Becoming Proactive Resources to Students

As the school year draws to a close on many campuses, the pressure on students to perform takes off exponentially. Papers, projects, homework assignments, and final exams loom large on the horizon.

Do the students you interact with know that you care about them as individuals and not just as a number? When Jesus looked out on the crowds, He did not see the masses, but looked into individuals' eyes.

How can you be proactive in meeting students' needs? One helpful suggestion is to pass out a blank 3x5 card toward the end of a class session and ask each student to write down what they are struggling with in this class. Reading through the cards can give you a good indication of what is not clear, and you may be able to adjust your teaching accordingly.

Another idea is to remind students of the resources available to them. Your university probably offers reading labs, writing labs to help with papers, and counseling centers to help deal with specific study fears and stress. Find out where these resources are and remind your students that they are available.

The internet also provides some wonderful resources to help with specific study skills. One good location, which has links to many other resources, is found at: http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/.

Remember, people would rather know that you care than care what you know.

Scripture: Mark 6:34 - "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."

Action Point: Be proactive in sharing resources to students you interact with. It may take some initial effort on your part to find out what kinds of assistance are available, but your students will appreciate your offer to help.

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