Managing Students by Using A Stress-Free Method
Managing Students, Students who are not traditional are now the standard in college classes. They bring a variety of life experiences, worldliness and responsibilities that aren’t common to the traditional students from the past. The modern student isn’t as stoic and is more knowledge than students from the past. This means that there is a rise in the difficulties facing today’s college professor.
In increasing numbers, students aren’t able to meet the expectations that are set by the instructor. And yet they clearly attempt to convince the instructor. That they should not be require to comply with the course requirements.
The four main areas which were found to be most frequent for these types of problems. Are lateness and absences from class. As well as late completion of assignments, late submission of tests , and contesting grades on essays and other writing assignments. A college instructor who is faced with many of these problems usually is dissatisfied and discouraged in the teaching process.
The Syllabus
The syllabus for the course is the first and most important communication tool the instructor can use with students. It is the primary tool use to convey specific expectations for the course towards the pupil. Every one of these four areas must be covered in depth in the syllabus. Along with more specific and clear information about the consequences the student. Could face in the event of not meeting the course’s expectations.
Attendance
A majority of colleges have a policy on attendance that instructors at colleges generally consider as a reference point for their more specific policy. In all instances both guidelines must be stated in the syllabus for the course. In addition, there should be a description of the proportion of weight of attendance that is based on the overall grade of the course.
Furthermore, the precise definitions of tardiness, attendance and class participation must be clearly state. For instance when an instructor is not able to award credit for attendance when students arrive after the roll has been completed and the class has been dismissed. This must be explicitly state within the course syllabus. If attendance is based on a points system, it should be explained and clarified to students prior to the start each semester. To establish a quantitative measure that can be easily justified and documented is advised.
In some instances instructors may decide not to make attendance an element of the course. And as a percentage of the grade. This is not considered to be in violation and could be a good idea to focus more on other areas. If students choose to skip class, they will be accountable for not being able to access the lecture material. That could be a part of an examination later. In this instance an announcement in the syllabus should remind students. That they will be responsible for all material cover during their absence.
Late assignment submission
Every instructor has a set time the due date for assignments. The thing that is not usually stated is the punishment of late assignments. One strategy that has been used successfully by this writer is a points system. For instance 2 points are deducted for every day the assignment is not completed on time. The instructor must include in the syllabus, in addition to details of the date and time (i.e. the first five minutes of the class, or online submissions by 11:59 midnight.) Inadvertently establishing an appropriate consequence for late submissions isn’t advised, and will later be discussed.
Tests for make-up
It is the American Disability Act indicates that instructors have to provide accommodations for students who have documented disabilities. If a student fails to appear for an exam and doesn’t have a medical reason for failing to show up making accommodations for the student to be able to take the test at a later time can be seen as discrimination against students who actually took the test according to the schedule. In addition, the absence of an established punishment for the student may cause problems to the teacher.
Another option could be the need for a separate (shorter and more challenging) make-up test that is schedule at a set date, for instance when the student is taking the final test. This prevents the instructor from scheduling and re-scheduling of the make-up testing dates and times throughout the course of the semester. No matter what the instructor’s guidelines are the policy must be documented in the syllabus, and consequently it must be communicated to the student at the start each semester.
The evaluation of subjective assignment grades
The fourth issue to be tackle is the grading of the subjective nature of assignments, papers and essay tests. Instructors need to be able be able to account for the points they subtract from these kinds of assignments and make this clear to students. Giving specific instructions that contain a point / quantitative system for grading has discovered to reduce the number of students wondering the method of determining their grade. Checklists, evaluation forms , and rubrics must be given to students and be explained to them at start of each semester.
A love of teaching
A career as a teacher in the area of higher education is an extremely rewarding and enjoyable experience. Students, regardless of their excuses they are smart and often extremely creative and enthusiastic. They generally are eager to succeed. College instructors have the opportunity of their role as mentors and gain the advantages of being able to guide their students’. Creativity and enthusiasm. A variety of small efforts from instructors can increase the level of interest and desire to be successful from the student. Some of the ways to make connections with students include getting to class earlier.
Managing Students
Speaking informal with students and encouraging them to speak about themselves. They can also help students become acquainted with one and help them concentrate on the material in class. Especially lengthy reading assignments, as well as providing them with resources within the particular area of study or the college within the college itself. Instructors may also speak with students about their personal enthusiasm. For their field of study and also about their opinions and views on teaching. provide the reasons behind courses and assignments and share personal stories of their own college experiences, if they are appropriate for the class.
Instructors who experience the least stress and take the greatest satisfaction from their teaching They not only get to know them, however, also make it easier to grade their students. They offer smaller and less frequent assignments, and they employ grades keys to grade assessments immediately as well as assessments forms, rubrics, or a checklists to quickly grade tests, essays papers, and other assignments.
Conclusion
None of these guidelines can guarantee an unflinching college teaching experience, however intentionally incorporating them into an underlying philosophical framework can ultimately open the way to a more responsible student. This can only happen in the event that the teacher adheres to all the established obligations and consequences in all cases.