Get Your Students Hired
So when students missed class i would always make it my job and call and tell them what they missed but then i was told not to and it is there responsibility to contact us to get missing work
fOR ME THIS IS WHAT I LOOK FORWARD TO. aS A CHEF THE MORE I SHOW MY STUDENT THE PROUDER I BECOME. THE STUDENT FEELS GOOD THAT THEY HAVE THAT PART DOWN AND WILL CONTINUE TO LEARN. IF THE STUDENTCONTINUES TO GROW THEY MORE ON WHICH IS A FEATHER IN MY CAP AND WE STAY IN CONTACT FOR YEARS TO COME.
I can also relate. Finding the balance is the hardest part. Always reminding the students and posting when everything is due, they act like they can get away with more. But if you do the opposite you have to worry about retention.
All of our students are adults and we treat them as such they are given information for each course and practical labs , they follow through with each course properly with extra help in most cases.
Candis, do you have students get upset because you reminded a classmate about a deadline but not them? Would they be penalized for handing in work late?
What I do is I will make a general announcement of what the project is and give a handout with the due date on it. I don't remind of due dates in particular, I will make another general announcement. If I think that a student needs I will talk personally to remind them. I feel that they need to accept the responsibility of their actions and work. My door is always open to help students but we must recall that they must want the help also. I also think that by putting this responsibility on them it helps them to prepare for the real world. This is sometimes not an over night process and sometimes others need a bit more help that some but as a teacher you can gage who is most needy and requires that extra help. Another suggestion is to let them work in groups for certain projects and they can remind each other
I can relate. It does seem at times that we are playing parent. It is hard to balance it but one thing that I tried was easing into the quarter, giving an outline of due dates of homework and tests. Then i just remind them that "you have a outline" if I stick to that then if they get a low grade its on them not me. I offer help, and then ball is in thier court. Just have documentation. I will do what I can but I'm not a mind reader.
My students are adults. when i started teaching i used to be daddy for my students always reminding. i have stopped doing that because i learned it didnt matter. people that don't pay attention will not pay attention no matter how many times you remind them. alot of student just want you to do it for them
Emily, it's always a difficult call to give up on a student who doesn't want to help themselves. Do you tell them that you're at that point and that they will be left to their own devices if they don't respond positively?
Kisha, good observation. You are a role model and students will emulate your behavior. Also, giving your students constant positive re-enforcement for changed behavior can be a powerful tool.
I sometimes struggle with this as well. For the most part my students all do well and are interested in the classes I teach but there are still exceptions. The way I handle this is to keep on top of the student by calling them, reminding them of assignements due and sometimes I'll even work with them out of class in order for them to complete their work. But I've found if a student doesn't want to help themself there is nothing you can do. You can only do so much so after a certain point of them not giving to the class at all you have to leave it up to them.
I have made that very point with some of my students. I would see change for the better for only a short time and each time i feel YES they have it but then they seem to fall right back to old ways... I've thought about it often and realize that I myself play a role in that type of behavior. I have to make it a point to always do as i say, make it a point to always be consistant, and make it a point that my students know up front what is expected of them at all times and not just sometimes. we as intructors have to also check ourselves.
Interesting point, Amy. Have you ever shared this ambivalence with the students? I wonder if they recognize the contradiction.
I too find a difficult balance between treating the student as an adult vs a babysitter. We expect professional behavior but have to call them when they miss class. It is a tough line to draw sometimes which way to lean
Tough question, Stephen. It's a rather sorry commentary that you have to act as a 'sheriff'. Unfortunately, it often takes prodding before a student "gets it" and realizes the relationship between behavior and rewards. Anything you can do to hasten that understanding should move the balance point in your favor.