Hi Tony,
Well said! I firmly believe, "A student doesn't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."
Patricia
Communication is the key. Try to open up a good disscussion with the student. Let the student speak his mind and give him chance to vent his anger and frustration.As his instructor we should listen to what he is saying and help him with his problems in anyway we're able to.In this field, if you have no concerns nor compassion for other people, you cannot be an effective instructor, find an other carreer.
Hello Jon,
I firmly believe in practicing what you preach. You made a good point, you must stick to established guidelines.
Patricia
if you talk the talk you must walk the walk give them clear guidelines and stick to them even if its not easy bing the heavy
Hi Casey,
Absolutely, you must deal with complaints head on. I've known some instructors that try to ignore complaints. Ignoring complaints only makes matters worse--you must deal with them instantly.
Patricia
In order to reduce complaints I deal with them head on. First by preparing for all then responding to any questions that they may still have.
Hey James,
It is great whenever you can avoid most problems, but when you can't, you do know what needs to be done.
Patricia
Hello George,
There is nothing more effective than having a one-on-one discussion with a student. One-on-one discussions work magic for a lot of different situations. Things are generally resolved with a one-on-one discussion.
Patricia
We have all had many examples of what to do or not to do.I would say the most important to me is to pay attention to behavior and prevent most problems.
I believe that listening to the students and allowing some open discussion on concerns they have is one of the best ways to develop rapport with the class as a whole, also one on one discussions regarding more serious concerns can help both the student and instructor overcome most issues.
Hi Armando,
Sometimes you have to agree to disagree. Open discussion is good to get everyone's perspective.
Patricia
Hi Evelyn,
Your response is outstanding! You have a statement in your response, "Of course, it takes a little bit more work," that really caught my attention. I am a firm believer as educators we must not do what is easiest for us, but we should do what is best for the students even if it does take more WORK. Keep up the good work!
Patricia
Hello David,
It is evident that you sincerely care about your students. We need more educators like you.
One of my favorite motos, "A student doesn't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."
Patricia
I have open discussion on what they feel is good about an issue and what is bad. Usually the class itself has so many different views that they come to a understanding on any disagreement
It depends on each particular situation, but I agree that class discussions are usually very helpful. I encourage the students from the first day to share their concerns and complaints in a respectful way. I listen to the students and then I give them some positive feedback if necessary. If I do not have an immediate solution or feedback, I tell them that I'm writing down everything to find out a solution. If I have a very angry student, usually a one-to-one respectful conversation is good enough. I've had plenty of challenges and complaints and so far I've been able to deal with them to reach a good resolution. Sometimes the students' concerns or complaints are related not to the course but to another area of their program, the university policies, etc. In that case, I try to redirect them to the appropriate office or person, but first I listen to what they have to say because I might be able to give them some suggestion and in that way I can be more helpful to them in referring them to the appropriate person or department.
I liked this module a lot because even though I've received training before to deal with challenging students, it gave me more information and ideas that I can use from now on. For example, the written complaint is something that I have never used before and it can be helpful. I have always used rubrics for grading and I've found that they are essential in preventing misunderstandings and complaints about grades. I think it is critical to have documentation of everything. I have had a third party involvement and it was the key at the moment. Giving the students a good syllabus including everything about the course requirements, grading, etc. is essential as well as discussing it the first day of class. Sometimes I give reminders in class about reading the syllabus and I send them reminders by e-mail almost for everything. This has proven to be very useful for the students and some of them thank me for doing it. Of course, it takes a little bit more work. I think listening to the student is the key and the best thing we can do. Many times it is all they need.
When I have students who are struggling, I like to make sure that they know I am sincerely interested in their success. I do this by trying to find a situation where the student is comfortable telling me what's on their mind and then I listen. I let them describe what they're thinking and feeling in their own words. When they're finished, I'll detail my understanding of what they've said to make sure I've gotten it right and that they agree I've gotten it right. If an immediate resolution is possible given the resources at my disposal, I like to right things then and there. But if the issue is more challenging, I will tell that I need some time to consider my options. I give them a specific day/time when I will address the issue with them again and close the conversation by reassuring them that I am genuinely interested in seeing them succeed but for now I need them to be patient.
Hello George,
I always like to paraphrase to my students to make sure I fully heard what they were telling me. You should always let a student fully explain without cutting them off. Again, students want to be listened to.
Patricia
Hi Donald,
Nip it in the bud whenver there is negativity. Always remember, negativity is cancerous!
Patricia
Hello George,
As an educator, being a good listener is an important characteristic.
Patricia
I have found that true listening to the student takes alot of these problems away,by this i mean that you let the student tell you the concern completely,then repeat what you have heard back to them so that you are certain you understand the concern and then you respond to the concern. cutting them off while they are trying to explain themselves often shuts them off.\ all together
