Midterm exams have come and gone at Laramie County Community College, leaving behind a frantic need for a savior for some students. While the semester may be winding down, it is still possible to salvage a passing grade, as LCCC offers a scattering of helpful labs and centers. Students need to be aware and look for help before the “F” is stamped.
Letting go of the reins in a class can lead it quickly spinning out of control. Skipping class, ignoring homework assignments and becoming lax are the start of a downward spiral. Randy Fetzer, an LCCC English instructor, said students start to fail “the minute they stop attending class.”
Disconnection from the course also comes in forms other than failing to attend class. Leif Swanson, a fellow English instructor, said three main ways students fail are as follows: “1. Quit attending class. 2. Quit turning work in. 3. They need help, but don’t use the resources available.”
Swanson pointed out that despite the college’s push for student completion rates to rise, an instructor cannot do much if the student decides he doesn’t want to be there. “Anybody can be successful in my class,” Swanson noted.
Due dates are set for a reason. Warren Lemerich, mathematics instructor, said deadlines in his class are firm and can become a struggling point. “Students skim emails. Most are honest about it and say: ‘Oh, I didn’t read that. Can I have longer?’ and I say, ‘No,’” Lemerich explained. He continued that doing assignments at the last minute hurts students majorly. Students don’t want to study for an hour a night, instead choosing to cram all their studying into three hours for one day.
Dara Lawyer, coordinator for the Student Success Center, said she believed the first several weeks are essential to the term, “especially first-year college students.” Students in their first semester can be distracted easily and believe they do not have to study as hard as they did in high school, leading to relaxing in classes when major papers or projects should be started.
In the first few weeks, Lawyer recommended mapping classes out. Reading ahead in chapters, creating a skeleton of notes to fill in during class time and asking for assistance when needed are Lawyer’s main tips to new students. Lemerich said that sometimes help is needed when slipups are made at the beginning of the semester.
Therefore, the smattering of resources across campus are awaiting the thunder of eager feet. The Tutoring Center has recently moved into the Ludden Library, joining the Writing and Communications Center in the beginnings of assembling the Learning Commons. The plans for the Learning Commons include the Math lab, a Multimedia Production/Presentation Center; Print Production Center, the Language Lab, a Center for Teaching and Learning, a Support for Disability Services Center and a café. The Tutoring Center is staffed by students who have passed the class for which they are tutoring, which establishes the peer-on-peer connection. The tutors passed with a minimum of 80 percent and have experience in tutoring.
The Writing and Communications Center is also situated in the library. The center is staffed by LCCC instructors, who tutor students on writing assignments for 15–20 minutes at a time, not editing, but teaching. While an editor would correct revise, the consultants at the writing center guide students to a revision plan.
SAGE TRiO is center focused on helping disadvantaged students through college. Tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial guidance and other supportive services are offered through the facility. SAGE TRiO has just moved in the Health Science Building, Room 115, where it will remain until late November. It will then return to its previous location of Room 128 in the Community College Center, where the staff will be joined by academic advisers.
For students who would rather learn study skills in the comfort of their own home, smarthinking.com, a 24-hour tutoring site, is also available. Smarthinking.com boasts tutors with degrees in their subjects, with an average of eight years’ experience in their respective fields. Student accounts can be created at the Student Success Center.
LCCC offers a variety of study tips on lccc. wy.edu, which covers time management, study skills, note taking, navigating the textbook and test taking.
Instructors try to steer students away from the idea of cramming, because it is ineffective. Instead, students should “begin studying from the first day of class—seriously,” as the Student Success quick tips page reads
While the semester may be coming to a close, LCCC has a variety of resources to help students salvage a nice grade
Letting go of the reins in a class can lead it quickly spinning out of control. Skipping class, ignoring homework assignments and becoming lax are the start of a downward spiral. Randy Fetzer, an LCCC English instructor, said students start to fail “the minute they stop attending class.”
Disconnection from the course also comes in forms other than failing to attend class. Leif Swanson, a fellow English instructor, said three main ways students fail are as follows: “1. Quit attending class. 2. Quit turning work in. 3. They need help, but don’t use the resources available.”
Swanson pointed out that despite the college’s push for student completion rates to rise, an instructor cannot do much if the student decides he doesn’t want to be there. “Anybody can be successful in my class,” Swanson noted.
Due dates are set for a reason. Warren Lemerich, mathematics instructor, said deadlines in his class are firm and can become a struggling point. “Students skim emails. Most are honest about it and say: ‘Oh, I didn’t read that. Can I have longer?’ and I say, ‘No,’” Lemerich explained. He continued that doing assignments at the last minute hurts students majorly. Students don’t want to study for an hour a night, instead choosing to cram all their studying into three hours for one day.
Dara Lawyer, coordinator for the Student Success Center, said she believed the first several weeks are essential to the term, “especially first-year college students.” Students in their first semester can be distracted easily and believe they do not have to study as hard as they did in high school, leading to relaxing in classes when major papers or projects should be started.
In the first few weeks, Lawyer recommended mapping classes out. Reading ahead in chapters, creating a skeleton of notes to fill in during class time and asking for assistance when needed are Lawyer’s main tips to new students. Lemerich said that sometimes help is needed when slipups are made at the beginning of the semester.
Therefore, the smattering of resources across campus are awaiting the thunder of eager feet. The Tutoring Center has recently moved into the Ludden Library, joining the Writing and Communications Center in the beginnings of assembling the Learning Commons. The plans for the Learning Commons include the Math lab, a Multimedia Production/Presentation Center; Print Production Center, the Language Lab, a Center for Teaching and Learning, a Support for Disability Services Center and a café. The Tutoring Center is staffed by students who have passed the class for which they are tutoring, which establishes the peer-on-peer connection. The tutors passed with a minimum of 80 percent and have experience in tutoring.
The Writing and Communications Center is also situated in the library. The center is staffed by LCCC instructors, who tutor students on writing assignments for 15–20 minutes at a time, not editing, but teaching. While an editor would correct revise, the consultants at the writing center guide students to a revision plan.
SAGE TRiO is center focused on helping disadvantaged students through college. Tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial guidance and other supportive services are offered through the facility. SAGE TRiO has just moved in the Health Science Building, Room 115, where it will remain until late November. It will then return to its previous location of Room 128 in the Community College Center, where the staff will be joined by academic advisers.
For students who would rather learn study skills in the comfort of their own home, smarthinking.com, a 24-hour tutoring site, is also available. Smarthinking.com boasts tutors with degrees in their subjects, with an average of eight years’ experience in their respective fields. Student accounts can be created at the Student Success Center.
LCCC offers a variety of study tips on lccc. wy.edu, which covers time management, study skills, note taking, navigating the textbook and test taking.
Instructors try to steer students away from the idea of cramming, because it is ineffective. Instead, students should “begin studying from the first day of class—seriously,” as the Student Success quick tips page reads
While the semester may be coming to a close, LCCC has a variety of resources to help students salvage a nice grade