challenging students
challengimg students turn out to be very rewarding
In each of my classes, I set very high standards. Establishing high standards seems to impart the importance of the course upon the students and the employment endeavor toward which they are aspiring. As effective as I have found this strategy, a couple students are not rising to the occassion. One student has an excuse for everything, feverishly begins homework just before the class in which it is due, and interrupts most classes with irrelevant contributions. Another student, who insists she is listening and learning, looks so apathetic and disengaged that she brings down the mood of the entire class whenever she is present. The timing of me taking ED104 couldn't have been better. We are starting a new term next week and I am printing out each page of each Module so as to remind myself of various strategies that I will surely attempt in order to better the learning experience of the first discussed student and visibly engage the second discussed student.
Hi Paula,
Super response! It is simple, you get from students what you expect. The bar should be set high, yet attainable.
Patricia
Hi Kathleen,
If the student is challenging, I offer the student to come in eary or stay late so that I can share some advanced features.
Patricia
It depends on the challenge they present. I agree when the student is challenging becuase they are trying to learn as much as they can. They stretch are knowledge. I don't find rewarding the student that is challenging authority or always hs excuses for non-compliance.
I think that in some ways, a student is challenging when he or she encounters a challenging teacher. If a teacher challenges them to do their best instead of just getting by, to meet deadlines or provide documentation why they were not able to, for instance, this might be more than was expected of this student in previous classes. It can spark a power struggle, at times.
I have had some students that are not used to high expectations; they respond childlishly or negatively or manipulatively, trying to get around high expectations. However, I have also seen some of these students, over time, rise to meet a higher standard and eventually come to respect me, even if, at first, their behavior was manipulative or disruptive.
I believe that difficult students do recognize when they are being challenged in positive ways; this can be a catalyst for them to develop focus and more engagement in the learning process. It takes patience, though...
I do not believe it serves a student well if rules are not fairly and uniformly enforced. It just enables them to continue acting immaturely, and that will not serve them in their future profession.
