I know that people have lots of questions about how to handle students who have gotten a lot of C’s in their physics and math classes but step one is that you have to talk to them and figure out what they *need* rather than looking at the grades and assuming you know the story

For example, you don’t know if they kill it on problem sets and really know the material but simply have difficulty with exams or are working three jobs and didn’t have time to study for the final exam which is often worth like 40% of the grade

Sometimes the student could benefit from a knowledge refresher or to retake some material, and it’s important to create the conditions where the student actually can do that without feeling like it means they are “deficient.”

Make sure to talk to them about strengths they have.

I don’t subscribe to the school of thought that all that matters is how a student does in research. Whether you know physics background actually matters. And you need to know more physics than whatever is directly related to exactly what you do.

So yes, classes: important.

But when having these conversations, faculty need to remain focused on the goal of the course which is that a student obtains certain knowledge and working abilities with specific skills.

We shouldn’t care how the student acquires this skill or how they show it!

Importantly, if they impediment they are facing to higher grades is their conditions are not conducive to learning and studying ... what are you doing to shift those conditions? And if you can’t shift the conditions, what are you doing to create another opportunity for them?

I will also put a note here for students:

Don’t let your ego or pride or sense of shame/sadness about your circumstances get in the way of you saying and doing what you need in order to become competent w/ a particular topic.

Don’t worry about how fast everyone else is going.

Have flexible intelligence mindset: if you put the time in to focus on learning something with the right tools, you can learn it. No one is born knowing any of this stuff.

Expect and demand your professors advise you from this mindset.

Great example of being honest with yourself and benefiting from that! https://twitter.com/emilycello/status/1362035439205515265