I Have to Do What?:
Helping Students Understand
the Culture and the
Unwritten Rules of College
Amy Baldwin, M.A.
Community College of Rhode Island
May 23, 2013
What can you do to help students transition smoothly in college?
WORD GAME:
If “success” is the first word in the game, what
is the next word?

BLUE CARD :
Student

YELLOW CARD:
Professor
WORD GAME:
If “success” is the first word in the game, what is
the next word?

BLUE CARD :
Student

YELLOW CARD:
Professor
CORRECT ANSWER: STUDENT
WORD GAME:
If “student” is the second word in the game,
what is the next word?

BLUE CARD :
Connection

YELLOW CARD:
Triceratops
WORD GAME:
If “teacher” is the second word in the game, what
is the next word?

BLUE CARD :
Connection

YELLOW CARD:
Triceratops
CORRECT ANSWER: TRICERATOPS
WORD GAME:
Success
Student
Triceratops
“Students who leave college,
especially during the first quarter,
semester, or year, never really
“arrived” in the first place. They
did not complete the journey from
culture of origin to
culture of institution.”
--J.M. Braxton

Syllabus

Office hours

Study
Source: http://smu.edu/alec/transition.asp
Draw Your Own

Break down the assignment into parts.

Evaluate how much time each part will take.

Schedule time to complete each part.

Track how well time was managed.

No family or
friends in
college

Completely
selfsupporting
Think – Pair – Share
Turn to a partner and share
something you do in the class to
help students learn the unwritten
rules of culture of college.
What can you do to help students build strong relationships and resources?
“Relationships between
students and adults in schools,
and among students
themselves, are a critical
factor of student engagement.
This is especially true among
students considered to be atrisk and without other positive
adult interaction.”
(Pope & McCombs, 1994)
Help students
build “social
capital.”—Payne,
DeVol, Smith (1999)
ME
SIS
UF
ME
AK
B
AD
V
M
LL

Single parent
with three kids

Few friends and
relatives who
supported her
dreams
Who will she take next
semester?
 How will she know
who’s the best fit for
her?

Think – Pair – Share
Turn to a partner and share
something you do in the class to
help students learn the unwritten
rules of
relationships and resources.
What can you do to help students strengthen academic skills?
Submitting a paper that you wrote for another
class in a previous semester.

Zone 1: PLAGIARISM

Zone 2: NOT PLAGIARISM
Take LARGE WHITE CARD and write a response
to the following:
Describe something you do now
or will do in the future to help
students strengthen their
academic skills.
Pass LARGE WHITE CARD to your neighbor and
do the following:
Read your neighbor’s response
and comment on how effective
you think it will be.
12-WORDS
The unwritten rules of college
can be revealed with
intentional, targeted
activities.
6-WORDS
Unwritten rules should be
clearly communicated.
Unwritten rules are
Made to be revealed to
those
Who need extra care.





Academic challenge
Active and collaborative learning
Student-faculty interaction
Enriching educational experiences
A supportive learning environment
(Kenny, Kenny, & DuMont, 1995)

Former
butcher

Loves
literature and
creative
writing
Think – Pair – Share
Turn to a partner and share
something you do in the class to
help students learn the unwritten
rules of
academic engagement.
What can you do to help students make better academic decisions?
ROADBLOCKS





Fail a test
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
(OLD) PATHWAYS





Study longer
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
ROADBLOCKS





Fail a test
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
(NEW) PATHWAYS





Visit tutoring center
_________________
_________________
_________________
_________________
IF
THEN

I fail a
class

I will need to
check with
financial aid

I make
good
grades

I will be
eligible for a
scholarship
CONSEQUENCES
STOP
KEEP
START







1. Personal validation
2. Self-efficacy
3. Personal meaning
4. Active involvement
5. Reflection
6. Social integration
7. Self-awareness

Originally enrolls to
prepare a major life
change

Makes decisions to
better her life
Think – Pair – Share
Turn to a partner and share
something you do in the class to
help students learn the unwritten
rules of
academic decision-making.

1._______________

2._______________

3._______________

4. _______________

5._______________
Amy Baldwin
Pulaski Technical College (AR)
Chair of College Studies
abaldwin@pulaskitech.edu
amybaldwin@comcast.net
501-658-1445