Get Your Students Hired
Where's the line between the two. Is letting a student take a quiz several times until he/she passes help the student to learn or is that "coddling".
Hi Mark,
Well said. We must maintain the standards and requirements of our field if we are to truly be educating the next generation of successful professionals in our respective fields. To do any less is to be unfair to both our students and our field.
Gary
I agree totally. As the module says, "[W]hile accomodation of the unique needs of your...students is expected, you cannot compromise the knowledge and skill requirements of your course." My students are just beginning their programs, often after being out of school for many years. My course (Medical Terminology) involves a great deal of information that needs to be memorized, and then regurgitated/utilized on the spot. This is very frustrating to some of the students who have forgotten (or never had) these skills. In addition, some students find that that they simply don't have the level of interest/dedication/ability needed to complete the work required for thir chosen fields. Hence we see a relatively high attrition rate in first quarter students. I actually see this as a good thing. If someone is unable to attain the "knowledge and skills requirements" of the healthcare field, the sooner they learn it, the better. This keeps unqualified people out of the market, and gives them the opportunity to explore other options.
Hi Joanna,
This question is a bit hard to answer with the limited profile given of the student. The key is if the student needed coddling would be to determine what coddling could be given that would satisfy her with a minimum amount of time on you part. Often it is the extra attention that is needed rather than the tutoring effort. I have assigned such students special projects or had them prepare some material for me. Anything to get the engaged in the class in a way that gives them the support they need. I always talk privately to such students so I can get a "read" on where they are coming from. Once I have the "read" then I develop a plan to meet that need. If I can't and they complain or try to disrupt the class I address that directly as well. Sometimes being a bit harsh with them is all that they need to square it a way. No clear cut answer but a feeling your way along type of solution is what is needed.
Gary
Any advice on how to handle a student who wants to be coddled? For example I had a student once who would complain about not understanding an assignment. As I would explain each point to her, show her how to do the exercise (etc) I felt like I was doing her work for her. When i would take the hard line with her she would complain loudly to the class and distract the other students.
Hi David,
Good job. You are providing support without coddling. This is reflective of the world of work that they will enter. They have to have the required skills and knowledge in order to be successful.
Gary
i spend a lot of time watching students that have issues with testing (written) and hands on task.when a student demostrates very good hands on i will spend a lot of extra time with tutoring for written exams.still they must do this on there on no coddling.
Coddling had more emotion and motivation behind it, coddling seems to be personal in nature. Coddling probably revolves around an instructor having a personal score with a student either inward or outward. Example, we coddle because we have pity; or we coddle because we can not accept failure.
When we just help, no matter how much we try the will sometimes still fail.
Mike,
One objective in the class is preparing the students for the reality of the work force. Due dates are real, and not being prepared at the specified time comes with consequences. In school the consequence is a lower grade (which in most cases can be improved with extra effort), in the field the consequences might be much higher. I believe the students need to be allowed this experience, in order to become more responsible. In my classes I do not usually allow students to retake quizzes. I have made few exceptions to the rule, for students in exceptional circumstances, and for students who have shown significant improvement and needed a little break as a reward.
another word that may be acceptable is enabeling, even though to some it is the same as helping. (IE: to enable is to help). However, in my mind is neither helping nor coddling.
enabeling one to do better, is setting them up to win and thus learning from the experience. for example if you as the instructor give the student relavent information associated with the lecture material, and have them put together question and answer assignments. they will in fact help themself much like working a crossword puzzle teaches one new words. the key would be to have the student put together a sampeling of quiz questions that have the same answer but with completely different verbage in regard to How the questions were asked?. what do you think?
I will let students take a quiz again, but really I think I do this more for the self-esteem and grade of the student than helping the student learn more. After the class takes a quiz, We go over every question and discuss why the answer is what it is AND why it is not the ones that it is not. This helps the students to start to think thru questions and possibilities. With a lot of my students, the higher their self-esteem goes the higher their grades start to go. Once they see they can do it they start to believe in themselves and then they do better. I do not like to coddle, in the "real world" most bosses are not going to do that. Sometimes we set the students up to fail at a job, by helping them thru school.
Coddling can come from the instructor feeling he or she may not have given enough information for the students advancment in the class. By giving the the class objectives in a way the student/s could understand is a way not to eliminate the possible coddling.
I am of the same mind that you are on this subject. If the course expectations and assignments are laid out ahead of time, there is no reason that students should not be prepared with assignments or for exams. I teach career management skills at a culinary institute, so our basic goal is to prepare our students for the working world...in which there aren't extension to deadlines and chances to "redo" missed days of work. Students are treated as adults, and they learn quickly that we are not here to hold their hands and walk them through school. Of couse, everyone does mess up at one point or another, and sometimes circumstances arise where I need to be lenient.
Hi Kevin,
You offer a number of different strategies for getting students through the course requirements.
I commend you for the feedback process that you have developed so the students know what is required and how hard they have to work get through the course successfully.
Gary
Personally, I have found it successful... but, I had a certain methodology. I set it up so it flowed like this...
1) Homework ((chapter review))
2) Lecture/Discussion
3) Quiz
-- This time was primarily to point out problem areas--
4) Simulated Lab Exercise
5) Quiz Retake (if they want)
6) Honors Credit ((like the simulated lab... only a bit more difficult and to the point of the problem areas))
7) Quiz Retake (if they want)
8) One-on-one review with instructor
9) Quiz retake
This would allow for 4 attempts at a given quiz if the student needed it. They could not "retake" the quiz until the assignment preceeding it in the flow was completed. This folded the quiz into the lesson as a learning tool rather than the "T" word that caused so much anxiety. ((TEST))
One last point... during the designated class and lab times, the average student would only have time to complete the first 4 items in this list. From five on would have to be completed on their own time. Yes, I know... I have been accused of being evil before. But, this methodology seemed to me to be rewarding to the ones willing to put out the extra effort, without coddeling... and anyone "playing the system" had to be willing to pay the fee. Not saying it is perfect... but it has worked so far with good results in the end game... cert tests and real world application.
Hi Pam,
I commend you on your policy. This is a trap that many teachers fall into. There needs to be incentives for doing a good job the first time with options of second chances if needed. It seems that you have this covered.
Gary
At the beginning of starting a new class, I tell
my students that they may take a test twice. I don't offer it more than twice, because it seems to
enable the students to study less. It also makes it unfair to other students, who may have only had to take it once, but recieved 76% as a grade. Another student comes along and takes the test for the third time and receives 90% which they are then given the maximum of 80% grade. This is still more than the student who studied, and took the test and scored 76%, but passed the first time around. This seems to be working because to date, no student has ever taken a test twice and flunked.
Hi Vipan,
I don't think you are a stickler at all. You are reflecting the requirements of the career in which these students will soon enter. I believe strongly in setting industrial/business standards in training programs so the adjustment from classroom to the work world will not be a tremendous shock.
You do have some relief for students build into your policy for circumstances beyond their control. This is needed as well.
You are on the right track keep up the good work.
Gary
Reading these replies...I think I am a stickler! I do not believe in allowing students to retake quizzes, exams, or even hand in late assignments! I used to allow homework late and lower it one grade per day late, but found that ineffective. I teach Paralegal studies so I feel it is not helping students who wish to become paralegals to think that deadlines can pass and there are not repercussions. In the legal world where we are bound by the clock, court appearances, and filing deadlines I think it best students learn that real life expectation in school. I do however, give extra credit assignments where they can "make up" for bad days, tardiness or just plain LIFE!
I do explain to the students in the beginning of the class that these are my expectations and the reason behind it. They do seem to get it and for the most part hand stuff in on time.
Hi Perry,
Thank you for the excellent discussion of how you handle evaluation of your students. The variety that you offer gives different types of learners different ways of showing what they have learned. This is very important so the students don't become discouraged but yet are being fairly assessed on the skills they have developed.
Gary