What do you do when the students say they don't want to get involved in school?
I have made several attempts to start a student organization but I get little or no response. We have tried having them wear the same shirt as a way to show loyalty and there was an uproar. Does anyone have a suggestion?
Student organizations have been a source of frustration for a lot of people for a lot of years. Unfortunately, their effectiveness depends very heavily on student leadership. Ideas that come from them will be accepted much more readily than ideas “imposed†on them. If you have a core of committed students that can form the central committee of a student organization, you can work from there to get their ideas on how to address specific issues on your campus. Good luck.
I think this is a very vulnerable subject. I have had very few students want to get involved in school. I hear students talk about "Wanting to do this and get it over with". I think more repitition in relaying the importance school is to their future. That it's not just school, it's their life. That this will stay with them forever.
You're right, Jo. Because of job and family responsibilities, many students – particularly non-traditionals - are unable to get involved in extracurricular activities and see class time as a necessary inconvenience that they need to endure to get to the next step. For them, getting connected to the school really involves a deepening commitment to their career choice and a fuller understanding of how the lessons of the classroom will help them improve their lives. Do you have any suggestions about how to do this?
Try to find smaller more mangeable activities that busy students can become involved in.
How about some examples, Ephrain.
I feel that as long as you add some kind of excitement to it they all eventually want to get involved. Every time my students are down because of a stressful module; I throw a game in it to excite them all and to get them all participating.
Stephanie, is the game part of the grading process or is it something intended to get students engaged?
Instead of making it a school project, start smaller. Have the students of one class work on their own project. Start off small have them plan a small celebration for students graduating from their class by having a pot luck. This time of year you can do Halloween door decorating contests or costume contests.
Good suggestions, Michael. Do you have to co-ordinate these activities with anyone at your school? Do you have a budget for these projects?
It starts with their environment. If they are made to feel nutured, cared about and given positive feedback then they begin to open up and start to feel like they belong and are proud to do so. I tell my students every day about what the future holds for them if they apply themselves and hold themselves out as being the professional they can be. We also involve our students in many civic events and they love to show off and represent the school well.
The classroom is a lot like the work place, isn't it Sandra? People perform better in environments that promote and support their efforts. The saying “you get what you reward†is quite true.
One of the new requirements at my school for incoming freshman is a service project. These projects might be done on an individual basis or as part of a class group. Thus the student must become involved in some way in their learning community.
This is an intriguing concept, Nancy. Please share more details about the type of projects students have been doing. Is the work part of a course and thus, graded? What is the structure of the learning community? Who oversees the projects? Are there any liability issues?
I have not seen all the details of how the program will work. This is new for incoming students. I think some will be able to do this as part of a grade for a class. Others will design their own project.
One way that we have got our students more involved is by setting up class captains and co-captains. This was started as a buffer between students and administration, some one to organize thoughts and ideas, but has really turned out to be beneficial in setting up specific days, such as pot luck, times for us to go out into the community and give back, breast cancer awareness day etc. I have found that students get more excited on those days, attendance is higher, and the students are really enjoying them.
Bethany, do you have captains for each section? Do you have a formal organization for these people? How are they selected? Do they change periodically? Do they get special recognition?
Someone has to streamline the root cause/s of the non-involvement from the student. Initially, it mught just be a superficial reflection of a survey and a student has been identified to be non-participative. With vertical probing or "refocusing", especially with the complicating circumstances or sequelae if the student would not participate, there might be a chance that the student would realize that the consequences qould "boomerang" back to his/her account- like payback on loans, credit effects et al.
We have several school organizations; student council, the medical club, legal club, and the business club. I think these organizations are great for student involvement and it teaches them skills that will be helpful when writing resumes and job searching. I do find it difficult to get some students involved and then when they come to me for assistance with writing their resumes, they are upset because they do not have these things to put on it.
Would any of these students be willing to speak to students who are just starting classes at your school? Testimony from the repentant can be much more powerful than another 'lecture' from an authority figure.
