After two semesters of being a unit coordinator at university, I am sharing secret insider knowledge about how to pass the units I teach.<\/p>\n
And here is the secret how to do very well in the units I teach:<\/p>\n
I am seeing three kinds of students:<\/p>\n
Students in the last category are hard to watch as they make their way through semester. I am learning to be much, much clearer with expectations – even to the extent of pedantic silliness, spelling out requirements in a way that must make students in the first two categories want to say “duh! – please don’t patronise us”.<\/p>\n
It is so hard to balance fairness to all students. There are students who without making any fuss spend their time ensuring that they are within word limits, learn how to reference correctly, write in a scholarly manner, answer what a question asks in the way it asks for, ask if they need an extension before an assignment is due, demonstrate that they have read the required readings and offer support to their fellow students. I want to honour their efforts and take their efforts as seriously as they do. I also want to be kind to everyone.<\/p>\n
Some of the hardest students to watch are those who are disorganised because they have too much else going on in their lives. I know that divorces, health issues, having to work to eat and supporting family members in crisis can affect studies. I also know that there are students who withdraw or do not take up studies when these things are going on in their lives because they accept that they could not study well.<\/p>\n
I think it takes more than two semesters to get the right balance of fairness and kindness. I wonder, also, if it is possible at all…<\/p>\n
But, the three steps to pass at the start of this post? I know that they do work…<\/p>\n