Meeting with My Students One-on-One

Today is a day each semester that I welcome and dread, for it is the day that I meet with my students individually.  Their grades have been tallied, and they wait expectantly for me to discuss their performance in my class.  Alas, many students will be sad when they depart, but some will leave sadder than others. There are four students who don't have a chance of passing my class even if they were to score a 100% on the final exam.  I sympathize with these students because I don't believe they truly understand that they are the ones responsible for their failure.  When I type in the 100% in the final exam column and hit enter to show how the resulting final grade would not be a passing grade, they look at me as if I'm lying to them.  They'll respond with a combination of the following, "Isn't there anything I can do?"  "Extra credit?"  "Can I turn in all those papers I'm missing?"  "Can't you drop some more quiz grades?"  

My response is a combination of these words, "There's nothing you can do except improve in your next class."  "I assign plenty of work, so 'extra' work isn't necessary."  "Do you have the papers now?  No?  I would have considered it if you had them now, but sorry.  No, I won't accept the papers."  "Why would I drop those quiz grades?  They assessed your understanding of the topic, and clearly, you didn't understand these topics."  Then the quiet sets in.  That is, until I say, "It's been a pleasure working with you, and I wish you the best."  They look at me incredulously as if I'd just assaulted them and refused to apologize.  I reach out my hand to shake theirs, and they take it, stand up, and walk away.  

They've had teachers who've bailed them out, and they don't understand why I won't be one of them.  I have compassion for these students, and I understand why their middle and high school teachers stretched the rules.  They wanted to help these students, but in reality, they were disabling them.  The students believed that since all teachers would accept late work and award them passing grades when the students had actually failed.  After all, this is just community college--right?  Wrong.  I actually mean what I say when I tell them that they must demonstrate an understanding of the material and turn in on time said materials.  Just as their future bosses will, I expect them to be responsible adults.  I dislike being the one who pushes them out of the cozy bed of their childhood and down the chute to adulthood, but it's a necessary push.

I've run into a few of the students I've had to deliver this sad news to in the past, and they've each said the same thing, "Thank you for failing me.  I didn't do the work, and I didn't deserve to pass.  I was mad at you that day."  

"You're welcome.  I hope you made a better choice the second time around."

That's all anyone needs is a second chance (in another class with another instructor).