dealing with unfocused students
I have not had any experience with this, but had to deal with students who complain about instructors and find that they are blaming someone or something else on their poor performance. For these cases, I try to take to the student about time management, pin point where they can fit time in for their course work, sometimes, it does require giving up some freedoms. I usually share my story so they can relate it with their own lives. Finally, talk about the overall goal of graduation. Usually that gets some motivation for them to build on.
Hi Debra,
Nip it in the bud whenever students complain about other instructors. As instructors we must stick together. Do not allow the negativity to occur in your room.
Patricia
In response to students complaining of other instructors - I usually try to present the situation to the student objectively as if they were in the instructor's shoes so that they can see where the instructor was coming from. If I can get my students in the habit of being in someone else's shoes, it might decrease these complaints altogether. (And help me do the same with students who have issues with me.)
When students talk bad about other instructors I open up the curriculum of that class and ask them questions to reinforce what they learned in the previous class. They normally know much of the subject which then allows me to praise how well the instructor was.
Hi Mark,
I do not entertain another instructor being talked about in my class. I put an end to it immediately. I have a private meeting with the student(s) involved. I express how unfair and unprofessional the act is, and it certainly would not be tolerated in the work force to talk bad in open forum about personnel.
Patricia
