Strategies for Communication and Organization When Struggling in Classes During the Pandemic


Strategies for Communication and Organization When Struggling in Classes During the Pandemic

By: Jill Bowers & Sabrina Roley

It is always best to turn the assignment in early or by the due date. Yet, we have been living in a pandemic. I am a graduate student and know that a lot of students struggle with online classes though that is their only option right now. Some of us work at least part-time while navigating a full course load and have family responsibilities. Some students are trying to home-school a few children and or struggling to access the Internet from home because everyone in their home is online at the same time. The struggle is real. But, we will get through it, and there are many things that we can do to take responsibility for our course work and life.

Small changes can also influence how professors respond to us. Professors continuously hear about students needing or asking for extensions with assignments, yet some individuals take the wrong approach with their email etiquette. So, I focus on that part of our (students) responsibility here and provide a few strategies for managing online assignments and communicating with professors.

Here are a few strategies for navigating late work or managing courses during the pandemic:

  • Pay attention to deadlines, but communicate with your professor early on if you are struggling in any way. In other words, if you do not understand an assignment or the course layout, do not wait months to reach out to the professor to ask for suggestions on how you can improve. This will also show that you are not waiting until the last minute to do an assignment.
  • Own it if you accidentally miss an assignment. This will show your maturity level and ownership of your actions. It is generally no one else’s fault that you did miss the assignment. Placing blame on others will not help you. Excuses can make the student look unprepared and careless. We are busy, and our professors are equally busy. They also know the difference between authenticity and unlimited excuses more than what you realize.
  • Value quality vs. quantity. While it’s critical that you get all of your work done in a timely manner, it’s equally important to make time to put in extra effort if allowed to turn in the assignment late. Take time to read the assignment guidelines thoroughly and cite. Sometimes students may try to hurry through things and end up with more problems because they plagiarize or don’t proof read. Your schooling is like a job in that your work ethic can make or break you.
  • Don’t be defensive and use proper email etiquette. Guidelines about late work are normally posted in the syllabus, so do not get upset if not allowed to turn it in late or for points being taken off. Acceptance is important, and you will likely build a better rapport with a professor if you accept it, move on, and keep doing the best that you can. When you respond defensively to a professor, this will likely get you nowhere.
  • Plan ahead. Read the syllabus, and write out your assignments. Have a schedule for when others in your house will be online and when you can be online Ask your professors or others for suggestions on quite places to work if you are at home or have multiple people in your house that might be a distraction or impact your internet access. Don’t wait until the last minute to start assignments. With a lot of online classes, we have to be very self-motivated to work at our own pace and on our own time. Some students have never had to do this before. But, this aspect of our work ethic will help us in our professional careers.

This time has been challenging for a lot of us as students, but we also have the opportunity to learn skills that are going to continue to be valued by employers. A year ago, many of us had never had an online class, used Zoom, or other online platforms. In the future, this could be expected of us in the same way that MS Word or PowerPoint has been now. It’s important that we remain adaptable and do the best that we can.


Additional resources for students:

 

Additional resources for educators: 

 

 


 

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