Student burnout
How do you deal with student burn-out, meaning that there is too much outside and personal issues in their life that they can not cope?
When pain exceeds perceived gain students drop out, April. There are two sides of this equation: focusing on keeping the dream alive and understanding that life will improve if they persevere while helping the student identify ways to overcome the outside pressures. Obviously, this easy to say and not necessarily easy to accomplish. Do you have any suggestions about practices on either side of this equation?
At our schools, we say that our competition is not other schools. Instead it is outside forces -- work, family, home-life, and other stressors. For many of our students, their lives outside of school can be chaotic, draining, and unfulfilling. What we try to do in our school is avoid being net energy takers and instead become net energy givers. We try to create energetic, caring, fun classrooms. We try to energize our students while they are at school. We try to create a safe, fulfilling place to be. In many students' cases, school is where they come for respite from the outside world.
This takes a great deal of buy in from the instructors and staff, but when they do so, we find that faculty/staff retention increases as well as our student retention.
Isn't it a sad commentary when the classroom is a respite from the outside world? Your concept that the competition is outside forces is an enlightened one. How did it evolve? Do you have faculty champions? Do you find that buy-in is different based on program, campus location or length of faculty service? What is your student mix – traditional vs. adult?
We realized that everyone has limits on money, time, and personal energy. Outside forces such as friends, family, work, and other things each demand their share of these resources. When a student comes to school, they have to reallocate these resources. If school is boring, dull, or does not have energy -- then they are less likely to allocate their time and energy to it; especially if things like friends are more fun. We have about 75% adult and 25% traditional students. The adults primary pulls are work and family. Traditional students primary pulls are Playstation, TV, and cold beer. Whatever the competition, we have to provide a product that can compete for their resources.
We find that buy in to this idea is not really based on program, campus, or tenure. It really is more about what the instructors understand their job to be. Are they here simply to give out information and get a check? Or are they here to change people's lives? Those who fall into the latter are the ones who live, eat, and breathe student success. We work very hard to recruit these people and bring them on to our team.
I have to agree that if at all possible it is best to keep your student focused on their dream of a higher education and the benefits that will come from accomplishing that dream. But in order for the student to be able to see the big picture, they must first have faith in who you are and know that your concerns for them are genuine.
Even with all that being said, there is no guarantee that they will be able to overcome their problems and complete their goals. There is only so much one can do for the student. The rest is up to how bad they really want to complete their education.
Basically, there are only 2 reasons things don't happen: the person is unwilling or unable. Questions of ability should have been addresses and resolved for both student and faculty when they entered into a relationship with the school. Hopefully, unwilling is not an issue when faculty and/or staff encounter students with problems. “We Care†isn't a conditional statement.
I have had students who enroll as a group of buddies. I have found the ringleader, who brought them in drops out and I have to find ways to keep the others motivated. I explain to them that they are individuals and they need to make a decision about their own lives and success. This has worked for a few.
When you see that a student is beginning to be burnt out then you should change up your teaching strategies. Maybe include a learning game or something along those lines to change the pace.
I actually like to take time out at least once a month to encourage my students to relax and realize this is not the end but the beginning!! I treat them with an in class lunch adn play relaxing music as they are allowed this one day to finish homework or study in class instead of taking it all home and being overwhelmed. I feel this shows them that I do care what else may or may not be going on outside of school!
Ashlie, are you suggesting a change in teaching strategy in response to one student showing signs of burn out? What signs do you look for that indicate a change in strategy?
Nice gesture, Allison. Do you ever get a student who asks to be excused from class to do other things when you have this free period?
Most of the time, you are able to tell when a student has lost interest in the subject. Or sometimes maybe even just one particular chapter. I notice when I have the class open there books and you have a few students moan or sigh that lets me know, hey, lets see what I can do to make this a little more fun so that I can still have there attention throughout the class.
I have actually never come across anyone needing or wanting to leave. I put this "free period" in the middle of the day as well to prevent that from happening, but I know each student is so overwhelmed with so much work, not only from my class but many others that they value and appreciate that spare time to get caught up or even sit with me one on one with questions or if they need further explanation on a subject. I have found they respond really well to this and I feel it has been very beneficial.
Recognizing that the student is a victim of burnout is the first challenge. Sometimes they will approach you and tell you, but more often they don't. If they do or if you recognize a problem, try asking a few inquisitive questions to try to probe out some infromation. Quite often this leads them to start a conversation about the problem and this may give you the oportunity to help the student. My first question is quite often, is this what you really want to do for a career, and the rest of the conversation stems from what their response is to that. If they answer yes, then I will share some of my personal sucesses and failures, but share wiith them how rewarding my overall career was despite a few tuff spots. this usually lets them see that they are not the only person to hit a tuff spot on the path to a career.
Students need to determine what is most important to them and which problem needs to be addressed first then the rest of it can be put on hold temperarily to ease to stress.
Sounds easy enough but how does this really happen. What's the role of the instructor; support staff?
Give them something to look forward to. If they know that when they miss a class that they are missing something interesting then their commitment is rekindled.
What do you do when interesting isn't enough? I may be interested in being in class but if I don't have child care it doesn't really matter.
I do agree that, conversely, if I'm not interested in the material it will be much easier to make the decision to blow off the class.
I believe, not necessary to change the whole strategy, but I can adapt easily my strategy at the moment, only to capture the attention of that burnout student. If we offer the students a very attractive and fresh way to see the classroom, even if they are burnout, we can obtain the right result in benefit to the student. I understand at the perfection, if the student is burnout, very difficult situation to refresh her/his interest, but if we adapt a little bit to that student, we can have a student until the end of the block and he/she will receive that benefit.
