Sometimes a student who was academically successful, cheerful and organized suddenly begin to turn in poor-quality work. They might begin to fall asleep in class, fail to turn in assignments or seem detached and tense. While any student can have a bad week, or may struggle with a particular assignment, when a student's academic performance plummets and he or she exhibits personality changes, your intervention may be appropriate.
What Can You Do?
Toward the end of the semester generally, and in spring semester in particular, it is not unusual for students to experience behavior changes. The end of the semester brings with it more stress in the form of tests and final projects, and more events—student clubs have end-of-semester activities, music groups are busy preparing for concerts, and theater productions are getting ready for performances. Students may legitimately be distracted and exhausted at the same time their classes become more demanding. Like faculty, they may not eat right or get enough sleep because they know the semester will end in a few short weeks and they can spend the summer regrouping for fall. As the weather warms up, students may want to spend more time outside than studying. However, if you notice some of your students aren't acting like themselves, consider calling them in to speak with you, or sending them an e-mail to let them know you've noticed a change. While you may be tempted to give them a “pep talk” to encourage them to get back on track, you may get to the root of the problem more effectively by describing the change in neutral terms. For example, if your best discussion participant is suddenly showing up to class unprepared you could say, “I noticed you don't seem to be contributing to discussion this week. I'm a bit concerned about you. Are you okay?” Avoid saying, “Well, you used to be such a joy to have in class, and now you're pretty lackluster. What's happening?” The first statement is less likely to make students feel as though they have let you down, or that they need to be defensive of this change in behavior.
If the behavior changes resulted from relatively positive circumstances—excitement about an extra-curricular activity, nice weather, a new relationship—encourage the student to prioritize and remind them that you value their contributions to your class, and you want them to continue to be successful. One faculty member confronted a student about her performance in class only to discover the student had been absent to spend time with her new boyfriend. The faculty member gave the student an “assignment” to study in the lounge near her office each day so she could make sure the student was getting her work done. That conversation served as a wake-up call for the student, who was able to change her behavior enough to improve her grades.
If behavior changes are due to roommate conflicts, relationship problems, family or financial troubles, acknowledge that your student has some legitimate reasons to feel stressed and encourage him or her to go to the Student Health Center to see a counselor. Students who are in situations that are truly beyond their control may mange their stress better if they know exactly where they stand in your course, and exactly what they need to do to be successful. Sometimes, when personal issues become overwhelming, students lose perspective on their classes, and tend to think the worst. They tend to exaggerate how far behind they are, and they assume faculty won't be sympathetic to their needs. For example, one student missed class because of a difficult pregnancy. When her doctor allowed her to resume her normal activities, she made an appointment with her instructor, and began the meeting by saying, “Your attendance policy says if we miss more than three days we fail, so I guess I'm done in here.” The instructor assured her that the life of her unborn child was more important than the attendance policy and certainly they could work something out.
If a student's problem may take them away from campus, discuss options for salvaging their classes. For example, if a student's parent has been diagnosed with a serious illness, and he or she needs to go home, make sure students know they can request a chancellor's excuse, that incompletes might be options for some classes, and that they can drop a class. If appropriate, develop back-up plans so they can complete work at home. Some faculty members have allowed students to e-mail assignments, or they have altered important classroom activities so they can be completed remotely. Knowing that all their classes won't end in disaster, even if things get tough at home, might alleviate a great deal of stress for these students.
Students might also undergo behavior changes if they are developing a drug or alcohol problem, or if they, or someone close to them, has been a victim of violence. Students may also act depressed on the anniversaries of traumatic events, such as a rape, or the death of a friend. If you suspect something of this nature is happening with your students, consider contacting counseling to ask advice about how to reach out to them. Assure students that you do not expect them to tell you their problems, but emphasize that you are concerned and that you'd like to do what you can to reduce their stress and ensure their success in your course.