Thank, John.
What are some of the specific things you do to help your students develop a vision?
Without a doubt passion and vision play a huge part in the success of our best students. I see our job as educators to help all of our students develop a vision. That way their own passion can be fostered and grow
Thanks for this thoughtful post, Anne.
We can get greater joy when someone graduates who made us work the hardest to get them through.
As I see students come and go through our vocational school, there are certain characteristics that seem to prevail in the successful ones. Successful students usually have excellent attendance, no matter if they get up early,take two busses and have 4 children. They also are very determined to do better than they have been doing in many cases. They work with their Instructors and Peers. They are pleasant and accomodating no matter what hits them--at times I am amazed at what happens to them. They expect that the school and its representatives(all Staff) will do what they have said they will do but also realize that no one is perfect---so they are not demanding either.
Students who are not successful seem to use the "Same Old Ways" and find it very hard to adapt to the new even,tho it is necessary for their success. They can be negative easily,and do let life get in the way (bring their problems to school for us to solve). If they have beliefs, these are not positive either--Example: not succeeding or failing. They might come in saying" I know I will fail the test today" and when questioned, they probably didn't study as they should or at all. Their expectations are that you will just "give it to them" after all they "paid" for it. They can be a challenge and in the vocational setting, we do get some of them changed which is an accomplishment and a joy!!
I try to interact with the students, ask about their work and encourage them to stretch a little on some assignments. The personal interaction and the focus on a job (Class) goal are usually enough to get the person focused on success. Some, simply do not engage. But most enjoy the attention and go to extra lengths to meet my expectations. In the process they acheive wonderful things!
Thanks, LE.
The self-motivated students you describe are a joy to work with. What are some specific things you do in order to help cultivate some of the HABEs you described in the students who do not seem to display them yet?
Most of the students who succeed seem to have an end goal and an internal game plan to acheive that goal. The game plan may not be formal but they have a strong vision of where they are going and what they are going to be doing in the future. Conversely, most failing students seem to be adrift and flowing on the tide of life. They have no specific goals and are not driven toward accomplishment.
Thank you, George. This is an excellent post.
What are some specific things you do to inpire some of your students who do not have these HABEs to develop them?
Successful students start thinking of “going to school†as a job, and getting the assignments and projects done on time as part of that. I graduate school, particularly when I was doing my dissertation, I found a place where I could study every day, keep my books and materials and consider my “office.†Sometimes students must have portable offices they carry to the library or one in a dorm room, but I think that it is important for students to develop a regimen to study and do their assignments.
Successful students have positive attitudes about being able to succeed. Everyone in the “system†from advisor to instructor reinforces that. When they have an event in their lives that seems insurmountable in so far as keeping up with their studies, that support is even stronger in offering assistance in the form of additional time to complete assignments or maybe restarting the class a s better time.
Successful students are attentive in class, hungry for information and look at the instructor as a resource there to provide them with the information and guidance to move forward in class. They are on time to class, inquisitive and not afraid to ask for additional help form the instructor or other students if they encounter a log jam.
Successful students envision success – in their current academic endeavors, new opportunities as the result of their academic endeavors, and plan perhaps for further education or training to take them to another level.
Thank you, Tenisha.
Those are great HABEs for students to have.
What are some specific things you do to help develop these two HABEs in the students who do not already have them when they get to your class?
Mark,
Great point! People are usually very successful when they have someone in there cornor to cheer them on.For example, rewarding students for good permance indeed motivates them to continue such performance.
Some of the HABE's that I see in successful students are turnng in assignments on time, and participating in disscussion forum.
Those students who attend dicussions seem to get a better understanding of the topics that are discussed.
Also, those that turn in assignments on time does not lose any points to lateness.
It is obvious that those who do the two HABE's hat are listed above with do well because they increase there chance og earning more possible points.
Thanks, Karen.
What are some things you do to help students who do not come to you with these HABEs to develop them?
The students that truly have a vision of change in their mind and know they want more. The students that have positive attitudes and goals of a brighter and they don't let any negative enter into their day to day activities.
Most students have feelings,thoughts, and dreams when they come to class.
Some are real, and some are not.
From the very first contact with the student, to the first day of school, the staff needs to have a positive response, but at the same time be real in the things you are telling the student.
If you are not positive the student will not be, but if you give the student a false sense of what will needs to be done, trust will be broken, and it will be hard to earn it back.
Thanks, Ellen. What are some things we can do to help the students who do not naturally have these good habits to develop them quickly?
I agree that successful students have the best habits from the beginning- and it is helpful to have a focus to help students realize this early and continuously through their efforts.
Thanks, Deanne. What are some of the strategies you use to help develop these HABEs in the students who do not already have them when they come to you?
organized, positive, it can be done and it must be done.
