Winning Them Over

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Master Teachers

MEMBERS

3 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Master Teachers Chatboard

Winning Them Over

by They Don't Like Me

Jul 28, 2011

I teach middle and high school level math to college level students. Many of my lower level students do like me. However, when they reach the high school level statistics (they react emotionally). I have had students have what appears to be emotional break downs and panic attacks. There are atleast two each 9 week term. When they start having difficulty they blame me. Our for profit college has a system where the students review the instructor each term. Basically, if the students do not like you then, you are out. What strategies can I use to win them over? This term I brought in donuts. I brought in lollipops for them when the subject matter began to get more difficult. I gave them extra credit for taking notes. I gave them extra credit to encourage them to get into their assigned learning groups. I am available during the last 30 minutes of the 2 hour long class to assist students who need to make up work. (However, the students who need to make up work do not stay for this.) Studen...See More

Comment

(2)

report post

Sara On 7/28/11, They Don't Like Me wrote: You're dealing with a strong set of expectations - people believe that a college degree is very important and it's very defeating and deflating when they actually get to college and realize - they might not get one.

I'm guessing your college doesn't do any real screening and admits basically everyone. ...See MoreOn 7/28/11, They Don't Like Me wrote: You're dealing with a strong set of expectations - people believe that a college degree is very important and it's very defeating and deflating when they actually get to college and realize - they might not get one.

I'm guessing your college doesn't do any real screening and admits basically everyone. Nature did not intend everyone to take statistics (I only passed it because my husband helped me with the class)

Bringing in doughnuts and lollipops won't accomplish anything but to make you look foolish - they don't want doughnuts, they want a college degree.

What percentage of your class fail or do poorly? I don't know what your administrator means by being 'nice' - I'd certainly agree if that means to be courteous and respectfully polite and to treat students with polite regard. I find warmth also helps to build a good relationship between the instructor and students.

Does your administor mean just pass them? Does 'nice' mean don't mind when they come in late and are disruptive?

Do you feel that most of your students could grasp the material if they came to class on time and used that last half- hour of the class to work with you? I think that's a key question. Is it just that they don't apply themselves or - are they really cognitively math-weak (like me).

If you believe they really could pass or do better if they came to class on time, that's one thing. If it's pretty near hopeless that they could grasp this math, that's another.

I'd tell them - if you consistently come to class late, then you will miss the instruction and it becomes almost impossible to do well in a math class, if you've missed the instruction. (note that I used the phrase 'a math class' instead of 'this math class') Tell them "Math is not history, you usually can't read the textbook on your own in math class because math is so ... math, so abstract and so confusing. If you're going to be late to a class, be late to your history class, not to a math class because in any math class, the instruction is important - it basically translates the textbook."

Tell them upfront that you want them all to do well and that's why you spend time in every class just helping. Tell them you know how hard math can be.

Forget the dougnuts and lollipops. If someone comes in late often and is disruptive, ask to speak with them. Tell them it's hard for you to teach when you get distracted and ask if they could come in a bit more quietly.

If a student becomes angry, ask that student when you can - "I understand that you're angry but what is it I should do differently?" Maybe they have some suggestion to make but if they don't, it's fair to go on and say, "Are you angry at the situation? I try hard to help and want to help and I'm not sure why I'm the brunt of your anger. Help me to understand what we could do differently."

Do you give mid-semester warnings of any kind? Can you give a first test and see from that who's going to have real trouble and warn them even then and offer to work with them closely from that first test on?

> I teach middle and high school level math to college level > students. Many of my lower level students do like me. > However, when they reach the high school level statistics > (they react emotionally). I have had students have what > appears to be emotional break downs and panic attacks. > There are atleast two each 9 week term. When they start > having difficulty they blame me. Our for profit college > has a system where the students review the instructor each > term. Basically, if the students do not like you then, you > are out. What strategies can I use to win them over? This > term I brought in donuts. I brought in lollipops for them > when the subject matter began to get more difficult. I > gave them extra credit for taking notes. I gave them extra > credit to encourage them to get into their assigned > learning groups. I am available during the last 30 minutes > of the 2 hour long class to assist students who need to > make up work. (However, the students who need to make up > work do not stay for this.) Students are frequently late. > They have missed the instruction. They are disruptive when > they enter the class. Then, they are angry when they do > not understand the material. My administator has asked me > to be nicer to the students. Does anyone have any > suggestions?

Aug 5, 2011

report post

They Don't Like Me Sara, Thank you for taking the time to write your detailed note.

I finally found out what the most successful instructor is doing at our school. I made this one change and it has changed everything. On my calendar (that I give the students) I spell out that they will be graded on a class assignment and a quiz each day. If they miss the as...See More

Aug 10, 2011

report post