When flexibility isn't possible
My question involves trying to be empathic and creative in retaining students who are faced with unexpected challenges (like illness, outside difficulties, or learning disabilities). In these cases, I feel like the best thing for the students would be to slow down, but attendnace/MTF requirements out of my control make that impossible or impractical. I usually work with them to focus on their goals and what graduating would mean to them in the long term, but I'd love to hear how others have solved this problem.
Wendy,
This is a common challenge we all face so I to am interested in suggestions that will be made. When I have situations like this I spend time with the students and try to sort out where they are and how we can develop a learning contract that will get them back on course and moving forward in their learning.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I find this issue very challenging to deal with. Here and there it is possible to set a learning contract, but when the situation is more serious, the students is missing too many classes, I like to sit with them and remind them that to be successful in their field of study they will need to meet certain requirements, they can only make up so much work in independent projects, at some point they should consider dropping out for a while and come back to their program later. I also give them some work to do while out of the program so they don't completely forget what their goals are.
Murielle,
This is a solid and rationale approach to take with such students. We have to maintain our level of standards because if we don't that means we will be turning our inferior products (less than qualified students). So letting them know the door is open if they decide to come back is a good way to let them know you care but that the best course at this time probably is to step out of school. Otherwise they are not going to pass the course and that will cause them even greater problems further down the road.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I haven't ever had to deal with this but it was interesting to know others input.
