Helping students learn
As teachers, we always have some students who go to class but may not do well or seems not interested in learning. Some of them may be lazy; others seem confused or completely have no idea why they are there. Many of us have tried hard to help but we are all busy with teaching activities, and eventually feel that we cannot do anything.
But these students need someone to help and motivate them to learn. It is not easy, but as teachers, we are someone who can make a difference in their lives. If we do not think that these students can learn, then they will not learn. If we believe they will not succeed, they probably will not. If we think they cannot change, they will never change. So it is up to us to do something to make the difference. The students may NOT appreciate it; some may NOT like it; but as teachers, we have to make them learn, as it is our mission and why we chose to be teachers.
Sometimes students who seem lazy or confused because they have a problem with learning. It is possible that they do not have the foundation to learn what we teach. In that case, a short remedial course is the best solution. I have been teaching “Machine Learning” course for the past five years, and every year there were always some students who had difficulty. After talked to several of them, I found that many did not have a strong foundation in mathematics and statistics. A student admitted: “I learned that in high school and I forget most of them. For this course, I have to work on complex algorithms with a lot of math equations, I have to relearn what I forgot, and it is difficult.” At Carnegie Mellon, Machine Learning is one of the required course that all students in Computer Science and Software Engineering must take and there are several students who have to take this class two or three times until they pass. It is well known among students as a “Difficult class.” Last year, I started a six weeks remedial course called: “Mathematic foundation for Machine Learning” to students who needed to review basic maths before taking the Machine Learning course. The results were a surprise as all students passed the Machine Learning course with no problem. Many professors who teach this course also reported that the first time, they did not have any problem with students, so the school decided from now on, they will offer this remedial course.
There are students who for whatever reasons, do not have the confidence in their ability to learn. As teachers, we can encourage them by giving them some help and showing them that they can do the work and be successful. When a student has a problem, pull them aside and talk to them. Ask questions to try to understand why they are struggling, and ask them what needs to change so that they can be successful. When I was in high school, I did not like mathematics as I always got the lowest grade. However, one teacher in the 9th grade noticed that. She asked me to stay after class for half an hour, to work on math problems. I was embarrassed because I was the only one who had to stay after class. The teacher said: “I am sure you can do it, math is wonderful for a smart student like you. The reason you do not like it because you do not have a good foundation, so let us build the foundation together.” I started to solve many math problems each day under her mentoring until I could catch up with the class. I have to admit that it can make a big difference in my life when I see that I am capable of achieving the success. What she did change my attitude about learning and gave me the confidence that still stays with me until today. Because of that “special teacher,” I am applying the same thing to all of my students by giving them the confidence that they can do whatever they want, as long as they put in the effort.
Students who are willing to put in the effort will learn well. If you want your students to learn more, make sure that they are putting in the effort to learn, not just listening to lectures all the time. An encouraging word is more powerful than a criticize word, and by motivating them to learn and help them when they need would be much better than threatening them with “Pass” or “Fail” in the exam. As teachers, we do not have to be “strict disciplinary” to make them learn. Just be passionate about what we are teaching and let our caring attitude flowing and students will receive it. Tell some stories with humor to show them that they all can learn well. Students enjoy learning when they feel that they are successful.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
