Samantha Robinson, Department of Mathematical Sciences, presented on “Keeping our Students Upright: The Little Things that Add up for our Students Right Now” in April of 2020.
The video of this presentation can be accessed by visiting the Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center (TFSC) Blackboard course and clicking on Archived Presentations.
“Bean by bean you fill up the bag.”
“All the little things add up. Whether they were positive or negative, eventually you either see an amazing result or the biggest letdown.”
These quotes describe how all of those little things both good and bad add up for you and for your students. These thoughts and tips can help you learn what little things you can do right now to improve the situation for your students and help to ensure that they have a positive experience and learn the content in your course.
It’s more important than ever that your students can see that you care and truly value your content. When this is evident then they are more likely to be engaged in your course and pay attention Learning can’t take place unless they are paying attention and outcomes are better when they are more engaged. Let them know that they are valued and respected and always remember that there are differences among people that we can’t see. It can be really important to reflect on the assumptions that you have about your students while also thinking about how those students see you.
Do our students feel respected? Do they feel a sense of belonging at the U of A? Even before the pandemic, a lot of students didn’t feel like they belonged and that they were respected. But all is not lost! We can do a lot of little things that help!
All the Little Things – Pre Pandemic
Professor Robinson presented this same idea before the pandemic started at a TFSC Luncheon and talked about all the ways that you can connect with your students. These are some of the suggestions she gave at that presentation.
- Emails
- The welcome email
- Check-in emails
- Appreciative emails
- How to write emails that they might read. Bring social media to the email platform with memes or other images.
- Give them a splash of you instead of just providing due dates
- Use names
- Share pronouns
- Share yourself and acknowledge when it’s hard
- Fire off quick notes
- Use Humor – if it’s you!
- Create Community
- Create Office Atmosphere
- Make your office cozy and inviting
Now, during the pandemic, there are other things that you should keep in mind as well.
All the Differences Between our Students
All the things that we did in the past were small beans that we were using to fill up our bag and our students’ bags, but suddenly the pandemic ripped open the bag and we’ve lost many of those beans. There is an old saying that “an empty bag can’t stand.”
Many people’s lives are complete and utter chaos right now. People have children at home. There are students who can’t go back home, but also can’t stay at the University. Wifi access is vastly different from one area of the state to another and even one household to another. So much has changed in the lives of our students! But, we can still do something and any small thing you can do helps right now!
Think About Your Emails
What was the last email that you sent to your students?
Think about your tone, the content, the structure.
Have someone else look at that email too and give suggestions.
One of the things that Dr. Robinson does is have a theme for each day!
- Marvelous Monday
- Taco Tuesday
- Wonderous Workout Wednesday
- Throwback Thursday
- Finally Friday
Be cheerful, positive, and tell them you appreciate them! They really need to hear that right now. We all do!
We are currently so inundated that it’s difficult for us and for our students to handle everything that’s being thrown at us. So, try to make it better for them if you can. You might just find that they make it better for you as well.
Quick Notes
When students do something that you appreciate, send them a quick note. Tell them how much you appreciate their hard work or that they were engaged with the content.
Keep sharing the little things about yourself. The students will be able to connect with you more if they feel like they know you. If they feel like they know you then they will think about you, and when they think about you they’ll think about your class and the content!
In your notes be sure to keep acknowledging the hard times! Be honest!
Be thankful for them, and they will too. It will make both of you feel better!
Keep it Up
If there were things that you were doing before the pandemic, then keep it up. Continue sharing those pictures of your kid or those silly memes or keep using alliteration in all of your lists like Dr. Robinson does. (Look back up at her list of days.) Just move it into a form that they can access online.
Show your Face
They signed up to see you in every class in person. So don’t feel strange about showing your face now on Zoom or Collaborate. Do it even if the students aren’t doing it. It will help them connect with you.
Humor
If you had humor before keep trying it now, even if it feels goofy. Students respond to it.
To Sync or Not to Sync
Use a mix of live and asynchronous classes if possible. Consider making the live ones optional because schedules and wifi are unpredictable. You might also want to record everything in case someone is ill or can’t watch for some other reason. Use student names in online class to help them feel connected.
Office Hours
Have standing office hours so that they can come by and visit you if they need to. It gets boring sometimes so multitask!
Student Feedback
If you want feedback, just ask for it. The students will be happy to let you know if something isn’t working. You know your material but you might not know the best way to provide this content in the particular world we’re living in right now.
You can always change things as you go along!
Pull in the News
Be gentle with it because people are delicate right now, but if it applies to the content it can help students connect.
Stay positive!
Smile! Be flexible, and stay strong!
Don’t Make Assumptions
It’s hard not to make assumptions, but try not to. They are making assumptions about us too. Don’t judge and be there for them. They appreciate knowing that you’re still there for them.
All the Old Things Still Apply
- Know your content!
- Model behavior and manage the “classroom”
- Know your students – their names and personalities
- Let students know you – share yourself and be genuine
- Be self-aware
- Consider personal biases and perceptions
- Think about your own body language and tone of voice – or writing
- Reflect often on your treatment of students – encourage them, how are you dealing with deadlines, don’t let them fade away
- Have a reliable, easily available communication path – have “office” hours and check email.
- Listen to your students
- Elicit student thoughts and feedback
- Be responsive to student needs
- Reach out to students individually
- Assume nothing and avoid judgment
- Tidbits
- Be Compassionate
- Be Flexible
- And Smile!
Students will start to mirror you so give them your best self!
If you would like more information on how to incorporate technology into your courses, reach out to us at tips@uark.edu.
This content was developed from a presentation by Dr. Samantha Robinson which was sponsored by The Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center (TFSC) at the University of Arkansas.