I am an instructor at Broward College. I teach Anatomy and Physiology labs, labs for Non-Biology Majors, Climate Change class, and other classes. My students range from teenagers to adults. Last semester I taught a mother at Broward College and I taught her daughter at FAU. I have a variety of students in my class. I have students who really want to learn, those that don’t want to learn, those that don’t care about the knowledge but just care about their grades, those that care but want other students to think they don’t care, those that are abusive, and those that are disrespectful to the instructor and other students.
In my effort to capture the attention and interest of my students, calm them down to learn, make them think about what they are learning, remind them that there is life beyond the classroom, and the number of problems they can solve will determine their impact in the world. I do few things:
- I give multiple extra credits
- I encourage them to give presentations about their career goals or personal experiences
- I encourage them to attend Broward College Toastmasters
- I encourage them to use other classmates as an excellent resource
- I joke about the concepts I am teaching. I believe in the combination of education and entertainment (edutainment).
- I make them know that they can approach me in extreme circumstances.
- I take pictures with them at the end of the lab or class
- I encourage them to approach me if they need anything after the lab or class. For example, a good number of my students already approached me recommendation letters.
- I let them know I am also a student and I go through some of the challenges they go through. For example, I have a family while still in school.
These are what some of my colleagues will call an unnecessary or meaningless effort. To be honest with you I have been tempted to agree with them. The same students you do all these for are the same students that will send emails to the Associate Dean or Dean about how disorganized and confusing the class is going.
Maybe there had been meaningful seeds that were just sown on infertile ground. But today I have great news! A few months ago, I ran into two of my students from the picture shown. Can you guess which two? I gave them my business cards and I collected their emails. These two students are currently in Broward Nursing School. They are doing well. A few weeks later I got an email from the Assistant Dean encouraging instructors to nominate students for the most outstanding students of the year award. Immediately my mind went to the two students I just saw after a long time. I was able to recognize these two students because I took pictures with them and asked for their names and email again. Checking my old pictures and reconnecting was important because these students were my students about 2 years ago and I had many more students after them.
On separate days I met them. I encouraged them to reach out to me if they need anything. Only one of the students reached out to me via email. She said it was nice seeing me again without asking for anything. It was the same student I remembered to be the most polite, respectful, hardworking, and punctual in the class. I decided to recommend her for the most outstanding students of the Year. A few weeks ago, I received an email from the Associate Dean asking if I will like to escort my student to receive the most outstanding student of the year award. I couldn’t explain the kind of joy that filled my heart. To some people, the things that we do might appear to be meaningless. But time will tell if they are right or wrong. In this situation, they are wrong for sure. Taking pictures with my students added honor to the life of Briana Boothe (indicated in the picture). I am fulfilled by the meaningful efforts I make. This is my advice for you, when people throw stones at you don’t throw stones at them, instead throw the good fruits from your good trees to them so that they can change their bad ways to good ways.