Stress Over Student Achievements
Hi,
I constantly concern myself with how my students are performing in the classroom. I would like to reduce this worry to some extent because most of my worry i s out of my control and relies on their desire to succeed.
James,
Empathy for your students is a key to help them move through your course. Coaching is as important as reaching the day to day curriculum objectives. The diversity in a classroom makes for a challenging task but nothing more rewarding.
Dr. Gary Carlson
I find that if you explain how you as the instructor will help them through out the course, on the first day, this will let them know you care.It says I want you to do well and then they will ease your stress and theirs by working with you to do well.
Nicole,
Students don't care what you know until they know that you care. Over 40 years of viewing students at all levels it never ceases to amaze me to see a student who know one gave any chances of succeeding all of sudden blossoms from a great teachers caring.
Dr. Gary Carlson
I feel I can reall relate to this. Obviously, it is easy to say that a less than desired entrance grade does not equal a student failure. I am sure, Virginia, that you already knew that. I think what you wanted addressed was the fact that it is disheartening to have a student(s) who simply does not have the capacity to grasp the material required to be successful in a difficult program. Yet for the sake of money and quotas, they are continually put into programs they cannot handle. Caring is the easy part. As educators, being in the classroom, one on one, we would have to be robots not to care. It's getting those who are not in the classroom to care enough about the individuals to not set them up for failure.
Ernest,
Success of a teacher comes from many variables but performance is the key. Teaching is not easy when you have the varied demographics in front of you. But that is why teaching is a great and rewarding challenge. If you are successful with performance with your students it is a win win.
Dr. Gary Carlson
Ernest,
I applaud you for your ability to accept constructive crtitism and allows your performance to improve. If you can analyze your information appropriately and without emotion you can improve.
Dr. Gary Carlson
I agree about the great teaching variable, but I would add that student success is student success. I have known many students who have achieved success not because of, but in spite of their teachers. My point is: teachers must have their priorities straight, before they worry about student success they need to be concerned about their own success, both as masters of content and teaching. Having done that they will find that student success becomes the norm, not a source of worry.
I appreciate what you are experiencing. It speaks well of you, but there is a simple remedy to the toxic worry that is fomented by your concern. I address this issue through the use of the CAT Daily Diagnostic Evaluation System. (Don't Google it, it only exists in my left hemisphere.) It works like this: each student is given a 3X5 card, on one side s/he answers two questions: how did the teacher do? How did you do? On the reverse side the qualitative statements are reduced to numbers using a 5 point scale. These are collected daily. The knowledge gained is empowering; it gives you a sense as to what is working and what needs to be changed. CAT, by the way, means "consider all things." Try it.
Katessa,
Student success is primarily the outcome of great teaching. When some students don't succeed is because of prior experience
Dr. Gary Carlson
I think as a passionate instructor it is hard to not worry over the success of students. However, in my current situation I have learned that I can not possible carry on the burdens of wanting my students to open their eyes and take hold of information that I feel is important and necessary for them to learn. They have to want the material for themselves. I have won more students than I have lost. I hold on to the students whom are motivated and its encouraging to me as an instructor to know that there are some who are willing to do and become better. For those who refuse to learn, I have now understood that some battles aren't always won.
virginia,
Entrance grades in our industry has never been a sure thing for predicting success. I finished in my high school class 98tb out of 106. 18 years later I had a Bacheiors Masters Degree and Doctorate. We should never give up on our own. Rotherham and sisters.
Dr. Gary Carlson
Yes, caring is impotant and our skills are important. But what about a school that accepts students with entrance grades that are far to low for the individual student to succeed in a particular program that is very academic?
John,
You have caught me. I worked with special needs youth for 23 years. My masters degree is in special education. I learned this about students and people in general is the first step to a learning environment relationship is through caring.
Gary
I agree with this all the way. I have noticed over my years, from rasing kids to dealing with 'special needs' children, that they dont care until you do.
When they see that that you have a genuine concern on whether or not they are successful, they will step up.
Darron,
I appreciate what you have said. It is a key to being a great teacher. My experinece has told me that students "don't care what you know until they know that you care". Great lesson in life that actually works for all of us.
Dr. Gary Carlson
This topic is one that desccribes my approach to teaching almost to a tee. Since I have only been an instructor for a relatively short time (3 years), I feel that is important to the students in my class that they know I care more about their learning and education, as it applies to their chosen career paths, and not because of any statistical reasoning behind meeting numbers and other quotas. I HAVE to put their best interests ahead of everything else, otherwise, I don't feel like I am honestly being as effective to their learning as I should be.
Thomas,
Student success is produced through our ability to care. They don't care about how much know until they know how much you care. You can use your skills to teach and your empathy produce a complete program of student success.
