New study shows many students in remediation may be misidentified – Community College News Now!.
New study shows many students in remediation may be misidentified – Community College News Now!
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Category Archives: Developmental Education
Doing Developmental Education Differently | Scaling Innovation
Examples of Curious Questions
In my last posting, I talked about using curious questions with students to help them discover their goals. Here is a list of curious questions you might try asking:
Curious Questions
- What concerns you most about…?
- What could you do right now that might help you get unstuck?
- What’s most important to you about this right now?
- What would you like help thinking through?
- How is this affecting you?
- What is really important to you in this situation?
- How is this working out?
- What might that mean to you?
- What else would you like to tell me about it?
- What have you tried so far?
- How can you find out more about it?
- What is important to you about this goal?
- What do you think is best?
- Where do you go from here?
- What’s most important to you about this right now?
- What could you do to improve the situation even a little?
- What is really important to you in this situation?
- What is important to you about this goal?
- What’s humorous about the situation?
- What might that mean for you?
- What are your thoughts about how to manage the situation?
- What other ideas do you have about it?
- What are your next steps?
- What are some other options?
- If you had your choice, what would you do?
- Who else on campus could you talk with about this?
- What do you want?
Developing a Different Mindset
Recently I participated in a workshop given by three coaches from Landmark College. The title was Using Non-Directive Techniques to Empower Students. The coaching model used at Landmark and in schools and colleges, in general, is based upon the premise that we are all creative, resourceful, and whole. From this, the job of the coach/advisor is to help the student identify and achieve goals based on knowing and valuing oneself.
As I think about the idea that students are creative, resourceful, and whole, I realize how often, in my work, I don’t fully operate from this belief. I don’t think I’m alone in this. In meetings, my colleagues and I find ourselves complaining about what the students don’t seem to possess in the way of both academic and non-academic skills. From this “deficit” viewpoint, it’s hard to trust that students really are resourceful, creative, and whole and that they have the ability to direct themselves towards their goals. Continue reading
The Call to Change the Face of Developmental Education
Too many students fail to complete their developmental classes. This is particularly true the more courses a student is required to take before they can take college courses.
The Charles A. Dana Center, Education Commission of the States, Jobs for the Future and Complete College America just released a report recommending core principles that outline the direction we need to head in to help our students start their college level courses sooner. Remediation_Joint_Statement-Embargo
Interview with Amanda Hoag: A Woman on Her Path to Success
I had the pleasure of interviewing a BCC student, Amanda Hoag who shared her experience at BCC, in developmental education classes,as well as her hopes for her future. Click on the youtube link below.
Thanks, Amanda and good luck as you continue on your path in higher education.
Back to School | This American Life
I first heard this episode this summer and wanted to share. It makes the point that non-cognitive skills are just as important in determining success in schools and can be taught.
Why Math Makes Your Head Hurt | Bioscience Technology Online
I’m glad math anxiety is finally seen as “real”,
Why Math Makes Your Head Hurt | Bioscience Technology Online.
Matching Value and Expectation: The Key to Motivation
Last week in my college success class, we were talking about motivation. I use Skip Downing’s On Course with this class and he defines motivation as being made up of value and expectation (M=V x E). When I asked each student the percentage of value they place on getting an education, they all said 90-100%. When they were asked about their expectations for success, the percentage dropped to 70-80. So while all of them valued education most were less convinced that they would actually succeed.
This was a clear example that the value students place on their education isn’t enough. They also need to believe they have the skills and abilities to be successful. That’s the harder part especially for my students who have dropped out of high school, received GEDs, and are coming to college with extreme academic and personal challenges. It’s no wonder they don’t expect to succeed.
What can we do? I believe that it’s critical to find ways for these students, and all students, to experience success no matter how big. Students in my class have made it through almost the first half of the semester. They’ve watched others drop out not because they didn’t have the ability, but because they didn’t stay long enough to actually experience success. Some even sabotaged their chance of success by not handing in homework, not studying, etc.
For those students who are still here, they are seeing that their efforts are paying off. They are handing in work, writing papers, taking small steps to get through a math quiz. With each success, I can see them growing more self-confident, but I know it’s tenuous.
We, as teachers, must find a way to challenge our students while providing them the scaffolding to be successful. It doesn’t mean handing out A’s. It does mean giving them multiple opportunities to be evaluated and to show mastery.
In my next post, I’ll talk more about ways to help our students increase their expectaions for success so that it comes closer to the value they place on college.