Negative at the end of the program? What are the usual causes of this attitude? Are they well founded?
I have taught the last class in a program and I have had some negative students, I feel first you need to identify them early and strategically place them in the class with students you know have a positive outlook and are your better students. Usually by the end of the phase the negative ones have calmed down and are more tolerable, they might not be happy and shiny but tolerable.
Jasen, how do you work with these students? Any specific techniques?
I've had a few students that were this way. I think some people just have this mind set and there is nothing you can do to change it. They are just " half full " people. I work with a few that are this way!
It may not be able to healed but if we attempt to show that we are concerned we might change his last impression of our school and make his feelings toward the school alittle better,and others you won't ever change but we need to try.
I took another course once that talked about failist personality. They have such a distructive personality, that you think by praising them that would help. However, it was said that the best thing you can do is take the responsiblity off them and not put them in leadership roles. Saying things like good that's how I would of done it actually helps them better than Great, fantastic you are a winner- cause they don't believe they can live up to that image so they quit.
There is most probably not a lot that can be done to undo previous things that happened but there is still that last class that we would have to help that student leave with a better outlook on his/her future that lies ahead. First impressions cannot be changed but we can work to make the last one better.
Remain positive and continue to ask if you can help. Try to get him to talk about something other than school that he likes - maybe sports, cars etc. Maybe once he gets to relax a little around you he may begin to talk more about what is bothering him.
Like a small cut that was never taken care of and turned into a serious infection, a student who was never guided toward a better goal (possibly their own choice)has "festered" now to the point healing will probably not be accomplished by the school.
