each piece would be was extremely helpful.
Based on this experience, I believe, that to deal with students that often blame others for their failings, you need to have clear, concise instructions on what needs to be completed, and then a rubric to tell them how the assignments/tests etc will be graded.
First I would ask if there is something that could be done differently in the classroom to help the student complete their assignments. Is there anything going on in their personal lives that put a strain on their work. Then remind the student that in a real life situation and job, they will be expected to do their work well and to completion. Employers will not listen to excuses, it is easier to find another employee who will complete the task and do it well. So, in this program we are training them for the real world.
Hi Patricia,
Questions should be poised to students so that they can understand that they are ultimately responsible for their own success.
Patricia Scales
Hi Brendon,
I like how you get the students to see that they are ultimately responsible for their own success.
Patricia Scales
This is always tough for me to deal with because so often that is the way its been in their lives and they struggle to take resposibility for themselves, for fear of retribution. I strive to be firm yet kind to help them take responsibility for their own actions. Often it takes moment by moment dialogue, going through their actions which have led to their lack of success.
I meet with the student and begin to narrow down what the problem might be by asking them questions such as, How much time are you spending reviewing the lecture notes? What additional insight or information are you gleaning from the reading material? What do you believe is the most difficult concept for you to understand in this course? Why have you not approached me prior to this in order to get help or tutoring?
By taking away the focus on others and really narrowing down where the problems lie, we can then shift responsibility back to the student and address the problem.
I ask the students questions which turns the responsibility of the situation back on them.
In a private meeting with the student after class I stress the importance of accountability. As a college student it is time to take ownership for their part in recieving an education so that they are prepared for the job they are studying for.
Hi Regina,
You are right, and we just have to continue to enforce/encourage them that they have to do it.
Patricia Scales
Sometimes it is really hard to get a student to understand that you can't do this for them. It is something they have to do themselves.
Hi Stephen,
I like how you use psychology in this situation. I can fully see how the psychological aspect of things work in this regard.
Patricia Scales
I agree with this statement Kimberly because often, the student in question will resent the teacher for pointing out any of their personal problems or character flaws. One psychological "trick" that I have found effective is to convey unconditional positive regard to the student and let them know that I am aware of the wonderul potential they have and ask them how (as a teacher) I can work with them to get on track to better success. In this manner, the student is made aware that the teacher cares for them and believes in them and proactively creates an intention of searching (collectively) for a better game plan for success. At this point, it becomes unnecessary to address the "shift-blaming" problem because the accountability gets firmly replaced upon the problem student.
