who to talk to about course issues

How do I talk to my professor about my mental health?

Email your professor before the term starts if you know you may struggle. If your mental health has gotten in the way of a class before, you may know it could be an issue before it even happens. Loop your professor in before the term or semester starts and let them know why you might miss class or be late sometimes.

What shouldn’t you discuss in a conversation?

Every conversation should be a give and take of talking and listening. Don’t discuss religion and politics until you get to know someone. There are no religion or politics topics on this list and that is because you probably shouldn’t discuss these topics unless you want to get into an argument with the person or make the person uncomfortable.

How do you talk about your mental health in a class?

Referencing a decline in your mental health should be enough to get your message across. [ 7] For example, you could say, “I’ve been struggling with my mental health lately and I can tell it’s affecting my productivity in your class.” Take accountability for your actions.

How do I talk to my professor about a sensitive subject?

It will be much easier to talk to your professor about a sensitive subject if you are one-on-one with them and they have no distractions. Set up an appointment with them so that they are expecting you and there won’t be any other students around. [ 6] Tip: Most professors tell you their office hours at the beginning of the year.

How do you handle a difficult course load?

8 Ways to Manage a Rigorous Course Load in Medical SchoolChoose a Study Style that Suits You Best. ... Take Practice Tests. ... Create a Study Schedule. ... Study in Different Work Hours. ... Break down Large Tasks into Bite-Sized Tasks. ... Record Your Lectures. ... Study with Friends. ... Beat Procrastination.

How do you know if a course is not right for you?

8 Signs That Your College Course Isn't For YouSign #1: You feel pressured more than fulfilled. ... Sign #2: You feel unmotivated most days. ... Sign #3: Failing doesn't bother you anymore. ... Sign #4: You spend more time on your passion projects and hobbies. ... Sign #5: The thought of shifting courses has crossed your mind.More items...•

How do you handle concerns in college?

College Problems: How to Cope When it All Goes WrongStay calm. The most important thing is not to panic. ... Adjust your expectations. College is more difficult than high school. ... Ask someone else for help. ... Appeal for mercy! ... Do something to de-stress.

What to do if you are struggling at university?

Read on for some tips on what you should do if you're not enjoying university.Step 1: Figure out what's making you unhappy. ... Step 2: Talk to people. ... Step 3: Give it time. ... Step 4: Decide whether university is right for you, or if you want to change courses. ... Step 5: Changing courses or universities.

Is it normal to struggle in college?

Struggling in college isn't uncommon, and the sinking feeling that comes with poor grades can discourage even the most determined student. But that doesn't mean you need to throw your hands up and call it quits.

What are the four major problems of students?

Common Issues for College Students.Social anxiety, general anxiety, test anxiety, or panic attacks.Family expectations or problems.Depression, lack of energy or motivation, hopelessness, being overwhelmed, low self-esteem, homesickness, loneliness.More items...

What is the biggest problem college students face?

Stress and depression are common problems faced by college students.

Is UNI a waste of time?

While university may be a waste of time in the eyes of many people, there are definite advantages to attending university and obtaining your degree. These advantages include: Earn more money- Those who hold university degrees have the opportunity to earn more money in the workplace.

How do you deal with academic anxiety?

Here are eight tips to help you cope with academic stress successfully.Use Campus Resources. ... Stay Present. ... Learn New Skills Through Practice. ... Use Positive Self-Talk. ... Take Responsibility For Mistakes. ... Forgive Yourself. ... Focus On What You Can Control. ... Practice Good Self-Care.

Why is university so stressful?

Why are you stressed? College students commonly experience stress because of increased responsibilities, a lack of good time management, changes in eating and sleeping habits, and not taking enough breaks for self-care. Transitioning to college can be a source of stress for most first-year students.

Why are MOOCs so bad?

One of the biggest problems with MOOCs is their impersonal nature. In many cases, thousands of students enroll in a single section with a single instructor. Sometimes the instructor is only a "facilitator" rather than the course creator, and other times the instructor is absent altogether. Assignments designed to be interactive such as group discussions can reinforce the impersonal nature of these large courses. It's hard enough for a class of 30 to get to know each other, forget learning the names of your 500 peers.

What happens when professors are expected to do more for free?

When professors become expected to do more for free, one of two things will happen: colleges will need to adjust salaries accordingly or many of the most talented academics will find work elsewhere. Students benefit when they learn from the best and brightest, so this is a concern that will increasingly affect everyone in the academic sphere.

What are MOOCs in education?

The Atlantic called MOOCs "the single most important experiment in higher education" and there's no doubt that they are changing the way we learn.

What is MOOCs in college?

Massive Open Online Courses (commonly known as MOOCs) are free, publicly-available classes with high enrollment. With MOOCs, you can enroll in a course at no cost, do as much work as you please, and learn just about anything from computer science to transcendental poetry.

Is in-depth feedback possible in MOOCs?

Ideally, students are able to learn from feedback and catch future mistakes. Unfortunately, in-depth feedback simply isn't possible in most MOOCs.

Can you get a class of 1000 in MOOCs?

MOOCS: Many will try but few will pass. Those high enrollment numbers may be deceiving. When enrollment is nothing more than a few mouse clicks, getting a class of 1000 can be simple. People find out through social media, blog posts, or internet surfing and enroll in just a couple minutes. But, they soon fall behind or forget to log in to the course from the beginning.

Is it a problem to study in isolation?

But, arts and humanities course traditionally rely on in-depth discussion and debate. Learners often feel that they are missing something when they study in isolation.

How to get your professor to know you are struggling?

Keep checking in with your professor throughout the term. An initial meeting is great to let your professor know about your struggles, but if you are continuing to fall behind in class, be sure to keep your professor in the loop. Let them know if you are still having problems with your mental health and what you are doing to improve upon it. Send them a quick email or set up another office hours appointment to chat with your professor again. [10]

How to talk to your professor about mental health?

If you are struggling with your mental health and you’d like to talk to your professor about it, set up an office hours appointment with them, ask if you can make up any missed assignments you may have, and keep checking in with your professor throughout the term. It may seem intimidating, but you can have an open and honest chat about mental health with your professor.

What to say when you didn't turn in your last assignment?

For example, you could say, “Hi Professor, just wanted to check in with you. I didn’t turn in the last assignment because I am still struggling with my mental health. I will work harder this week and try my best to complete the homework.”

How to get your professor to know your mental health history?

Share what you are comfortable disclosing. Your professor doesn’t need to know your entire mental health history if you are not comfortable telling it to them. Stick to the relevant facts that have led you to struggle in their class or fall behind on your course load. Referencing a decline in your mental health should be enough to get your message across. [7]

What are some resources for students with mental health issues?

Often, college campuses have resources available to students who are struggling with mental health. The counseling center, health center, or nonprofit mental health groups on your campus are usually free for students and willing to help you. Ask your professor if they know of any resources to prove to them that you are actively working on bettering your mental health. [9]

What to say when you miss a class with mental health?

Try saying, “My struggles with mental health have caused me to miss the last 3 classes, and this has knocked my grade down quite a bit. Is there any extra credit work or late assignment credit you could give me to make up for it?”

Can you make up participation points you missed?

You may not be able to make up participation points that you missed during class.

What are the lessons in college?

Classroom lessons are, obviously, an important aspect of the college experience. However, in addition to the subject matter lessons learned, your student will be learning important lessons at college about interpersonal relationships, handling conflict and uncomfortable situations, and self-advocacy. Experiences such as dealing with college ...

What is the relationship between a college student and their professor?

The relationship between a college student and their professors, in addition to the formal teaching done in the classroom, is often an important mentoring opportunity. Of course, having a good relationship doesn’t necessarily mean that each professor will be on your student’s list of favorite people, but hopefully, ...

How to be an academic freedom?

Your student needs to take charge, take ownership, and advocate for themselves. Remember that academic freedom means that a professor can determine their own grading system and scale.

Is it rare to have a student professor relationship?

First of all, realize that this type of very difficult situation is rare. Although not every student/professor relationship is ideal, and some are quite far from ideal, most students and their instructors work through difficulties, or simply wait them out and move on.

Can problems between students and professors be worked out?

Most problems between students and professors can be worked out at this level. If your student feels there is a problem that can’t be worked out, or that is too serious to bring directly to the professor, don’t suggest that they go immediately to the top person at the college.

How to get on with your coworkers?

People who enjoy working with their team are more likely to stay in a job and more likely to enjoy their work responsibilities. Take the time to get to know your coworkers and understand them. Try to focus on this in good times, as it will pay dividends when times get tough.

How to help coworkers understand how to work most effectively with you?

Setting Boundaries: Help your coworkers understand how to work most effectively with you by setting clear and professional boundaries.

How to become more effective at work?

Finding ways to become more effective at your job will benefit you personally and professionally. Your coach can help you develop an action plan to find balance in all areas of your career, not just between work and home life but also between routine and creative time. Your coach can also help you think through how to manage and eliminate work-related stress and find your balance between motivating stress and toxic stress. Identify and overcome the challenges that cause or increase non-productive work-related stress.

Why do people partner with coaches?

Many people partner with their coach to improve various components of their professional growth strategy. Your coach can help you assess your current situation and proactively identify opportunities for improvement, set goals and stay accountable to those goals enabling you to effectively and strategically manage your performance and professional growth.

What is the purpose of managing conflict?

Manage Conflict: Build communication skills to manage and overcome conflict relating to projects or processes.

How to develop a people management strategy?

As a manager, it’s relevant to consider how you can intentionally develop your people management strategy to enable you to motivate your team and communicate effectively about expectations, goals, and feedback. To manage strategically, consider where your unique strengths lie, how you are using your time and what it means to manage a team of individuals.

What is the goal of a coach?

As coaches, our goal is to provide you with the tools, guidance and encouragement to find your own path forward.

What to do if you don't know about podcasts?

If they are you can compare and make recommendations / talk about the ones you have in common. If you don’t know about podcasts, you should check them out. Whatever you are into, there is probably a podcast about it.

What does it mean when someone doesn't make eye contact?

Remember, if someone gives you a lot of one word answers, doesn’t make eye contact, and doesn’t ask you any questions; that probably means they aren’t in the mood for a conversation. In that case it’s better to just end the conversation and leave them to their own thoughts. Okay, enough with the introduction and tips.

Do you need to know where a person lives?

Avoid asking exactly where they live. You don’t need to know their address. Just keep it to general areas.

Introduction

Good communication skills are vital in both your work life and your social life. Because talking to other people is part of everyday life, you may feel that you naturally possess these skills.

Take your learning further

Making the decision to study can be a big step, which is why you'll want a trusted University. The Open University has 50 years’ experience delivering flexible learning and 170,000 students are studying with us right now. Take a look at all Open University courses.

How to avoid nervousness during a meeting?

During your meeting, avoid fidgeting and knee-jerking, which are signs of nervousness. Instead, exude good body language by mimicking your boss’s and leaning into the conversation.

What to do when you can't anticipate how someone is going to react?

To combat this feeling, you will need to build transparency and trust in the relationship; you can schedule bi-weekly meetings to discuss any issues, build a rapport and seek advice.

Why do employees take criticism personally?

Many employees take criticism personally and believe that their boss has a vendetta against them . This just seems completely unreasonable to me. Your boss has more on their plate than to sit there and plot against you. Criticism is given so you can learn and improve, embrace it, move on and do better next time.

How to talk to your boss?

Being aware of your body language . When you are talking to your boss, make sure you give off confident body language. Hold a tall posture and avoid fidgeting or slouching in your seat. Always keep eye-contact and lean into the conversation.

Why do I work up about speaking to my boss?

Most employees work themselves up about speaking to their boss because they don’t have an open line of communication with them. If you can’t anticipate how they are going to react, you can’t deliver your question or opinion with confidence. To combat this feeling, you will need to build transparency and trust in the relationship; you can schedule bi-weekly meetings to discuss any issues, build a rapport and seek advice. If this is unnecessary in your role, try to socialise with your boss as much as possible, in the kitchen or during team lunches (without coming off as a suck-up).

What to say when you go to your manager?

This shows that you’re proactive and can be trusted to get on with your work. You’re bringing the issue to their attention and saying that you’ve got it under control – proving that you have the skills needed to progress within the company, too.

How to make your job easier?

If you have spare time on your hands, try to make your employer’s job easier by offering to take responsibility for those tasks that they may dislike doing. It will not only help your boss, but you will learn other aspects of the company and will be in a better position to move up the career ladder.

Before You Contact Your Instructor

During The Conversation

Managing Their Response

Other People to Contact

• Contacting your academic adviser after you have contacted your instructor is recommended. You may have already contacted them about the disclosure that is impacting your ability to meet a deadline or course requirement, and it is an important step to take if you have not done so already. Your academic adviser can support and advocate for you if thi...

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