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[rattusdomesticus]

I need to do some referrals:

> Student #1 seems disoriented, eyes are glassy, and he once mentioned to me that he had been diagnosed as being depressed. This student is consistently late, often doesn't do the reading or homework, and turns in dismal writing (F level). He asks me questions that are easily answered by glancing at the syllabus over, and over, and over. He will ask, "When is our next paper due?" To which I answer, "Ah, if you'll check your syllabus, Chris, you'll see it's due next Wednesday at the start of class." During the next class (or an hour later), he'll ask the same question. Often at inopportune times. He just seems disoriented and addled.

I suspect his meds aren't working. If I can get him into a private conversation, can I start out with something about academics and hope he offers information? As in, "So, Chris, I see that you're failing my class. It seems you have difficulty keeping on target. Can you tell me about that?" Or should I simply refer him to his academic counselor and hope he refers him to our Disabilities office inside our Counseling Center? Because of his behavior, I really think this is a medical problem. I'm at a loss as to how to address this--or if I should at all.

>Student #2 is consistently late, seems sharp in conversation, but also misses assignments, quizzes and turns in dismal writing (F level). He keeps saying he forgets stuff--where our class is meeting that day, what is due, and what our assignments are--even though these are all clearly outlined in my syllabus. I've discussed how his attendance is affecting his grade, but he keeps coming late. Recently I've had to tell him that he is failing my course and that I recommend he drop my course. If he does drop, of course, it means that technically he is no longer my problem, but I'm curious if I can somehow ask him to get help. Should I recommend him to his own academic counselor? I'm sure he's either never his--or maybe he has, but completely disregarded his advice. Either way, I feel I should do something.

I've had lots of crazies in my classes--but these were really obvious cases where I could take them aside and give them direct advice as to how to act in class if they wanted to stay. And I've had a few that just break down in my office and I was able to refer them to our Counseling Center without feeling as if I was treading on their business. These are a bit more subtle and complex.

Any ideas?

[elsie]

I don't have any ideas, just a similar situation. I'm having a student again that I had in spring semester, and I'm worried about her. About three weeks from the end of the spring semester, her younger brother committed suicide. (She'd been in the classroom waiting for my class to start when she received a call that he was missing. Later that day she learned he was dead.) This fall, she's not doing well in my current class. (It's the third time I've had her in one of my classes. I had in English 102, and now in two classes in the major.) It's partly because she's taking this upper-division class too soon in the major, but I also worry that she's depressed. I never really understood what was meant by "flat affect", but I think that's what I'm seeing now. I'm trying to decide what to say to her.

[comp_queen]

I need help in this area too!  Friends of mine suspect it's because I'm the youngest faculty member by at least two decades at a certain campus, and thus seem "cool" to students (though forumites know I'm a young fogey!), but students are having conversations in my presence in which they reveal potentially dangerous behavior.

Nobody's talking about physical abuse or loaded weapons, but they are remarkably open--within my earshot and sometimes while looking straight at me--about their drinking (and occasionally driving) habits. 

Look, I drank in college too, but I worry when I hear people saying--in the classroom, in the presence of their instructor--things like, "Oh I forgot that you fell down," or "When I drive after I drink . . ."

After one DUI conversation, I sat down in the middle of a group, didn't chastise them for slacking during the draft workshop, and lectured them about drinking and driving.

I never recall admitting to illegal behavior in the presence of my profs.   Over the years I've had students reference partying here and there, but this year it seems more prevalent and overt.

Anyone else?

[humanitiesanon]

I have overheard some student conversations about illegal behavior.
I also have had one student confide in me directly about illegal behavior (drugs). 
I was not sure what to say.  Of course I told him/her the actions were illegal.  I told the student s/he should stop the illegal behavior and that the drugs were dangerous (they were definitely dangerous).  I was very concerned about the student's health and life.  This was years ago and I don't know what happened to this student, although I did see him/her around the department a couple of years later and s/he seemed OK.

[yemaya]

I have students who talk pretty openly about drinking too (I am also a fairly young instructor).  A number of them are underage, but other than that, I haven't heard anything illegal.  I have joked that "this sounds like something I don't need to know."   They laugh and acknowledge that talking about this stuff in front of your professor is probably not such a good idea.  I had one student (who may not have noticed that I'd come in) talk about an all-night bender and then having to write a paper afterward, who then quickly recovered with "but of course I don't do this with your assignments."  (And yes, I'm sure she realized that I didn't believe her and was trying to turn a foot-in-mouth moment into a joke.)   I might be more inclined to take humanities_anon or comp_queen's approach if I heard my students talk about stuff like drunk driving and drug use. 

rattus - Your first student to me, reads like he might have a substance abuse problem.  He may well be depressed as well (and of course depression and drug use sometimes come hand-in-hand).  But I've seen a number of students with the behavior you described and they turned out to be pretty hard-core pot smokers.

I have one student this term - easily one of the brightest students I've ever taught - who is just a constant ball of stress.  I mean, so bad, she's burst blood vessels in her eyes twice this term.  We've talked about stress management and learning to let go of the things that you can't change, but she's still really high-strung.  I'm trying to find a way to refer her to the counseling center.

[stlouis1]

Do your schools have an early referral system?  Many colleges do have some sort of system in place that allows you to make referrals to a center local.  The idea behind such a system allows any faculty or staff member who suspects student trouble to make a referral.  Once the referral is made, it is then passed on to the appropriate office. Check with your academic advising center, students affairs and Student Support Services office.  Often the referral system is centered in one of these offices.  I set one up for a slac that has been very successful in early intervention.  It is very easy to set up.

Also, be aware that if you are considered a state employee, you could be legally responsible to report certain activities such as abuse, criminal activities, etc. 

[dogstar]

  Student #1 sounds like he might have a drug problem. Student #2 sounds like they might have some issue like bipolar disorder or ADD or some such. Or maybe they're just a big flake.

  Either way, I don't like to get involved unless the student asks for help or advice. But I also don't hesitate for even one second to refer a student to the counseling center if they tell me that personal or mental problems are interfering with their progress in my or any other course. This absolves me of being their "confidante", a role which, while flattering when they want you to play it, also sets you up for being royally played. I'm their teacher, not their mother, shrink or parole officer.

  Students are really open about a lot of illegal behaviors, but I would only report a student if they said they were involved in pretty serious criminal activity. Underage drinking, binge drinking, drinking and driving, smoking pot or using other drugs.... If you start reporting a student to whoever you think will "do something" about it every time you hear them, you'll go nuts and just annoy everyone involved, because ultimately nothing can or will be done about it.

  But I do everything I can to help students who are struggling with any kind of life issue, if they approach me for help in my class and it turns into a big discussion about their lives and they ask me for help in some other area. I mind my own business as much as possible.

[spork]

My method:  "You're not doing well in class.  I think you should see someone in the counseling center."  Then I write the center's phone number down on a piece of paper and give it to the student.  After that I generate a paper trail to cover my butt -- I inform my department chair and the counseling center that I've made the referral.

I do not ask the student "What's wrong?" because I'm not a trained therapist, pyschologist, or substance abuse counselor.  I don't care what their problem is, only that it's affecting their performance in my class.