Connecting with Students and Their Stressors
As an instructor, I think it is important to connect with your students, so you can learn what their STRESSORS are. Learning what stresses your students can go a long way towards providing assistance or pointing that student in the right direction. I believe this to be extraordinarily true with my younger students. Their world is different. I believe we as instructors need to be careful not to project our feelings about what should or should not stress our students. We talk about identifying theses stressors, but we need to without judgment. I know for myself that can be difficult at times. Furthermore, when attempting to make these connections and learning about your students, how comfortable are you? How trained are you? Have you ever dealt with transference and countertransference as an instructor? How will this “connection†be viewed by your institution? This subject matter is multilayered.
I believe it is always good to connect with students and understand their stressors. The more that they see you do understand, they will feel you care enought to even notice and to actually relate to the stress of possible working and going to school.
Students do appreciate it when their instructors demonstrate concern for their well-being. It reassures them that we are human , just like them.
I am an onlien instructor and although demanding I'm available 24/7 including holidays - No end in sight...
