When Failure is Imminent
When Failure is Imminent
A certain number of students fail classes every session. This is a hard fact. While we do everything in our power to help students succeed in the early weeks of class, some students will arrive at a point of no return where they no longer can pass a class. Our messages now need to shift. Confronting failure is a serious blow to a student’s ego, make no bones about it.
How can an instructor mitigate the circumstances and nurture a failing student's willingness to take the class again next session? And feel good about doing it?
Sabrina,
Wow, you make such a great point. What is your student failure strategy? If you can give students options for future success that would be great. You may want to point to gaps of learning and remediation ideas to work on success in the next course. I would try to continue dialog and provide options for future success. You are making an important point regarding something we need to consider as instructors.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Sabrina
This is something I often deal with. I have a student on my roster this term who has not passed the class with me five times previously. I am so frustrated that she continues to be enrolled in my course. I gave her incompletes and she still did not finish the course each time. With other students who are close to passing, I try to inform them of what they need to do in order to pass the class the next time. It is so rewarding when the student is in your class again and you see their improvement.
Samantha Carlo
Samantha,
What a waste of money and time. It seems that students won't fail if the don't complete. I am not sure why some feel this way but it seems prevalent with this age group.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
FAILURE IS HARD ON EVERYBODY, THE STUDENT AND THE TEACHER.
I TRY TO CONCENTRATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE ON THE PROGRESS THE STUDENT MADE ON THE COURSE, POINTING OUT THE SUCCESSFUL MOMENTS/TOPICS THE STUDENT HAD WITH THE COURSE.
MONITORING THE PROGRESS OF THE STUDENT EARLY IN THE TERM HELPS TO PUT EVERYTHING IN PERSPECTIVE.
NO GOOD FEELINGS WHAT SO EVER...IT IS DIFFICULT AND SAD AND NOT PLEASANT AT ALL. I AGONIZE OVER THOSE SITUATIONS!!!
Dehlly,
You make a great point. I agree with you that you talk about progress and the foundation that will help build to success. It students try this is truly a difficult discussion. If behavior seems to be the problem, for me it is not as difficult.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The best way to combat failure is to understand that students do not fail for the same reason. In fact, very little of why students fail has to do with their failure to grasp the material.
Failure to grasp the material makes more of a difference regarding higher grades, such as, an A minus versus a B plus, etc. When it comes to failing, however, because FAILURE is such a vast category (say, a grade of 0 to 60, meaning that a "59" is just as much an F as a "4"), it is important to understand WHY students fail.
Quite often, it is based on a lack to come up with a viable "PLAN B" when their computer breaks down, their babysitter quits, they lose their job, etc.
Students who ATTEND and can ADAPT to the outside challenges of life are the ones least likely to fail.
Constantinos,
What a great post! You are right, failure is a symptom of something else. Many times is lack of time. It would be great to talk with the student and discuss options and ideas. They don't know how valuable that could be to them.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
A frustration of mine is when a student has been submitting work but is is not complete and sub-par at best. I received an email from a student today asking what she could do to improve her grade. She has submitted her work but there were always questions missing or posts missing.
Ryan,
I agree. I actually become frustrated when students know they didn't turn in an assignment and it shows in the grades. I put everything for them to see and make comments and nothing is relevant until the end of the grading period.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I feel that most of my students are set up for success because I try to take the steps needed to prevent failure but there is an occasional student who does not want to be there. The student who was pressured by a parent, spouse, employer or significant other. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. Unfortunately this can be depressing for the instructor because these students have no interest in ever putting forth an effort. Of course I try to go out of my way to reach them but maybe instead we as instructors need to evaluate if they are in the appropriate classroom and/or field of study. Academic advising needs to occur at all levels from more than just admissions counselors. What do you all think?
That is right! Money doesn't seem "real" to some students because it is financial aid. Unfortunately when the student loans come in they will realize the consequences of their actions. I try to stress the real world when possible and the struggle it is to pay bills, and work that the decisions you make in college can effect your life for years to come.
Dawn,
First, you as the instructor are for many students the only contact to the university. It is frustrating to try to help a student who really doesn't want it and is looking to blame someone and it may be you. You have to make the effort because, well you want all students to succeed. You may want to give your students a brief survey about why they are taking the course and what they are willing to do to succeed. That will allow you to focus your efforts more efficiently.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dawn,
That true. I have this conversation with freshmen. Many do not know that bankruptcy does not wipe away student loan debt. This is an investment if done right and debt with nothing to show for it when done wrong.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
This is unfortunately one of those issues that instructors never seem to become comfortable in at any point, or at least I can say that about myself. I face this also every term with at least one student in one or both classes that I teach. It is quite difficult when the student has given every effort to do well, but seems to have a disconnect somewhere in the process, and perhaps needs some remedial training (i.e. English, mathematics, etc.). I tend to attack the issue head on and early in order to keep the student from failing by incorporating or modifying my approach to help the student succeed. Once failure is imminent, I encourage the student, and give an assessment unique to the student regarding what occurred and how to overcome the issue on the next try. However, there are those students who suffer from external factors (i.e. unsupportive spouses, obligations, illness, etc.),and failure becomes imminent at some point. In these instances, the student has generally made known to me the issues at hand. I can only encourage diligence and determination to overcome the odds. Their issue is not a disconnect in the educational process specifically, but external factors for which we cannot control or assess. Finally, there are those students who just do not care. I approach those students in the same manner as those suffering from external factors.
Aundrea
You have a reasonable strategy for an uncomfortable situation. I hope you and me never get comfortable talking with at a student about failure. Many of these students don't know how to fail and it may be our responsibility to help students fail "successfully". We must provide them with strategies that will help them learn from the failure.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
