This Student Turned a Failing Grade Around (And Other Updates)

Sometimes a little cheesy applause is okay! Let's celebrate inspiring news!

(One of my favorite blogs, Confessions of a Community College Dean, has a feature called Friday Fragments. In my unexpected blogging absence this week, I’m going to mimic this model to do a little catch-up. I really hope to be back on track next week… a few unexpected challenges! I hope all of you are doing phenomenally well!).

Update #1:

Do you remember when I wrote this post called “You Failed Your Class. Now What?”? Well, that post received the highest number of views on my Blogger space… nearly 2,000 (for me, that was pretty good!). Long after I left Blogger, a student left a comment, and I didn’t want that comment to go unnoticed because I found it very inspiring, and I hope you will, too:

“I have failed 3 classes in total, and that’s because of many issues such as my English was not my primary language so it was hard for me. But now I retook all the failed classes and I did much better.

There is nothing wrong with an F. You need to be patient studying or going to tutoring.

Good luck, everyone. Never give up. Having an F. It doesn’t mean nothing. Nothing at all.”

I just wanted to openly congratulate this student, not only for having the perseverance to turn the situation around, but also for sharing this news to let others know that they, too, can rise above a failing grade! Bravo, bravo, bravo to you!!!!!

Update #2:

My book, Say This, NOT That To Your Professor: 36 Talking Tips for College Success has been out for one month tomorrow. What a month it has been! I wanted to share some blog reviews with you. You know, after 10 years of on and off working on the book, then toiling over finding an agent and publisher, then editing, and editing, and editing, I have to admit I never imagined life on this side of the book–or people actually reading it! I feel so honored and humbled about the response that the book is receiving. I just have to share:

Dr. Chris Lewis (@dadofdivas), a veteran higher ed administrator and author of The Ultimate College Preparation Blueprint, blogs as Dad of Divas. A snippet of his review: “As someone that has worked in higher education for some time, I can honestly say that this book does offer some great insights into what you should and should not do when it comes to interacting with your professors. Some of the points are common sense (if you have attended college in the past), but there are also some real hidden gems in the book as well which made me say, yes, this author really knows what she is talking about.”

Dr. Delaney Kirk (@delaneykirk), professor at Drake University and author of Taking Back the Classroom: Tips for the College Professor on How to be a More Effective Teacher, blogs as Ask Dr. Kirk. Her review: “Ellen Bremen has written the book we college professors wish every student would read. Say This, Not That to Your Professor addresses all those issues we gripe about in the hallway.”

Doug Rice (@douglaserice), graduate student and founder of the Small Business Storyteller, LLC, takes a business interpretation of my chapter on comparing grades: “There’s a section in the book that reveals a common practice among college students. All too often, a student will receive a grade and immediately start comparing it to the grades of others in the class. Inevitably, they’ll begin asking why other students got better grades than them. They get competitive. . . .  We might look at Ellen’s students and think their actions are petty when they compare grades with one another. But that’s exactly what we do in business. All too often, we look at how others are doing in our industry and rate ourselves based on that. Guess what? It doesn’t matter what your competitors are doing. Stop trying looking at others’ grades!”

Sia Knight (@siaknight), college planner, said, “As I devoured the pages, I couldn’t help but think about the high school students that I work with. Upon completion of the book, my major takeaway was this: the most important skill that we can teach our children is the ability to navigate in an academic and/or professional environment.” Read more of Knight’s review here.

and finally, Jim Dougherty (@leaderswest), social media blogger, Leaders West, took a parent’s perspective in his review: “The book is a collection of vignettes developed from Professor Bremen’s academic career intended to instruct college students on how to communicate better with their college instructors.  Truth told though, the lessons that Bremen imparts are universal lessons on how to empathize and collaborate with other people effectively. … My worst fear as a parent is that I won’t do everything I can to help my kids succeed in life.  So while I probably won’t be sending my three year old to sleep with cautions not to use her laptop in class, my kids will understand Professor Bremen’s advice of what to say and do to be successful with people.”

(Addendum:  Here are other reviews by blogger Mary Biever: Say This, NOT That to Your Professor: A Guide for College Success and University Chic).

Update #3:

No more news from the student that I wrote about in this previous post. I just want to give a little shout-out that I hope the student is well and that if you are in a similar position, read the post and many supportive comments and please, get some assistance! Lots of people are out there to help (myself included!).

Update #4:

If you are in Seattle or the surrounding area, I’m going to be doing an author event/reading at Highline Community College on May 14th at 12:15 in Building 7 (the dome building). I’ll announce more of these as time goes on, but thought I’d let you know about this first exciting appearance on my home base!

Until next week, all! Have an incredible weekend… and a phenomenal Mother’s Day to all the moms out there!