We have just a few weeks left in fall term. While the post-holiday momentum may carry folks toward the end of term, it can be challenging for students to maintain energy and motivation. Here are a few ways you can show support for students in your course as they navigate these last few weeks of the term:
- Acknowledge what students have accomplished. Name specific work that has been done so far so students recognize not just what they need to complete for the term, but how much they’ve already accomplished. Consider noting growth in knowledge, skills, thinking, and other areas you’ve observed throughout the term. Acknowledging the cognitive and emotional labor that goes into learning can demonstrate empathy and support.
- Thank students. Appreciate the time and effort students have invested in the course to acknowledge hard work and show understanding that many students may be experiencing a particularly stressful and busy time. Making choices related to your course that can decrease students’ stress and overwhelm can be a great way to pair understanding with action.
- Reach out to students. Connect with students who may benefit from completing late work or revising assignments, or who will need to do well on assignments in the last few weeks of the term. And individual invitation to connect can be a good starting point for helping students navigate decisions around the end of term and letting them know you believe they can do well. Here is a resource with sample language for outreach.
- Remind students of resources. Share resources in the moment to encourage resource use at the time those resources might be needed. Consider re-introducing course-specific resources (including office hours) and broader campus resources, as well as reminding students of the support they can offer each other. If you’re not sure what resources exist for a particular class or need, check out the OSU Experience website’s Student Resources page or connect with me to brainstorm.
- Encourage self-care. Take a few minutes to remind students of the value of self-care and to acknowledge the holistic nature of success. Similar to gratitude, pairing understanding with course actions that decrease overwhelm can be a good way to help reduce stress. Here are a variety of self-care resources to share with students.
