Handling Student Frustration - ProfHacker - The Chronicle of Higher Education - 40 views
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When a student says, “Just tell me what you want,” the student could be speaking from a place of great frustration.
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if students know what we want them to do and they understand how we will evaluate their efforts, they are more apt to do the work we assign. They’ll take chances, and they’ll do so without much complaint. If we want students to take chances, they must be able to trust us.
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Have I met my office hours? (If not, have I left a note or alerted students to the change?) Is my syllabus online or otherwise available other than on the first day of the semester? Do I return student work in a reasonable amount of time? Do I require a textbook, and am I using that book? Do I respect my students and the knowledge they bring to the classroom? Have I set clear guidelines about assignments, even if the assignment is broad? If I have strict syllabus policies, do I enforce them equally and fairly? Am I creative or innovative in my approach to the subject? (Am I modeling the kind of behavior/actions I wish to see in my students?) Have I been clear about how interpretive or creative takes on assignments will be evaluated? (Am I sure I’m not evaluating harshly, for example, if I disagree with the student’s interpretation of the assignment?)
