18+ [Higher Ed] What to do if one college student can't understand the topic?

lindbergh

lindbergh

Legacy Member
I'm wondering, what should you do when one college student can't understand a very simple topic? For instance you are discussing a certain topic and all the students in your class could understand what you are saying outright but there's this one student who can't seem to grasp the concept no matter how many times you repeat it. What do you do?
 
The best thing to do in this case would be to ask the student to see you during office hours. Discuss the student's educational history, there may be some very basic fundamentals that the student has not been taught that prevents them from grasping current concepts. This way you can point the student in the direction the need to go in order to catch up.
 
If I were the professor, I wouldn't repeat the entire lesson in the class since it would just waste a lot of time. Rather, I would ask that particular student to see me after the classes, and that's when I'll try to help him/her understand the topic much better.
 
Oh my gosh, I had a student like this in my class. Because of her I would just zone out of the lecture sometimes because I totally get what the teacher is saying she just has to be thinking that there's more to the concept. I think you just have to find a way to get that student out of their head. They are thinking way too deep into the topic and just need to accept what is on the surface.
 
Yes, during class it is particularly difficult to stop the flow of a lecture for the benefit of one student who may not quite comprehend what is being discussed while all of the other students seem to be doing well with the material at hand. One thing, though, before suggesting that the student meet you after class, I would definitely check with the rest of the class to determine if indeed everyone does understand the material. Often, students who lose their way during a lecture will not speak up for whatever reasons, so it can be the case that the one student who does speak up may actually be speaking for several other confused students who simply have not taken the initiative to request clarification. So, when one is lost, never assume that he or she is the only one. If we find that others are struggling as well, then great! Time to rework the lecture, to better ourselves as educators.
 
The best thing to do is to identify the learning style of the student concerned. Some students are visual learners and understand a concept better if graphs, bar charts and demonstrations or illustrations are used. They are not necessarily dull. Some of the bright students can attest to the fact that their proficiency is based on good organization and discovering their learning style. Another reason could be what can be referred to as self sabotage or belief that they can't which requires educational counselling.
 
I think personal tutoring would really help. Ask the student to come to your office and then you can assess and try to solve the problems that the students had. Sometimes this kind of student needs to be approached or taught in a different way or method.
 
Make an appointment with her during your office hours to try and talk to her about this. She might be distracted by something in her personal life, like a sick relative or money troubles.

Alternatively, you might also want to look into ways to make the class more engaging. This student, as well as all of the others, are much more likely to pay attention and to understand if they feel like they're learning something that's important to them, and doing so in an interesting way.

Just don't do anything to make this student feel bad, or publicly draw attention to the fact that she doesn't understand. All you'll end up doing is making yourself look pretty bad to all the other students, as well as making sure that that particular student is going feel bad about herself, your class, and you.
 
I agree with the majority on this one. You should ask that student to meet and discuss the problem after class hours. This won't just be beneficial for the said student but for the whole class as well. You don't need to spend more time on one student at the expense of everyone else's time.
 
It's a tough situation, because I'm sure many of us had difficult subjects and topics in school/university. To be completely honest with you, one must learn how to overcome obstacles, even when they seem like they're impossible. A teacher or a tutor could, however, try a different approach to help the person, as long as he's willing, obviously.
 
Well. It must be really hard for a teacher to have such a student. But teacher must be patient. Teacher must work hard with a student in order for student to improve. Any student can undersand anything if the approach of a teacher about the problem is the right one. Remember this. Anyone can improve. Teacher should talk with other students about this issue and tell them that they should be patient with the student who does now know basic concept. I know that this may be two-edgeg sword but I see this as the right approach.
 
Have a one to one talk to figure out what is troubling the student, is it a question of not being able to understand what is taught or is there something else that is happening behind the scenes.
Repeating the same thing again and again would bore the rest of the class and take you further behind in your teaching schedule.
If not understanding a concept is the issue find different ways of teaching it instead of repeating the information.
Obviously the student wouldn't have reached the university if he /she was so incapable of processing simple information. There is obviously something else to it.
I would also examine my style to see what else could be done if I were in your place.
 
I would try to explain the topic a few times in class, but if he/she's the only one who is unable to understand, I'd have to move on from the topic and simply ask him/her to see me after class.
 
Pink Glitter said:
The best thing to do in this case would be to ask the student to see you during office hours. Discuss the student's educational history, there may be some very basic fundamentals that the student has not been taught that prevents them from grasping current concepts. This way you can point the student in the direction the need to go in order to catch up.
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You are right about that. Using that strategy, you can know the true situation of that particular student and can give him the appropriate action to help him without disturbing or distracting other students. I remember a famous senator in our country quote these words, "A true teacher does not terrorize ignorant students, because a true teacher knows that it is his job to cure ignorance."
 
If I were a professor I would ask the student to see me after class so I could help him/her understand about the lecture. Because maybe the student is understanding the lecture in different way and this makes him/her unique. Maybe he/she is weak in listening but good in understanding if explained in different ways. I do personally believe that lecture is different in actual and I've encountered this many times already in my life. "It's better to ask 10 times than to execute a job that you don't fully understand" - I always apply this to myself up to now.
 
If a student does not perceive at first explanation the lesson, in that case a different teaching technique is needed or the theory must be implemented in practice.It is important that the teacher is explaining the lesson step by step, checking every time that the students has followed and understood everything.The teacher might ask other students, who understood the lesson to collaborate as well, this might be useful as well.
 
Talk to that student to find out what is going on. Then make time to teach that student in a way they can understand. Most importantly is to not give up on trying to find a way to help that student comprehend.
 
It would help to give all the students some kind of special assignment on the topic to further assess their understanding. It may also help the challenged students to learn more and understand the topic on their own.
 
The system of education we have is not perfect. We have a group of students that have different learning capabilities and these students sometimes have different preference on how to study and learn. Some maybe are visual or some like to listen. Despite their differences, what is offered to them is a standard lesson and a standard test.

I believe it is very kind of you to think of the only one student who seems to not understand the lesson but what about the others who knew it already that are eager to learn more. I guess the only thing you can do to be fair to every student is to help him after class hours or to let that student face the harsh reality that he has to do extra work. I don't know but I think if possible, make him realize that the student is not the one to blame, maybe your teaching style just does not fit the kid's learning preference. Even so, with you worrying about one student, I believe that you are one of the teachers that have students that will be leaders and innovators of the future.
 
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