Listening and connecting are important
When you are listening to the student, we must
show that we are concerened.
SOme students look at us as instructors as their mentor, etc... If we fail to listen to their concerns, then we run the risk of the students failing and showing lack of interest
What techniques to you use to show your concern, Debbie?
When discussing concerns with student we must demonstrate genuine concern about the student. This would include providing un-interrupted time to discuss concern. Understanding how their concern makes them feel. Propose possible solutions and set follow-up meetings to ensure resolved or progressing toward resolution.
i try to connect to my students and let them know i understand
Listing is very key. Making the connection is the hardest because we all may have not experience what the student may be going through. For example the death of a family member. I had a student who was about to quite after his farther past away. I in this case was able to my feet in shoes because I also did have my farther past away my senior year in High School. So, I was lucky in convincing him to finish his schooling. I had a student who want to quite when in one of the classes witch me the last test for the course require a lot of math. She was week in math and her anxiety got the best of her. I manage to catch her on her way out and spoke to her outside the classroom. I new how frustrating it can get when I took some of the high level math course in college. I managed to calm her down. Telling her that she can do it. To follow what I taught in class to create her tables and take step by step like we practice in class. From the entire class she got the highest score on that test. We have to play the role of mentor as well. We need to provide them encouragement they need because some them may have never gotten it from their family or friends. We never know their full background and what they have gone through.
