What would you want to hear if you failed a course?

[AOx1]

It is that time of the year when unfortunately, many students will not pass a course. Speaking as an instructor, this is the 2nd worst time of the year, other than in May occasionally someone does not get to graduate with their class.

Some background: When a student does not successfully complete a course, I typically tailor my advice as best I can to the student, to offer as many options as I am aware of, to encourage them not to give up a dream of being a nurse (even if they are not able to complete this program at this time, there are many routes to entry in this profession), and to realize that they still have value as a person. I also try to offer any other services that I think may help the student such as referrals to financial aid, counseling, etc. Also, I have typically been working very closely with students in danger in the course to try to tailor their study habits, improve organization, etc, so they also receive a lot of feedback throughout the course.

My question is this: I have not been in the position of failing a course before, so I ask those of you who have: What would you want to hear from your instructor at this time? What would provide you with realism of your chances but not crush your dreams? What would make a difficult time easier?

[llg, PhD, RN]

I am on a break from grading papers. Can I expand this thread a little to include "What would you want to hear from someone giving you a passing -- but disappointing -- grade?"

I'm having to give out some bad paper grades, but the people will squeak by with a C for the course because their test grades are A's and B's. They will be upset with the paper grades and its effects on their final course grades.

Comments welcome.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I can't answer this question, I just got done with my first semester and I passed, but I did just want to say I thought it was great what you all are doing. I do personally know a few students that didn't move on this semester and it was so hard, I didn't want to be boastful in my passing, I didn't know what to say to them, I mean they waited on the same waitlist I did which was 3.5 years. To do all this time and waiting and investing to not pass is heart breaking. We all know whether we pass or not before school is done with the exception of our actual dosage and calculation class (separate from our D&C test we have to pass at 100%) and it's very rare someone pass the 100% exam and not the class. The class is done off a normal grade scale so you only need a 70% to pass it. Our Fundamentals final was done the day before Thanksgiving Break and our Pharm final was the day after break and grades were posted that day, so we have known those two class grades for a couple weeks now. A lot of people were already having to do their exit interviews the week before last.

Anyway it's a very tough subject, I know with the couple people I knew were not going to pass it was very frustrating, in one point I didn't want to see them fail, they weren't people I got super close with, but I was in clinical with them and was pretty friendly with them, would text and are on each others facebook, so not people I hardly knew either. But the first 3/4 of the semester one of the people kept with the only need a 77% to pass mentality. Didn't really study, didn't talk to the teacher to see what they could do, they were happy with barely getting by or not passing by just a little. Was all fine and dandy until the end of the semester when they found out they only had like a 5 point margin between the last 2 exams.

Another one of the students got a single digit score on the first exam out of 30 questions. Wasn't much better on the next 3. I asked if they talked to the instructor yet to get help, especially because this person had like a 3.8 GPA and was studying their butt off. She was like no not yet. I just wanted to smack her, how could you have not talked to the instructor yet to go over your tests and pinpoint maybe what your doing and their are only 2 tests out of 7 left now??? So I asked her if she had calculated what she needs to pass yet and she said No, she came back the next day shocked because she figured it out and even if she had got 100% on the last few exams their was no way she could pass. She ended up not passing the other class either so she couldn't be in our program anymore. (you can only retake one class MAYBE, you have to go through this long process to do it and it's not guaranteed and you might end up waiting over a year to get back in).

Anyway, so it was very frustrating as well as disheartening. I think it's great that you both care.

As far as the paper, I have never done that great on papers, ( I suck at writing) very rarely have I felt like I put in my best effort and really rocked a paper and got a bad grade in return. Usually I can pretty much guess within the letter grade what I will get and am not that surprised.

I am a pro though at missing the better grade by a fraction of a % though and that is insanely frustrating but it's my own fault, I have had students suggest I "talk to the instructors" to see if they will bump my grade up, ( like seriously I come in mere points or like .06% away from the higher grade and this has happened like 4 times now. I missed the B in pharm by 2 points out of almost 400). Anyway, I have never gone and talked to the instructor though because I felt like it was my own fault, I would feel wrong if I tried to ask for extra points yet I had no points to argue in why I deserved them if that makes sense.

[Blove86]

The best thing to do is to offer reassurance and not be OVERLY critical when offering advice on some of the possible reasons as to why the student didnt pass. I even suggest allowing the student to vent since this is very hard to tolerate. I passed Med-Surg by 1.77%, so I was a nervous wreck when it came to finals time. And I hear some people in my class did not pass the course. So just being open, warm, and friendly will go a long way:yeah:

[MissCharlieRN]

I've never had the misfortune of failing a course, but I would imagine that if I did fail, I would want my options first. I'd want information on how to reapply into a program or maybe transfering to a different campus or school if possible. I will be graduating in May and my class just received our grades for this semester. A few of us didn't make it and based on their feedback they all just wanted to know where to go from there. I hope this helps.

[caliotter3]

No student wants to hear how much pleasure the instructor takes in failing them or any of the others that she fails.

[tfleuter, BSN, RN]

"There's been some mistake, you are passing after all."

Ok, not to make light of a serious situation, but really it comes down to no one wants to hear it. I think the things you have already provided (encouragement, options, where they need to improve on) is the best thing you can do for them. I've never failed a class, but I can only imagine that I would want to know a) why it was i failed; b) what are my options from here.

As far as the paper, I don't think there is much to be said other than what was wrong with their assignment. The students must have known how heavily the paper would be graded agaisnt and as long as you were clear on the instructions and expectations, it was up to the students to peform as such.