Jeffrey Schillinger

Ranita, This can be a tough balancing act in our chosen profession. Sometimes it seems we just have to get a task done and the student who wants to talk at that moment can seem like an interruption. I try to take a few minutes to listen to the student to judge if this is something I can talk to the student later about or if it is something that is one of those rare "right now" moments. If it is something that can be discussed later, I try to gently state that I may not have enough time to… >>>

Lisa, Thank you for this post. These are all great things to do. One idea a few successful schools has tried is to require faculty members to develop in "independent learning plan" (ILP)for each week. The plan provides specific things for students to do to keep up if they miss class. Teachers either distribute the plan at the beginning of each unit or they email the plan to students who are out. This technique requires students to take the reponsibility for staying up with the class. The ILP does not replace excellent instruction, but it does help students stay caught… >>>