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Fair and Caring

Is there ever a time where you can be too "fair and caring?" What does one do with those students that come up with every excuse in the book when turning in late work?

Hi Deana,
Yes, you can be too caring. In career colleges we are training students to be professionals in their fields. We have to have standards that are business and industry based. If we give to much in terms of requirements we are not being fair to employers who will hire our students.
I have a scale that deducts points for each day the assignment is late. I handle unique cases individually, keeping in mind the total course requirements. This keeps me from falling for excuses that reoccur each time an assignment is due.
Gary

We all want our students to succeed, but we are doing them an injustice by not ensuring that "reality" is enforced. What I mean is, we are preparing them for the workplace, where excuses for lateness are not accepted. Students must learn to take responsibility for their learning and in meeting deadlines.

Time Management is taught in our classes, so if this is a problem, we will work with the student after the first time to ensure that they are able to get the work done in a proper timeframe.

We deduct marks for every day an assignment is overdue. Once they know we are serious, it usually stops.

Deanna if we do not hold all of the students to the same standards then we will have unhappy students and lose students who feel their efforts diminished by the preferential treatment of those who don't seem to care as much or do what they are suppose to do. On the other hand if we do not allow exceptions to the rule we may lose the student who needs us the most. The exception rule must be known and enforced. It must be fair and like all rules it must be applied constantly without prejudice or favor.
That said we must not be without compasion and empathy. We must be aware to much of either can be harmfull to the individual student and the other members of the class/school. They all talk and brag.

Hi Suzanne,
You summed it up very nicely. These are adults that are preparing to enter a career area. I am a firm believer that my students have to meet business/industrial standards for their career areas. These are the critical "soft skills" that to a major extent determine their future success. Absences, late assignments, poor work habits will all doom the student.
We all want our students to succeed and will do anything to help them, but we must uphold the standards or we are not being far to our students and our field.
Gary

Hi Michael,
Well said. Spoken like a caring professional educator that wants his students to succeed. This should be the mission for us all.
Gary

I always see the student being worthy of a understanding Teacher.

Hi Luther,
That is why teaching is so rewarding. Teachers want students to succeed and get the opportunity to help them to do so. If that is not what we are about then maybe we would be better off in another occupation.
Granted there are many challenges in teaching but the rewards still out weigh the challenges.
Gary

When I first began teaching I did find myself to sometimes be way too caring with students to the point where that took advantage of my "niceness". It did not take long for me to recognize that this was doing more harm than good. I put on a more professional face, and began to hold students accountable for assignments, being in class on time, etc. We also deduct points if a test is taken late, or if homework is turned in late. I try to emphasize to students the importance of being on time if they want to be successful in the workplace. There are always exceptions, but I have learned to make them very clear. Just recently I had a student that missed an exam because her father was suddenly killed. Our school policy is that there are no excuses for missing a test. However, this student was a "A" student, had never missed class, or even been late to class. She was rewarded with not losing any points for missing the test. There has to be exceptions, but with clear, concise reasons why an exception would be made.

Hi Linda,
You made a number of very good points about how to conduct yourself as a professional educator. The key thing is your ability to bring the "human factor " into the classroom, just as you did with the student that lost her father. Keep that approach and you will do well.
Gary

I agree with you Dr. Meers.

Hi Dr. Meers,

I totally agree with you that we should inculcate in them that they are in this school to have training for the realities in the work place. I also deduct points for late submission of projects, explaining that one of the skills they need to develop is meeting deadlines. They have to realize that in the real work setting, no single excuse is acceptable for a late work or project and that it could be a ground for loosing a job.

Teresita Fregans

Hi Teresita,
By using these standards you are doing a great service to the students by having them develop the discipline required of the profession they are about to enter.
Keep up the good work.
Gary

While we have a professional need to be fair and caring, we also have a responsibility to our profession. We need to reward the students who do the work we assign. We need to encourage those who do not, but not by rewarding their unacceptable behaviors. Part of the educational process is teaching students to take responsibility for the decisions they make. I too, would take off points for late or missed homework.

Hi Doreen,
Professional responsibility is an essential part of being successful. Our students have to learn that as a part of their education. If they don't then they are going to have some real challenges when they enter the workplace. You make a very good point.
Gary

It seems possible to be too caring, in that one is no longer fair, so it's important to maintain a balance of being both fair and caring.

Hi Cornel,
You are right about the need for balance so you don't carry the student but "care" about the student in relation to instructional and career planning needs.
Gary

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