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I have a student who...Fall
2002 Did you accidentally delete a message you wished
you would have saved? 8-28-02
...Introduction The Early Alert committee and Learning Support
Services is proud to announce the "I've got a student who..."
email series. In a continuing effort in increase retention, we
plan to send out ways you can help your students succeed
throughout the semester. If you have anything you're dying to
know or information you would like to share with your fellow
faculty, pass it along to Sara Anderson or Laurie Laz in
Learning Support Services. Thanks! We look forward to hearing from you! Sara Anderson I've
got a student who goes to Edgewood College. What does that mean? We learned quite a bit about Edgewood College
students from our Fall seminar and NSSE. Here is more data that
you might find interesting. Keep it in mind when teaching your
courses, or when problems arise. Edgewood's minimum entrance requirements Students must have two of the three following: 2.5 High School GPA -- Our students had an
average of 3.3 ACT composite of 18 -- Our students had an
average of 22 Top 50% of High School graduating class We accept approximately 79% of the people who
apply. 86% of the students that come to Edgewood
indicate that we were their first choice The "Typical" Edgewood Student* Primarily white Mainly female 34% are from the Southwestern Wisconsin
"hometown" region 77% are from the 608 area code (This makes it
very easy to go "home" on the weekend to see friends, family,
work, etc.) About 50% identify themselves as Catholic Most say they perform volunteer work Two out of Three say that they drink beer One out of Eight take a medically prescribed
antidepressant, suggesting we should be aware of our students
emotionally, as well as academically. More than One Third indicate that they feel
overwhelmed at college. Why? A large percentage are first generation college
students. These students may not know what to expect when they
get to college, or may not understand the rigor involved. They
may also be missing the support system at home, as parents may
not understand the stressors of college life. About 90% report studying less than 10 hours per
week in high school. Being expected to study more may be a
shock--they may not be expecting to study any more than 10 hours
each week! The rule of thumb is generally 2 hours of study
outside of class for every hour you spend in class. You may want
to suggest this to your students, and let them know your
expectations. According to a freshman forum survey done in the
fourth week of school, students report that: 70% study fewer than 15 hours per week Working. More and more students are working off
campus to support themselves. Even 20% of our freshmen indicate
working 20 hours or more off campus! That number rises to more
than 30 hours off campus for seniors... Why are our students not studying as much as we
think (know) they should be? Many never had strong study skills demanded or
reinforced. For students who didn't have to study before,
chances are they didn't. If they weren't properly challenged
before, they may have never needed to learn these valuable
skills. They have never had to do more than "homework."
In many high schools, time is allotted in class to work on
"homework," prompting many students to not have to do
work outside of class. Few do work that is not specifically
requested of them--like going over notes, rereading chapters, or
doing problems that weren't assigned. These study skills that we
may find to be second nature weren't valued or expected. Many struggled in high school. Remember, our
minimum entrance requirements include a 2.5 high school
GPA--that is a BC average. This is in contrast to the average
High School GPA for the entering UW student of 3.7. What can Edgewood Faculty do? Incorporate study skills within your own
classroom. Have fun! Remember, whatever the profile of the
"typical student" is, you will always have a different mix and
class dynamic with each semester, indicating different
needs--that's what makes this job so exciting! *Most data taken from recent CIRP. I have a
student with a disability (I think). What can I do? There are typically three situations in which
this statement arises The student self identifies him or herself and
presents documentation The student tells me he or she has a disability
and wants to work with me, but does not have documentation The student does not seem to be "getting it" or
is not following the class The student self identifies him or herself and
presents documentation. Students with documented disabilities
have self identified themselves to Edgewood College and are
receiving coordinated services through the Learning Support
Services. Typical services provided to students include: paid
peer note taking, alternative testing (i.e. extended time, quiet
testing environment, materials in alternate formats),
interpreters, Real Time Captioning, books on tape, and materials
in other formats. The Disability Service Coordinator, Elizabeth
Watson, may or may not provide additional information to the
faculty and staff that would be beneficial to the student’s
academic welfare. Finally, students with documented disabilities
are entitled to have access to all facilities and services on
the Edgewood College campus and Elizabeth would be the
individual to coordinate those services. I have a student who says he or she has a
disability but is not working with Elizabeth. There are students
who are proactive and understand what services are necessary to
ensure their own academic services. You are welcome to
coordinate academic needs individually with a student, if you
are not comfortable with this situation then please refer the
student to Elizabeth. I have a student who just does not seem to "get
it" and I think there might be a learning disability. Please
talk with the student and inquire if the student has received
academic supports in the past. If you or the student is not
comfortable with the discussion, then refer them to Elizabeth
Watson. Edgewood College cannot require any student to
participate with the LSS. Finally, you are free to contact Elizabeth
Watson at anytime to discuss a student. However, it is important
for you to understand that there is a limit on the information
that can be shared. Disability documentation is confidential and
can only be shared with other faculty or staff if the student
has signed a release. If you wish to know more about how a
student best learns or the disability itself, your best venue
for information is the student. He or she is generally the
expert on what works best (or worst) for him or herself. We can discuss any requested accommodation by a
student, how to best work with students with disabilities, and
how to integrate alternative teaching strategies for students
into your lessons. I have a
student who needs on-campus assistance. Where can I send him or her? Send the student to the Student Resource Center.
Located in DeRicci 206, students are able to do "one-stop
shopping" for many of their assistance needs. By calling
663-2281, you can get any question answered from: Learning Support Services If you don't know where to send a student, call
us at 663-2281. We can easily send the student to find the best
person to meet with him or her. Would you like our specific subject areas? These
folks can handle advising questions (if YOU are an advisor and
would like to know what to do OR to assist unassigned freshmen),
questions about Freshmen Forum, career exploration, resume
writing, interviewing skills, referrals for alcohol and drug
abuse, personal counseling, tutorial services, study skills
assistance, questions about Early Alert, Probation, the
Challenge program, disability services, math placement tests,
and more! When in doubt, give us a call! In addition to the SRC, you can send students
to: Health Services Campus Ministry If you have an on-campus student,
you can also refer him or her to the Resident Assistant for
his/her residence hall. I've
got a student who is demonstrating one or many adverse
behaviors. What should I do? Contact the Early Alert Committee! If it is a
freshman, this is one of the best ways to assure contact! Make a
note on your freshmen rosters (check your mailboxes) and turn
them in. This Early Alert process exists to aid the connection
between students and appropriate campus resources, and helps
these students from “falling through the cracks.” If you have
any other questions, contact Sara Anderson or Laurie Laz
(x2281). Send an Academic Alert Notice. This will inform
the student, advisor, and Early Alert committee that something
is awry. Talk to the student. Maybe it is a personal
concern. Refer the student to a resource that can help. You can
always contact the Student Resource Center to get advice. Provide Feedback. The student may or may not
realize that he or she isn't doing well in your class! Act sooner, rather than later. If concerns exist
now (after 4 weeks of class), the student still has an
opportunity to get back on track. If you give your student the
assist, it will likely reap valuable benefits for both of you.
Please don't assume that someone else will send in an alert, or
notice problems with a student. You may be the only one to
notice, and could make the difference between success and
failure! As an instructor, you can and do make a
difference in the lives of your students. It is important that
you have heard your student’s alarm. I have a
student who is my advisee. What can I do? Follow up on any communication you receive about
your advisee. These communications may be Academic Alert Notices
(AANs), Early Alerts, concern expressed from professors, the
registrar's office, etc. If you have received communication (or
if you receive any in the future) on one of your advisees,
please act on it. If you have been contacted, it is because this
student is at risk. Even if you feel as if you don't know this
student well, you are the primary contact at this point.
Students have an extra incentive to meet with you--if they
don't, you can't release the hold on their registration--there
is no such incentive for Learning Support Services or any other
office. And, you already have a relationship with your advisees,
no matter how small it may seem, making the process even easier.
It is probably the most essential nature of the advisor/advisee
relationship, and has the potential to be the most useful,
especially in easing the transition from high school to college. You are our link to students, and for someone at
risk quite possibly the student's lifeline at Edgewood College. You can also be proactive by
using natural opportunities to contact advisees en masse (set up
a distribution list). When are appropriate times to contact
them? I have a
student who doesn't attend class. What do I do? Is attendance part of the student's grade? Some
students honestly believe that they don't have to go to
class if attendance isn't part of their grade. Others don't
understand that the "participation" portion of their grade
includes attendance. In case the student has not already
realized, it may be good to point out the learning that takes
place during class, and stress its importance. If attendance is
part of the grade, let the student know the quantitative impact
of missing... Talk with the student. What seems to be the
problem? Is it the 8:00 class after the Thursday party that's
the problem? Is it time management skills? You may be able to
refer this student to the proper resources. By doing so early
on, you may be saving the student from academic probation. Most
students cite specific instructors and staff members as their
reasons for staying at Edgewood College and not transferring or
dropping out--you could be the person that makes a difference
for that student. Early Alert Rosters. Early Alert Rosters have
arrived. Fill them out to provide the Early Alert committee the
most information possible. Send an Academic Alert Notice. The student will
get a copy, and know something is amiss. The academic advisor
will also receive a copy. Check with the Registrar. Did the student drop
the class? Contact the Early Alert committee. Many students
are already flagged "at risk," and someone on the committee may
have a reliable way to contact your student. Why should I do anything? While we like to
believe students understand that going to class is important,
some don't. Also, missing class may be an indicator of a health
problem, or a larger emotional issue. By catching these things
sooner, the student can get the help that he or she needs before
it is too late. Consider referring the student to
Career/Personal counseling, Learning Support Services, Health
Services, Campus Ministry, the Center for Diversity, etc. If you have more questions or suggestions,
contact someone on the Early Alert Committee today (x2281)! I have a
student who is in danger of failing. What can I do? Midterm grades. If you have received a request
to turn in Midterm Grades on a student, it is because he or she
needs to have feedback. Freshmen, especially, need to have
feedback about their progress, whether it is positive or not so
positive. If a student is getting an "A" in your course, it's
the best type of feedback he or she can receive. Never
underestimate the value of positive reinforcement! Progress Reports. For some students, you will be
asked (or have been asked) to fill out progress reports,
indicating how the student is doing. These students are at
risk. These students use the progress reports to know how
You think they are doing in your course, and help those working
with them aid them in developing a plan to succeed at college. No Reports Requested. If you think the
student is failing, send an Academic Alert Notice. Most students are unaware of the
potential outcome of failure in a specific course. They may, or
may not realize that they are failing! The best thing you can do
for the student is to tell someone today. I have
a student who does very poorly on my tests. What should I do? Students do poorly on exams for many, many
reasons. It is important to talk with the student (or refer him
or her) to determine which reason it may be. What are YOUR tests like? Let students know how
you plan to structure exams, so they are better prepared to
study. Before the first exam (or in the first week of classes)
let your students know how you expect them to study for your
particular class. What are your expectations? How can they
succeed? This type of "heads up" will give students an
advantage, and will also eliminate some excuses later in the
semester for poor performance. Underprepared. "I studied for six hours last
night and got a 'D'!" Re-emphasize the proper way to study for
an exam. How would you do it? A little bit of reviewing every
night is much more effective than the six hour cram session the
night before the exam. By telling your students this early and
often, you might eliminate complaints of the "6 hour 'D'." Confused. Maybe this student is very lost in the
subject matter. Encourage him or her to visit you during office
hours. Or, suggest the student make an appointment with Sara
Anderson to go over specific study skills or to sign up for an
Academic Peer Educator (tutor). Study Groups. Many students won't think of
forming study groups outside of class, even though study groups
have proven to aid in understanding. Recommend students try this
great learning technique. Some professors even make study groups
a requirement for the class. Feel free to experiment. Personal Issues. It is possible that poor
performance was caused by events in the student's personal life.
Talk with the student, and if necessary refer him or her to
resources on campus. Health Issues. Is the student very ill? Remind
the student that Jan Zimmerman is our campus nurse practitioner,
and can help students in this area (services are free). It won't
help the student with past exams, but the information can be
very helpful for the future. Review. Many students who receive a less
than par exam score tend to ignore it and move on. Bad idea!
Without going back and reviewing what they missed and
determining why they missed it, students will often not learn
the material for the final. Also, the student could be having
problems with a specific type of test i.e. multiple choice,
true/false, essay, etc. Without determining where his or her independent
strengths and weaknesses lie, the test
becomes no more than a grade, when it could be a very important
diagnostic tool. You may require corrections to be made and
handed in, go over exams in depth in class, or do something else
to force students to really look over their exams. You may also
refer them to Learning Support Services for assistance in this
area. Dropping the class. If it is getting later in
the semester and the student hasn't improved you may want to
consider mentioning a course drop to the student, before
it is too late (November 6--also the last day to request an
academic peer educator). Send the student to his/her advisor to
discuss options and how things will work with financial aid,
residence halls, etc. Have any tips to share? Let us know! For more information on test taking or other
study skills, contact the Student Resource Center. I have a
student who needs an academic peer educator (tutor) OR needs
to drop my class. When is the deadline to act on
these requests? November 6 Next Wednesday! If you have a student who is
still struggling, please send them to Sara Anderson for tutoring
information as soon as possible! If there is no chance the student
will be able to pass your course at this point, you may wish to
gently recommend withdrawal. I have a student who isn't
completing assigned work. What should I do? Talk with the student. Does the student
understand what happens to his grade AND learning if he does not
turn in assigned work? Make a class announcement. If you don't wish to
talk with the student directly, remind the class as a whole the
value of doing assigned work. Send an Academic Alert Notice. Advisors receive
copies of all academic alert notices a student receives, and can
make another attempt to deliver the message to the student. Is the work too challenging? Instead of going to
you for help, the student may have given up due to not
understanding the material. Encourage the student to visit you
during office hours. You can also refer your students to the SRC
for general study skills information. Is the student an athlete? Contact her coach. In
order to remain eligible for athletics, the student must be in
good academic standing. Coaches have a great deal of influence
on their athletes. Personal Concerns. The problem may be with the
student's life outside of Edgewood. Please consult the
Faculty Referral Guide for Counseling Services or contact
Janet Billerbeck or John Boyne in the SRC. For more information or to discuss a specific
situation, feel free to contact the Student Resource Center
(x2281). I have a student who (says
he/she) has test anxiety. What does that mean, and what can
I do? Test anxiety is anxious feelings or nervousness
before and during a test that often lowers performance. Contrary
to popular belief, test anxiety is NOT anxiety caused by not
studying, not studying effectively, or being “in over your head”
in a course. It can be very difficult to recognize when the
student has problems with true anxiety, and when that anxiety is
the result of not preparing properly for an exam. If you are in
doubt, talk with the student. Refer him or her to someone in
Learning Support Services, or Janet Billerbeck and John Boyne in
personal counseling. How can you recognize test anxiety? Student does very well on homework and in class
discussions, but not on exams Student "freaks out" or is distressed before
exams Student becomes tearful talking about the
upcoming exam How can I help students with test anxiety? take time for questions about the exam in class remind students of office hours describe format of exam, so students can better
prepare (multiple choice, essay, etc) be available for students before and after the
exam if they have any questions give a general idea of content to be covered (or
refer them back to notes/syllabus) Are there other things that I can do in class? Some students do better if they are allowed to
turn their desk towards a wall, so they can't see other people
working and/or finishing before them. Arrange with the student to allow him or her to
take exams in an alternate location or place. (If you do this,
you may want to be prepared for other students to ask for the
same accommodation.) Talk with the student. Refer to Personal
Counseling and Learning Support Services. Health Concerns Health issues can also affect anxiety before
exams. Students who were ill before exams are often
still playing catch-up, and won't feel as comfortable with the
material. Students who are currently ill are obviously not
at the top of their game--which can increase anxiety. The group of students who spends the entire
night cramming before the exam, skips breakfast, and then tries
to take the exam will also have more anxiety. As the instructor, remind your students that
sufficient rest and a good meal before the test will enhance
thinking skills much more than an all-nighter and a body filled
with coffee. As we all know, caffeine can raise anxiety levels
all on its own! If you have a student who seems to always be ill
near exam time (or just always ill), refer him/her to Jan
Zimmerman in Health Services. If you have any questions, please
contact someone in Learning Support Services or Personal
Counseling today. 663-2281 I have
a student who will need to prepare well for the final in
order to pass my course. What can I do? There will always be students who need to do
well on a final exam or project in order to pass a class. Since
we are probably speaking to students who have not yet started
studying for the final exam, different strategies are in order. Give them concrete information. How would you
suggest studying for your final? What is the format of the
final? How long will they have to complete it? Is it cumulative,
or a final chapter exam? Try to be positive when talking about
the final--these students have already put themselves under an
extreme amount of stress. Study tips. On which portions of their
notes/books should they concentrate? Refer students to the
syllabus to examine course goals, if you do not want to tell
them directly what to study. Group Work. Remind students the value of group
work! Reviewing material in groups has been shown to be a very
useful way to study for final exams. General Health. Remind students that getting the
right amount of sleep, eating regular meals, and not pumping
their bodies full of caffeine will be better for them during
test time than pulling all-nighters in an effort to cram. Refer
students to Jan Zimmerman in campus health for any questions. Cramming. If students have not yet begun
studying and are now in "cramming" mode, there are some general
tips to aid them. For a cumulative final, have them start
finding principle themes, sub-topics and other major
illustrations of material. Then, have them decide on which
supporting information to concentrate. They will have an easier
time remembering a narrow range of material in depth, rather
than a smattering of random facts. Skimming text (not rereading)
or going through notes is much more effective and a better use
of time than rereading every chapter. Refer students to resources. Feel free to use
the following websites, or send them to the SRC to make an
appointment with someone from Learning Support Services.
http://www.csbsju.edu/academicadvising/help/teststrt.html
http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/lss/test_taking_Calm.htm
http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/lss/test_anxiety.htm
http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1443.html
http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1439.html
http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/handouts/1427.html |
Fall 2002 |
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Please email Sara Anderson at
slanderson@edgewood.edu with any questions about this site. Copyright © 2002 Sara Anderson and Edgewood College. All rights reserved. Last modified date: |
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