90/10 Rule

No doubt you are about to get back into the swing of things for spring semester or your classes have already started.  In any event it is important to remember that the majority of students are good people who want to get what they can out of school and move on to start their careers.  That is why it is important to remember the 90/10 rule.

Think back to the last semester, even though it may be painful.  How many students out of the total number that were in your classes were extraordinarily difficult to deal with during that class?  I bet if you did the math you would find the 90/10 rule;  which means you probably spent 90% additional time with 10% of the students in your class that caused you most of your troubles.  I learned this when a union shop steward.  My business agent told me I would spend 90% of my time with 10% of the members (usually the same ones all the time) and that ratio held true during my time in the position.  The same holds true today, a small percentage of the students you teach are problematic and some do it for no reason other than to give you grief.

The reason for the reminder is that it is sad but true that a small percentage of students can jade an educator toward all students. When I catch myself or others talking about "the students" in one lump sum it is a reminder to pull back, take a deep breath, and count out how many students were actually more difficult that one might expect.  The answer is typically very few are over the top problematic.

So hang tight, the 90/10 rule will apply so expect it and appreciate the majority of students that are there to learn from you and do not become jaded by the minority.