As the semester begins countdown to the winter break, some
students may begin to stress out over grades.
They will beg the teacher for options to pass. What is a teacher to do? If students are truly motivated and parents
are fully supportive, teachers can do several things. This newsletter will offer some suggestions
on motivating such students to pass with grades of C or higher.
First of all, teachers should not
promise a student a passing grade immediately. Sitting with the student privately before
school, lunch, or after school is often the best way for the student to not
risk embarrassment. Often that
one-to-one time will help the student open up about his/her difficulties in
doing assignments or passing tests. A
teacher should listen carefully while mentally taking notes on the issues and
how they might be dealt with in the most efficient way possible. Then, a teacher might devise a plan with the
student’s input on how to address the concerns raised and have parents sign off
on it as well as the student (parents will be more than willing to support a
teacher here). By enlisting parents as
partners here, students will have support on both ends to be successful.
Second, rewards don’t work.
They send the wrong message that immediate gratification will do
wonders, but it doesn’t because students only work for the immediate reward and
learn little from the experience.
Instead, a teacher may need to look at alternative
intervention models. A teacher may
wish to consider small group tutoring within the class (the majority of
students are on task so the teacher can pull the few who are lost to a corner
of the classroom and support them with additional materials or
instruction). If small group setups
don’t work, then one-on-one is the next option.
In this setting, a student will be more likely to discuss his confusion. Again, keep parents informed throughout since
with their support, a student is more likely to experience success in improving
his/her grade.
Third, encourage peer support. Obviously, excellent students
don’t need credit, but if they think that they can help a teacher they like and
respect, they will gladly do it.
Sometimes they have a way of making course content more accessible to
struggling students. Provide them with a
task and pair them up with students who are open to working with them (watch out
for personality differences). Once the
struggler feels more confident, a teacher can provide him with an alternative
assessment to see if he has mastered the content. The grade he earns there would replace the
failing one.
Last, here are
some great openers for teachers to assist students who are failing and
lost. By staying with the non-judgmental
openers, students are far more willing to try.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Denise
Marnie
Cheryl
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