I have a Student who...Spring 2004

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Scroll down to read the Spring 2004 series.

I have a student who...
01/21/04...needs strategies to become more successful in college.
01/28/04...may not understand my classroom rules.
02/04/04...could benefit from on-campus assistance. 
02/12/04...received a message regarding my advisee.
02/18/04...is a sophomore and will therefore not appear on the Early Alert Rosters.
03/03/04...might be depressed.
03/10/04...is failing my class.
03/24/04...wants to list me as a reference
04/07/04...needs help to prepare for the semester's end
04/15/04...is an Edgewood student athlete.
04/21/04...would make a great academic peer educator. 

I have a student who needs strategies to become more successful in college.

What can I recommend?

Recommend one of the following Student Success Workshops, sponsored by Learning Support Services and the Student Resource Center.  For full descriptions, visit the website at http://edgenet.edgewood.edu/LSS/student_success_workshops.htm. 

Fliers with workshop listings are available in the SRC (DeRicci 206).

Conquer your Math Anxiety
Wednesday, January 21 • Predolin 214 • 5:00—6:30
Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

Tuesday, January 27 • Predolin 118• 4:30—5:30
Diet for a Short Semester

Wednesday, February 4 • Predolin 118• 4:30—5:30
How to be an Effective Note Taker

Wednesday, February 11 • Predolin 118• 4:30—5:30
Test-taking Skills and Strategies

Wednesday, February 18 • Predolin 118• 4:30—5:30

Developing an Academic Plan

Wednesday, February 18 and Monday, March 8

Library Classroom 2 • 4:00 - 5:00
Public Speaking without Fear
Tuesday, February 24 • Predolin 118 • 4:30--5:30

Do what you are
Wednesday, February 25 • 4:30--5:30

Unlocking the Secrets of Test Taking:  Stressed for Tests?  Keys for Relaxation
Tuesday, March 9 • Predolin 118• 4:30—5:30
Writing a Personal Statement
Wednesday, March 24 • Predolin 118• 4:30—5:30
When Anger Bites:  Dealing with harmful anger in yourself or someone close to you
Wednesday, March 31 • Predolin 118 • 4:00--5:00

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I have a student who may not understand my classroom rules.
What can I do?

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

• Tardiness
• Attendance policy
• Are cell phones allowed?
• Discussion rules: is hand raising required, or may students "blurt out" answers?
• Is food allowed in the classroom?
• May students leave the classroom at will (restroom breaks, etc)?
• Can students "pack up" before the end of class?
• What are your participation requirements? How do you want students in your class to treat one another?
• When are you free to answer questions about grading--only in office hours, or before and after class as well?

Academic expectations

• Do you accept hand-written assignments, or would you prefer them typed?
• For written assignments, what are your standards? Will you take off points for misspelled words? Incomplete sentences?  This is a great time to mention the Writing Center in DeRicci 206...
• Do you have a late assignment policy?
• Academic Honesty--what collaboration is accepted? Is group work allowed on assignments? Will you have take-home exams or quizzes, and if so, what are the requirements?

When it doubt, talk with your fellow instructors.  Many classroom policies evolve after much practice...  Feel free to reply to this email with things that have worked in the past.  If we have a substantial response, ideas and suggestions may be placed on the LSS website.

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I have a student who would benefit from 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 questions answered from Learning Support Services, Personal Counseling Services, Academic Advising, and Career Services.

If you don't know where to send a student, call us at 663-2281. We can easily direct the student to the best person to meet with him or her.  Services are FREE to Edgewood College students!

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 about alcohol and drug abuse, personal counseling, tutorial services, study skills assistance, questions about Early Alert, Probation, the Challenge program, disability services, math placement tests, Student Success Workshops, and more! When in doubt, give us a call!

In addition to the SRC, you can send students to:

Health Services
From the flu to smoking cessation, Jan is the person to see!
Jan Zimmerman
Predolin 208 x8334

Campus Ministry
Steve Bullock -- Regina 136 x3261
Sister Maureen McDonnell (Sr. Mo) --Regina 104 x3261
Fr. Tony Schumacher -- Chaplain Office x2879

Center for Diversity
Pearl Leonard-Rock
Predolin 206 x2256

If you have an on-campus student, you can also refer him or her to the Resident Assistant for his or her residence hall.

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I received a message regarding my advisee. 

How should I follow up?

The Early Alert Committee sends many messages to advisors regarding advisees throughout the semester.  After 4 weeks, results of Early Alert rosters have been compiled, and advisors are contacted regarding detrimental behaviors shown by their freshman advisees.  After midterm grades have been compiled, you will receive notice if your advisee is in danger of academic probation.  You may also receive Academic Alert Notices, messages from instructors, the registrar's office, or a variety of other offices on campus. 

You are the primary contact for this student.  Students have an extra incentive to meet with you (their advisor)--if they don't, you won't release the hold on their registration; there is no such incentive to return calls to Learning Support Services or other offices. 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.

Follow up on any communication you receive about your advisee. If you have received communication (or if you receive any in the future) regarding one of your advisees, please act on it. If you have been contacted, it is because this student is at risk. 
    Talk to the student about issues raised in the message.  Did the student realize there was a problem?  
    Problem solve with the student.  What are possible solutions?  What does the student need to do at this point?
    Follow up with the student.  After you have met, check back with your advisee to make sure he or she is following the plan that you created together.
    Close the loop.  Let the person who contacted you know that the situation is under control.  If for some reason you are unable to contact the student, by closing the loop that person will know to try to contact the student in another way.

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?
Prep them for upcoming registration. When are the dates? What do they need to do before registering? When are you available to meet with them?
Important dates. Alert them to the "Last day to drop a class" and "Last day to get an Academic Peer Educator (APE, or Tutor)--this semester, the date is April 6.
Vacations. "Have a great Spring Break!" and similar emails keep you in contact, and in the student's mind throughout the semester. If one of your advisees is having a problem, emails such as these may make you one of the first people he or she contacts.
Beginning of new semesters. Invite your advisees to come and see you. Be sure to list your office hours, email, phone, and any other contact information you would like them to have.

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I have a student who is a sophomore and will therefore not appear on Early Alert Rosters.

Are there other ways to provide feedback?

Of course!  As you already know, week four Early Alert Rosters have been distributed and are due back this Friday, February 20.  However, students at sophomore standing or higher are not included in this Early Alert effort.  Since feedback early and often is important for ALL students regardless of standing,  try these helpful tips. 

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.

Student Feedback Requests.  These forms, introduced last semester, 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 https://edgenet.edgewood.edu/lss/Faculty_Resources/student_feedback_request.htm.

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I have a student who seems depressed.

What can I do?

This time of year depression can result from a variety of sources.  

Homesickness
After an extended winter break, some students are reluctant to return to school.  Students spent extra time with families and friends and were able to reestablish bonds with loved ones at home.  Residence Life staff reports more homesickness in February than in August or September!

Academic Stress
We are now in the seventh week of the semester.  Midterms are starting and we are currently in an academic transition period.   Academic expectations are increasing and students are managing a variety of projects, tests, and papers in their course work.  They can feel overwhelmed, and serious stress can result.  

Spring Fever
With Spring Break approaching, students may begin to dream of vacations and warmer places.  As a result, school work may lack focus.  In addition, with the warm weather and vacation approaching, some students become increasingly concerned about body image and succumb to unhealthy lifestyles.  Alternating unseasonable warm spells and bitter cold can also dramatically affect mood swings and health.  

What can I do?
Pay close attention to behavioral and emotional as well as academic changes in student performance.  We are at a very critical point in the semester; it is still early enough to make this a successful semester.  If you notice the quality of student work dropping, talk to the student today, and make the necessary referrals. Those referrals could be Academic Alert Notices (https://edgenet.edgewood.edu/lss/Faculty_Resources/academic_alert_notices.htm), Early Alert contacts, Counseling and Health Services referrals, or tutoring requests. The best thing to do is to provide the student with valuable feedback.  

If a student seems depressed, consult your Counseling Services Faculty & Staff Referral Guide, provided by personal counseling at Edgewood College.  It lists warning signs of distressed students and also gives tips on handling various situations that may arise.  You can also call the Student Resource Center at 663-2281 for assistance.  Remember, you may be the only person to notice problems in a student, and could make the difference in a student's situation. 

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I have a student who is failing my class.  What can I do at this point in the semester?

We are officially at "midterms."  After the eighth week of classes, it will be even harder for students to pull themselves out of ruts created at the beginning of the semester.  Try the following tips.

Does the student know?  Even if you handed back an exam with an "F" on the top, the student may not realize that he or she could fail your course.  It may be obvious to us, but some students truly believe that one exam cannot have such an impact on their grade, or believe that they will be able to make the points up at a later date.  They may not understand how much an exam is worth of the final grade.  A grade of "C" or "D" may not alert the student to a problem at all.  If the student ignores the grade after he/she receives it (instead of looking for areas of improvement failure could easily come as a shock later in the semester.

Tell the student.  Write a note (or stick a post-it note) on the exam.  Send an Academic Alert Notice.  Ask the student to meet with you during office hours.   The most important thing is that you communicate your concerns.

Recent Problems?   Has the student suddenly begun having problems?  This could point to personal difficulties, as well as a variety of other problems.   A  variety of referrals could be made, including (but not limited to) Learning Support Services, Counseling Services, Campus Ministry, or Health Services.

Midterm Grades.  If you have been asked to turn in midterm grades for a student, please do so!  This is another great way to provide information on a student's progress in a course.

Drop date.  If it is not mathematically possible for a student to pass your class at this point, let him or her know BEFORE the drop date!  This semester, the last day to drop a class without an F on transcripts and the last day to request an Academic Peer Educator is April 6.   

Most students are unaware of the potential outcome of failure in a specific course.  In addition, they may, or may not realize that they are failing! The best thing you can do for the student is to tell someone today.

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I have a student who wants to list me as a reference.

What can I do?

1. Be Honest with the student.  Discuss the type of reference that you will provide.  If you cannot provide a good reference, be honest with the individual. 
    
2. Relate references to the specific position for which the person applied and to the work that the applicant will perform.
    
3. Direct the response to the particular person who requested the information.  Respond to the specific inquiry about the student or job applicant.
    
4. There is no such thing as "off the record."  Informal lunch discussions or "off the record" telephone conversations should be avoided.
    
5. Information given should be factual, based upon personal knowledge/observation of the person through direct contact or obtained from the student's record.
    
6. Avoid giving personal opinions or feelings. If you make subjective statements or give opinions because they are requested, clearly identify them as opinions and not as fact.  If you give an opinion, explain the incident or circumstances on which you base the opinion.
    
7. Don't guess or speculate-if someone asks you questions regarding personal characteristics about which you have no knowledge, state that you have no knowledge.
    
8. State in a reference letter, "This information is confidential, should be treated as such, and is provided at the request of (name of student or applicant), who has asked me to serve as a reference." Statements such as these give justification for the communication and leave no doubt that the information was not given to hurt a person's reputation.
    
9. Do not include information that might indicate an individual's race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, sex (unless by the individual's name it is obvious), or marital status.  Do not base an opinion of performance on stereotypes about an individual: for instance, "for a woman, she excels in math."  Document all information that you release.
    
10. If you are unaware that a student has named you as a reference, ask the prospective employer for verification that the individual has given consent for the reference.  Such verification could include a copy of the student's signed application listing you as a reference, your name listed as a reference on the student's resume, or verbal confirmation by the student to you.  If you are asked to be a reference for a student, obtain consent from the student to speak to prospective employers. 

For more information or a sample reference letter, see Jennifer Bublitz in the Student Resource Center.  

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I have a student who needs to prepare for the semester's end. 

How can I help?

Give your students a clear expectation of the last five weeks of the semester.  Knowing exactly what is involved may help motivate them to continue working and can also ease stress levels.

Remind students to check their syllabi.  What assignments are remaining?  When are they due?  When are exams?  How much of the grade has yet to be determined?

Topics.  What topics will you cover in the remaining weeks of classes?  Did the syllabus need to be adjusted during the semester, or is the class on track?  If there are specific study strategies that you have found to be useful with remaining material, share them with the class. 

Check progress.  Students are no longer able to drop classes.  Are there students in your class who are in danger of failing?  Do they know?  Is there anything they can do to salvage their grade?

Finals.  Final Exams are 4.5 weeks away.  Remind students of the format of the final exam.  Is it cumulative?  Is it a final paper?  If it is a paper, when will you give them topics?  Remind students to begin studying NOW.  Share any study tips you may have.

Resources.  Remind your students of the resources available for your class.  You may want to announce your office hours, for those who have forgotten (or haven't checked the syllabus).  Remind students of any materials on reserve in the library, websites, on-campus assistance (the Math Lab, Writing Center), etc.

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I have a student who is an Edgewood Student Athlete. 

What does that mean?

Today is National Student-Athlete Day!  It's a perfect day to recognize the student athletes in your classes!

Student athletes are students first.  They go to classes, carry full time loads, work part time jobs, and do all of the other things that students tend to do.  They have also made a commitment to represent Edgewood College through the athletic program.  Because we are a division 3 school, these students do not receive financial aid assistance for participating in the athletic program. 

When their sports are in season, these students practice  up to 4 hours a day; they also practice for periods in the off season.  As you can see, a strong commitment is required, as well as very good time management skills. 

Missing Class
Students do not miss class for practice.  They may, however, miss classes when a game is scheduled.  Student athletes are encouraged to meet with their instructors at the beginning of the semester, to let them know when games are scheduled, and when they will be missing class.  These students do care about their classes and probably would not like to miss--however, they have additional obligations as athletic ambassadors for the college.   The official "Missed Class" policy is attached, if you would like to view it.  

How can you help these students?
Encourage students to come to your office hours, especially if they need to miss class for a game.  We all know that nothing can replace the classroom experience, but we also do not want these students to fall behind in their class work. 
Academic Performance.  Students will not need "additional help" merely because they are athletes.  Academically, you can expect the same performance as other students.  In fact, since our student athletes need to maintain a specific cumulative gpa to remain active in the athletic program, you may find that they work harder!  Some coaches require an even higher scholarly performance, and may require a "study hall" in the evenings, where the entire team must work on coursework.
Go to games.  Playing is a lot more fun when you have the support of your fans.  Try to go to a game or two, and let them know that you are backing them.   This Friday is the 2004 Baseball cookout!  Come to Stampfl Field in Verona this Friday at 5:00 for a free barbecue and watch the Edgewood Eagles play MSOE.  Directions to the field are attached.

If you have questions about student athletes or Edgewood's Athletic Department, contact Steve Larson, Athletic Director, or James Goll, Academic Advisor to the Athletic Department.   For more information on Edgewood Athletics, go to their website at http://athletics.edgewood.edu/ 

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I have a student who would make a great Academic Peer Educator.
How can I let Learning Support Services know? 

What is an APE?  An APE, or Academic Peer Educator, is what we call the peer tutors at Edgewood College.  Learning Support Services is always looking for students who would be wonderful in assisting their peers with academic progress!

What we are looking for:
We are looking for students who receive a “B” or better in the courses they wish to tutor and have a firm understanding of course content.  We need students with good communication skills who can work with students with a variety of different needs.  It is important that our APEs are sensitive to the needs of all students and have confidence in their abilities.  Patience is essential. 

An APE is a work study position, so students are paid the current work study rate.  Training is also included.  Being an APE looks great on a resume, and also helps students develop and refine their leadership and communication skills. 

 Positions to be filled:
 

If you have students whom you believe would excel in one of these positions, please contact Sara Anderson in Learning Support Services (663-3210). You may also make your recommendations on-line through the Learning Support Services website at https://edgenet.edgewood.edu/lss/Faculty_Resources/recommend.htm.

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