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I have a student who...Fall
2005 Did you accidentally delete a message you wished
you would have saved? I have a student who... 09.07.05...Welcome The Early Alert committee and Learning Support
Services are once again continuing the "I have a student who..."
email series. In a continuing effort to increase retention we
plan to send ways you can help your students succeed throughout
the year, both in and out of the classroom. Many of these emails
will be geared more towards a classroom setting, but will also
be applicable for work study students, advisees, etc. Examples
of past messages can be found online at
https://edgenet.edgewood.edu/lss/Faculty_Resources/student_who.htm.
If you have anything you would like to know or
discuss or have useful information you would like to share with
other faculty and staff members, pass it along to Sara Anderson
in Learning Support Services. Thanks! I look forward to hearing from you!
I have a student who
may not understand my classroom rules. Although we would assume these to be "common
sense," if we don't specifically state our classroom
expectations we cannot expect students to follow them. If you
haven't already done so, now is an excellent time to clarify
what your classroom etiquette entails. Stop problems before they start with a quick and
easy classroom discussion! Some things to discuss: Behavioral expectations
Academic expectations
A similar discussion is also incredibly helpful
for your work study students, and can help build a productive
relationship.
I Have a Student Who Is a
Poor Writer. A common problem, but not one with a simple
solution. Here are a few things that might steer you through
this. A Large Number of Student Writing Errors Stem
from Lack of Editing Students May Write Poorly When They Don’t
Understand the Assignment Some Students Need Extra Help A Seriously Underprepared Writer May Need a
Developmental Writing Course Give Extra Time or an Incentive for Students to
Use the Writing Center More information on assigning, marking, and
grading student writing is available on the Writing Center
website at
http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/writingcenter.
Students can also find some helpful information on topics such
as overcoming writer’s block and the differences between
revising, editing, proofreading, and spell-check. Writing Center hours for fall 2005 are Monday
through Thursday 9-4:30 and Friday 9-2. Extended hours are
available Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4:30 to 6 in the
Diversity Center (Predolin 206). Students in residence halls can
use the Stevie Hall evening Writing Center hours: Mondays and
Wednesdays: 7:00pm - 9:00pm. For more information on the
Writing Center, English 099, or anything brought up in this
message, please contact Angela Woodward:
awoodward@edgewood.edu
.
I have a
student whose name appears on my Early Alert Rosters. If you have freshmen in your class, you have
received an "Early Alert" roster in your mailbox. On these
rosters, we have listed all freshmen enrolled in each of your
classes--it does not mean that these students are
"at-risk." This feedback process is a retention tool designed
by the Early Alert Committee to track the success of our first
year students. It is very important that we receive these
rosters back in a timely manner, whether or not you have
negative feedback on a student. Positive feedback is just
as valuable as negative feedback in determining a student's
status. A view of the whole program for each student is the
most helpful. Even if you don't have any absences or late work
to report, please return your completed rosters by Wednesday,
October 5 to the Student Resource Center (DeRicci 206). NEW this year for advisors: The Early
Alert Committee has devised a way to help us “close the loop”
and better serve our students. After meeting with your
advisees about any concerns (i.e. information you receive from
the Early Alert Committee), we ask that you visit
https://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/Faculty_Resources/EA_post.htm
to fill out our follow-up form. By doing so, it gives the
committee a better idea of how and where our students are
connected, and also lets us identify which students are in need
of more attention. It is important to remember that students with
sophomore, junior, or senior standing will NOT appear on these
rosters. Since feedback early and often is important for
ALL students regardless of standing, try one of these other
methods for upperclassmen. Academic Alert Notices. Is attendance
becoming a problem? Did the first exam not go well for a
student? Fill out an Academic Alert Notice (AAN)
online. A copy of the AAN is sent to the student, the Academic
Dean's office, and the student's advisor, alerting them to the
student's behavior. You can find online AANs at
https://edgenet.edgewood.edu/lss/Faculty_Resources/academic_alert_notices.htm.
Communicate with the student. Talk with
the student directly, make a note on a returned assignment, or
send an email. All of these things can communicate your
concern with the student directly, allowing him or her to take
action. Feedback is crucial to the development of these
learners; foster the process as much as possible. Remember, feedback does not have to be negative,
or occur only when something "bad" has happened. Feedback
can (and should) exist when things are going well. Do you
see marked improvement in student work? Has classroom
participation been particularly valuable? Let them know! Returning assignments. While we all know
that a grade is not the final measure of a student's learning or
understanding, it is a way to let students know how they are
doing in a course. By handing back assignments in a
reasonable amount of time, revisions can be made, allowing the
student to learn more from the experience and seek help before
it's too late. Remember, students will often not seek help
until they are told (or shown) they need it! Early Alert Committee. If you are having
concerns about a student, contact someone on the Early Alert
Committee to point you in the right direction. For more
information about the Early Alert Committee, review the booklet
you received at the beginning of the semester, or go to
http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/Faculty_Resources/early_alert.htm.
Student Feedback Requests. These forms,
introduced last year, originate from the student. If
you do receive one, please complete it promptly. You might
suggest a meeting with the student to go over your responses.
For more information, check out
http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/Faculty_Resources/student_feedback_request.htm.
Visit
https://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/Faculty_Resources/student_who.htm
to read the entire “I have a student who” series. I have a student who is
involved in Homecoming. How can I help? All students, faculty, and staff at Edgewood
College are invited to Homecoming events! Already this
week we have had a beach party, Volleyball tailgate and game, a
performance by the Edgewood Dance team, and more! Why should you attend? Well, it’s fun, and
there are many giveaways at each event…you never know when
you’ll need another Edgewood T-shirt! Also, when students
see you participating, it gives them a sense of pride—they will
know that their faculty and staff members care enough about them
to attend these activities. It also allows them the
opportunity to get to know us as members of a community, and not
only as the person who teaches math or the staff member that
helped to figure out their financial aid package. The
informal interactions between students and faculty or staff
members can also assist with retention—it has been shown that
the relationship a student has with the college can make the
difference between staying and transferring! And, as Maggie
pointed out at College Assembly, students love to see their
instructors at the Homecoming Dance… There are plenty of activities left to enjoy
this week. Many of them would be great places to bring
families—make it a night out with your significant other, or
bring the kids. Ride the Tide of Eagle Pride! For more information about these events, contact
the Office of Student Activities. Wednesday—Tonight! Thursday Friday Saturday I have a
student who may have cheated (or plagiarized). Go directly to Carol Cohen, Associate Academic
Dean. (Do not pass Go; do not collect 200 dollars) Why? Are there circumstances where instructors can
deal with cheating or plagiarism on their own? What is Cheating or Plagiarism? What are the specific sanctions for cheating or
plagiarism? What are faculty responsibilities (or rights)
when cheating or plagiarism is suspected? I have a
student who may show some signs of alcohol abuse or dependency… (Plus! Halloween safety
tips for the college student
below!) Students drinking in risky ways are neither new
nor uncommon. About half of Edgewood students binge drank in the
previous two weeks. Within the last year, more than a quarter of
students have had some kind of legal problem related to their
drinking (underage, public intoxication or DUI), and more than a
third have experienced some kind of significant personal problem
related to their drinking: resulting in fights, sexual
assaults, serious injury and even death, not to mention lowered
academic performance and missed opportunity for other
extra-curricular activity. On the positive side (the mug half empty side),
it’s important to keep in mind that about half of Edgewood
students did not binge drink in the past two weeks and
about 68% drink five drinks per week or less (a relatively low
risk amount). Common sense signs of possible alcohol abuse
that you may observe in class: What to do if you suspect problem drinking: You might consider pulling an individual student
aside after class to describe what you have seen and ask if
drinking plays some role in the poor performance or classroom
behavior. Whether the student confirms or denies the notion that
drinking is a concern, it can be useful to follow up with your
beliefs about drinking in your own words. Sharing what you have
seen happen to other students as a result of risky drinking or
sharing something of your personal experience of how drinking
may have effected your life can be a helpful way to start the
conversation. You can encourage students to moderate their
drinking by suggesting that most can get what they want from
alcohol by consuming low amounts (Blood Alcohol Contents of less
than .05; about three or four drinks for most males, 2 to 3 for
most females). If you know about their academic or vocational
goals, you can suggest that even very periodic risky drinking
has significant costs against those goals. No matter what you
say or how you say it, the most important thing is that you
raise the issue. If you believe a student’s drinking is a more
serious than periodic risky drinking (from reports of a friend
or the smell of alcohol in class, for example), some
intervention on your part is even more critical. Again, a
non-judgmental description of the behavior you have observed or
learned about with the added suggestion that the student take
some action (like seeing a counselor) couched in an expression
of your genuine concern can be very influential in getting the
student to make an adjustment. Research has shown that even
brief interventions by faculty can have positive impacts on
subsequent serious drinking behavior. What can I do if I have a group of students in
one of my classes that likes to highlight and relive their
drinking exploits somehow in class? Also, remember that approximately 1/2 to 2/3’s
of your students are low risk drinkers or abstainers already.
Those students are alienated by silence around risky drinking
and they need our support to maintain their “lower-risk ways.” If you have a concern about a particular
student, please feel free to call John Boyne, Edgewood’s Alcohol
and Drug Counselor to discuss ways to address the issue or refer
the student for a consultation (x3383;
jboyne@edgewood.edu). Finally, as we approach one of the
riskiest party weekends of the year,
there are a few related announcements for your students
suggested below: 1. Students can
get confidential feedback about the risk level of their drinking
by taking an online survey called eChug (Electronic Check-Up to
Go) on Edgenet under Student Resource Center:
https://edgenet.edgewood.edu/studentcenter/Personal-Counseling/aodaresources.htm
2.
Halloween Safety Tips 3.
Students can play dodgeball on Sat 10/29 in the Edgedome (watch
for an announcement of times) or check out the website at the UW
Union for other things to do there (http://www.union.wisc.edu). Finally, if you are looking for
something else to give you your students, consider the attached
flier giving college student safety tips for Halloween.
This would also be a great thing to post on your door, so any
students coming to see you this week can see it! It will
also be available through the LSS website (https://edgenet.edgewood.edu/lss/Faculty_Resources/halloween_notice_2005.pdf).
I have a
student who needs to drop my class. The deadline is If there is no chance the student will be able
to pass your course at this point, you may wish to gently
recommend withdrawal. Refer your student to his or her
advisor to discuss repercussions with financial aid, residence
halls, etc. Remember, students may not realize how poorly
they are doing in your classes or may still believe that success
is possible—even if they received a failing grade at midterm!
Unless you bring the situation to their attention, you cannot
assume that they understand. If you are hesitant about speaking directly with
the student, send an Academic Alert Notice. Remember,
these notices can be used for any issue occurring in the
classroom (poor exams, attendance issues, late homework, etc),
and are also sent to the student’s advisor and the academic
dean’s office. You can fill them out online by going to
http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/form/academic_alert_notice.htm.
The process only takes a few minutes. Reminding a student
of their progress (or lack thereof) in your class BEFORE the
drop date can mean the difference between that student being in
good academic standing or on academic probation at the end of
the semester. Advisors The drop date (November 9) also gives advisors a
great reason to stay in contact with students—an email to
advisees reminding them of the drop date also reminds them that
you exist and are here to help them with academic concerns that
may arise. Tutoring
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 her grade AND learning if she 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. Do you collect work? Not all students will do
“recommended” problems, no matter how often we tell them how
valuable it is to practice. A reminder at this point in
the semester can go a long way! Also, some instructors
have placed a problem that was recommended (but not required) on
a quiz or exam as a way to encourage (however deviously) future
work. Students will often do more practice problems (or
exercises) out of the book if they think they might end up
directly on an exam. Send an Academic Alert Notice. Advisors receive
copies of all academic alert notices (AANs) a student receives,
and can make another attempt to deliver the message to the
student. You can send an AAN by visiting
http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/form/academic_alert_notice.htm.
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
Learning Support Services for general study skills information. Personal Concerns. The problem may be with the
student's life outside of Edgewood. Please contact Janet
Billerbeck or John Boyne in the SRC for advice on how to proceed
or refer the student to on-campus resources. For more information or to discuss a specific
situation, feel free to contact the Student Resource Center
(x2281). I have a student who seems stressed about
finals. Time is running down…we only have 2.5 weeks
until the end of the semester! This is the perfect time to
remind your students to begin reviewing (if they haven’t
already) and finish those final projects. This is also the
first “final’s week” experienced by our first year students, and
some may not know what to expect. Also, students returning
from Thanksgiving break are still stuffed with turkey and may
still be in vacation mode, not quite back into the swing of
classes. The following tips can help you ease anxiety and make
their first exam week more bearable. Give them concrete information. How would you
suggest studying for your final? What is the format? How long
will they have to complete it? Is it cumulative or a final
chapter exam? If it is a final paper, can they utilize the
writing center? The more information you can give them on
the format and content of the final, the better prepared they
will be to study for it. Also, try to be positive when
talking about the final—students have already put themselves
under an extreme amount of stress. If you refer to your
final as incredibly difficult or impossible to pass, some
students may give up and not even attempt to study. 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. If you did not hand back
exams, is there a time where they can come to your office to
examine what went right (or what didn’t) on past exams? 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. 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, our campus Nurse Practitioner with 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, they need to 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. Send students to
the SRC to make an appointment with someone from Learning
Support Services or Personal Counseling. They may also
find useful handouts on the LSS Bulletin Board or through the
LSS website.
http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/study_skills/Handouts.htm
The
Math Lab and
Writing Center will also be open to assist students. Plan for it. If you've noticed times in the
semester when you know students will not be very motivated
(before winter break for example), plan for it. It is much
easier to teach students who are willing to learn! If you begin
cramming things into the last few weeks because the class fell
behind in the syllabus, it will create more stress for the
student (and you!) and contribute to the lack of motivation. Ask
fellow instructors how they combat this particular issue. I have a
student who would be a great Peer Tutor. Edgewood College has a Peer Tutoring program to
assist students who would like assistance above and beyond what
their faculty member provides. Some students request
tutors because they are struggling with course material.
Others need extra confidence, or would like extra practice with
course material. Either way, we have Peer Tutors to assist
them and help them to become better independent learners.
The catch? What we are looking for: A Peer Tutor is a work study position, so
students are paid the current work study rate. Training is
also included. Being a Peer Tutor looks great on a resume,
and also helps students develop and refine their leadership and
communication skills. How can you recommend a student? If you have students whom you believe would
excel in one of these positions, please contact
Sara Anderson in Learning Support Services
(663-3210). Writing recommendations can go to
Angela Woodward. You may also make your
recommendations on-line through the Learning Support Services
website at
http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/Faculty_Resources/recommend.htm.
Even if you don’t think there isn’t a need for
tutoring in your subject, recommend your students anyway!
Some students are multi-talented, and may be capable of tutoring
in another area as well. Also, sometimes students don’t
request a tutor because they don’t think one will be available.
If we advertise availability, the students will come! Types of tutoring positions: Find out more
about tutoring at
http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/tutoring.htm.
Please contact Sara Anderson (slanderson@edgewood.edu)
with any questions! |
Fall 2005 |
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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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