Post 346: Be Patient with Panicked Students

Be Patient With Panicked Students

I get students of all abilities, interests and levels. Some students know right away from reading the syllabus what to do.

Other students have trouble uploading assignments, navigating the online classroom, logging into the classroom, submitting assignments, being late for assignments, not understanding directions, not understanding course material, or they have a family emergency.

Whenever I get a panicked student who is desperately trying to upload, submit an assignment or has any problem they alone cannot solve, then I get a series of panicked emails. Each email the student sounds more and more panicked.

As a teacher, I am patient with them.

Example: Teacher, I am one minute late after the due date and now the assignment portal won't let me submit! What will happen to me? I can't figure out how to submit the assignment. What do I do?

Example: Teacher, I was taking the quiz and was just about finished, but it all vanished! All my quiz questions and answers are gone! What do I do? Does it count?

Example: Teacher, I know I am late, but I had a family emergency. Can you let me hand in the assignment late? If I get a zero, I will fail this class! What do I do?

Example: Teacher, I cannot log into the class. I tried calling Tech Support, but got a busy signal over and over again. What do I do? If I don't log in by midnight, the computer will auto drop me from the class! What do I do?

Example: Teacher, can you reset my assignment, I pressed Submit and forgot to upload my assignment and now I cannot get back into my assignment to submit it again! What do I do? It's midnight. Will you take off points? Will I get a zero? Oh no!

Example: Teacher, can I send you a draft? I am not sure I understand the assignment. What did topic X mean? I don't want to fail!

Example: Tech Support says the entire server has crashed and they won't be able to fix it until tomorrow. Can you extend the deadline? Please?

I have other examples, but you get the idea. When I get panicked students, I am patient with them.

I answer their emails right away. I direct them to the correct Tech Support number.

I try to find the solution myself. I give them leg room. I reset the quiz so they can submit it. I reset the assignment they can submit it again.

But the key thing is that I am patient. I never yell. I never get angry at them.

I am calm. I am patient and I respond right away, sometimes in real time.

When I respond to panicked students in a calm manner without ever getting mad, and help students find the solution to their problem, the students are SO GRATEFUL.

If you can deal calmly with panicked students and help solve their problem, you will get the best End of Class Surveys from these students!

When I myself panic over a technical glitch, I too am eternally grateful to Tech Support for rescuing me!


How do you handle panicked students? What is the most panicked situation have you faced with online students?