I am in a study group with 2 friends I have known and taken classes with for over a year. The 3 of us are all A/B students, come prepared, text each other during the week if we are confused about something, etc. We've become a tight knit group because we know we help instead of hindering.
There is a student who is currently failing A&P 2 who wants to join our study group. All 3 of us are leery about it. She comes to class late, she asks us to send her recordings, she looks at my notes everyday. If she put forth the effort herself we wouldn't mind trying to help her, but we feel like she just wants to ride our backs and we're not cool with that.
Our school has a science resource center she can go to, we have free one on one tutors, and the library has models she can check out for 2 hours at a time to study. There are ways for her to help herself before we help her.
I've worked my butt off to get where I am. I should be hearing if I am accepted to my program in 3 weeks. I am not going to get dragged down by someone who can't do the work themselves.
She's not going into nursing, she's taking her pre-reqs and transferring to a PT program. She's an xray tech right now and talks crap about the nurses at the place she works everyday. 😡
I had the same group of "friends" in my A&P I + II lab and lecture and 2/3 of them were C students in A&P I and failed A&P II. I didn't have an issue with sharing my notes when they asked for them but most of the time they didn't. They all knew that I am an A student and that reading my notes wasn't going to make that happen for them. However, since we had lab together I would teach them the models and clarify any physiology things that they didn't get. Taking the time out of my day of my day to teach them was more helpful to me than studying my notes. It depends on what kind of learner you are if having a "bad" student in the group will help or hinder you. If teaching someone something help you learn better, then give her a chance. If having someone stop you to ask questions all the time is not helpful to you (at the end of the day your grades are more important than her grades) then tell her your group is full. I understand that some of us are information borders because we have worked hard and don't want to "give" away our hard work for free, but like someone else said you won't be taking the NCLEX for her. Just because you give her the materials to help her try and succeed doesn't mean that she will us them. So no you are not a bad person. If anything you are a great person for being so concerned.
I find it really helpful to have a student who needs to be taught. Teaching someone helps strengthen my understanding of topics. With A/B students you probably discuss a lot but with a student with a lower grade you'll go into more detail. You could each teach her a portion you find difficult yourselves. Just an alternative idea. It could help you all to have her.
I had the same group of "friends" in my A&P I + II lab and lecture and 2/3 of them were C students in A&P I and failed A&P II. I didn't have an issue with sharing my notes when they asked for them but most of the time they didn't. They all knew that I am an A student and that reading my notes wasn't going to make that happen for them. However, since we had lab together I would teach them the models and clarify any physiology things that they didn't get. Taking the time out of my day of my day to teach them was more helpful to me than studying my notes. It depends on what kind of learner you are if having a "bad" student in the group will help or hinder you. If teaching someone something help you learn better, then give her a chance. If having someone stop you to ask questions all the time is not helpful to you (at the end of the day your grades are more important than her grades) then tell her your group is full. I understand that some of us are information borders because we have worked hard and don't want to "give" away our hard work for free, but like someone else said you won't be taking the NCLEX for her. Just because you give her the materials to help her try and succeed doesn't mean that she will us them. So no you are not a bad person. If anything you are a great person for being so concerned.
Just to add, if asking questions is disruptive, you could have the person just listen to what each group member is saying (just state that from the beginning).
Looks like you've been given some good ideas as to how to handle the classmate. It has been shown that study groups kept at a minimal number work better so maybe explain that to her.
My class has different pockets of study groups of about 3-4 people up to 6-8 people. Right before tests, we all get together, whomever wants to come, and practice and discuss questions. It helps to get a different perspective on things that your group may not have thought of.
In your situation though, I think you all either need to agree to allow or disallow her in, then stick with that. But also keep in mind that you may not always have this same group, especially if you're waiting on word of acceptance into a program. You may find yourself in her situation, not as a slacker, but as someone looking for a study group and what if you received the same treatment?
This also speaks to work ethic further down the line, how much of a team player will you be when your co-worker is swamped because she may not organize her work as you do. Are you going to clock out and go home or are you going to be a teamplayer and help her get her stuff together?
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I'm sorry that happened Maggie.
She's not going into nursing, she's taking her pre-reqs and transferring to a PT program. She's an xray tech right now and talks crap about the nurses at the place she works everyday. ������
Oh, well in that case, no way would I be helping her.
I went through this when I was in school. Letting them into study groups caused a lot of stress and I would not recommend it. I found it helped me and the classmate more to send them to the appropriate resources to help. It is NOT your job to help them succeed, but it IS someone else's job: the job of the teachers and tutors. They will actually do better if they seek the appropriate help if they are failing. I even had classmates come back and thank me because the teacher/tutor was able to help them. You're learning too and even if you wanted to, you can't be as much help for them as the resources that are already in place.
If you do choose to help her, set clear boundaries about what kind of help you'll give and when. I had a friend in school who had the worst study habits I'd ever seen and there were a number of classes I kind of dragged her through. Since she was an LPN, she had no difficulty with the nursing classes, just everything else (I always told her that her degree half belonged to me because I passed English for her by half writing most of her papers). But I had a heavier work load than she did so I didn't always have time to help, and she had no concept of that at all.
I realized that when she asked me to write a simple paper for her yet again after I had just told her I had two papers, three finals and a challenge exam in addition to the work we both had to get done--plus work. I told her it's an easy paper, just write it--her answer was "well if it's easy it won't take you long to help me". The answer just became a flat "No". That didn't stop her from phoning me and trying to get me to coach her on what to write on the paper. And the next time she had a paper we did the same thing. That's not to say I didn't help her ever again, because I did. But I had to be clear about what I wouldn't do for her.
And the thing was, when she had to do the work herself...well she did it. Not stellar 90% work, but she did it. I found out then that she was one of these people who were perfectly capable of doing the work, but played helpless in the hopes someone else would do it for her. Many people aren't good learners, but some only do poorly because if they did well, they'd be expected to work harder. To this day if she wants something I don't want to do, she just gets a flat refusal without explanation because I know this is how she is. So definitely make sure you all know what you're willing to help with and what you're not.
I spent 3 years of my Bachelor's helping a failing friend of mine, and let me tell you, sometimes I wish I hadn't. It slows your pace down, you spend a lot of time explaining simple concepts that you understood a long time ago- and what's worse is you even feel responsible for their passing after awhile.
However, if this helps you, you could also invite her to your study group so that you could process the material with her while you're teaching her. If you learn by speaking this could be helpful, but you could also do this with your classmates.
You're not responsible or obligated to anyone but yourself, and I urge you to make the best decision for you and your group!
KThurmond
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