Is teaching adults really this difficult?

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 7, 2006

I wish I had some great words of wisdom for you that would fix everything... but I don't. All I can say is, "Welcome to the club." I've been in the staff development field for many years and have done some teaching at the college level on and off over the years.

Yes, it IS terribly difficult to teach adults. While some nurses (and nursing students) may believe that we educators don't earn our pay, we really do. It's hard work. Some of the students can amaze you with their lack of committment, lack of respect, lack of common courtesy, etc. Some seem to expect an "A" just because they showed up to class. It can be very disheartening.

On the other hand ... there is that ocassional student who really tries, and who really wants you to teach them something. They will make a good effort and learn something from your class. Those experiences warm your heart and give you the inspiration to keep going.

Also remember that you don't "give" students their grades -- they need to earn them. Be clear with your expectations and tell them that you respect their right as adults to choose whether or not to do the work for an "A" ... a "B" ... or an "F". It's up to them.

Good luck to you,

llg

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Jul 7, 2006

welcome to the nursing educators forum, brandie :balloons: my advice: keep up your high standards. true, our job is to mentor and "raise up" the next generation of nurses. but we are also here to protect the public by "weeding out" those students who will be unsafe practitioners, especially those who lack integrity. look at it this way - would you want your mother to be cared for by this student? if the student stooped so low as to commit plagiarism (and believe me, she knew what she was doing and she knew it was wrong), what other ethical breaches will she also commit if she graduates and passes the nclex? (falsification of records, covering up medication errors, diversion of narcotics????)

we are teaching adult learners, not children. unfortunately, many of the "self esteem" generation are used to being spoon fed or not taking responsibility for their actions or failures. it's always someone else's fault. as i am sure you have been taught in your courses, the main responsibility for learning is with the adult student. we are here to facilitate their learning by creating the optimal learning environment, but the student must take the initiative to study and to learn. we can't do that for them.

here are some excellent resources concerning the adult learner and the move from teacher-centered to learner-centered education:

principles of adult learning

teaching tips/ learner strategies

andragogy + pedagogy

creating the optimal learning environment for the adult learner

spydercadet · Jul 7, 2006

brandie,

good luck!!! i, too, am shocked by the lack of effort and unrealistic expectations of adult students!!! i have had students tell me it is my entire fault that their grades were poor; i was using too many power points and not writing on the board enough. i gave one student an extra credit option to help bring up her grade, and she came in after 3 weeks of work without the ability to say any of the medical terms correctly, and couldn't answer basic questions about the information she provided. i caught one student "cheating" and when confronted she looked at me like i was crazy. so i do understand your frustration, but you do have to stick to your guns and hold them accountable. if they can't get to class/clinical on time, or can’t get their work done because of their family life, what's going to happen when they get a "real" job??? after being on the hiring end of some of these recent graduates, i got to learn the firing end. each person gets 90 days of probation, and many of them can’t make it. now as an instructor, i won't tolerate being late, absent or not getting work done on time. hopefully it pays off for them in the long run.

as a sideline, i went to nursing school when i was 19 y/o and found myself unmarried and pregnant, due in late october of my second year of a two year program. guess what??? my instructors set the rules or i could quit. somehow, with a lot of love and support from my family, i took only two weeks off when i had her and finished the following may with all of my peers. was it hard? yes. did i feel like quitting? yes. did i just want to sleep instead of doing another care plan? yes. but i did it, and so can they. also, my mom was my inspiration: she went to nursing school when the last of her eight children entered fifth grade. she too, never missed school, made all the deadlines set by her instructors and still had time to be "mom" to all of us. the oldest child was 12 when the youngest was born. now that is commitment!!! so keep encouraging them and keep them towing the line; it will make them better nurses, and more honest, just like vickeyrn said in her response.