Below you will find advice from actual preceptors who served on a panel at the 2001 Fall Preceptor Retreat.

How can a preceptor deal with a quiet student who seems unwilling to talk?

• Last year we had a student who had many great ideas. She would even share these ideas with us before class as though to receive confirmation that the ideas were, in fact, worthy, but she never spoke during class despite this validation. She spoke two times the entire year. It seems that sometimes it's almost impossible to get students to speak up, but there are several ways to help a quiet student have the courage to talk. Sit next to the student. If you know that a student has something to say, based on his or her facial expression or hand gestures, encourage the student to say it. Never sit by the same people every class, because it will seem that you have favorites.
• Look for what they reveal about themselves in their writing. Look for what interests them and cater to that.
• Having been a non-talker, the FYS professor called me out, which was painful at the time, but it helped to bring me out.
• Look for expressions, and make sure that the quiet students are not drowned out by the big talkers.

How can a preceptor handle students who talk too much and have nothing positive to say?

• Sometimes you just have to be honest. Put it nicely, but tell them to be quiet and let someone else talk.
  
• Divert attention to different sides of the room. Say, "Well we've heard from this side of the room. What does that side of the room have to say?"

How can a preceptor help to integrate personal experiences into the text?

• Freshmen are still adjusting to the college experience, and almost all of their thoughts are in some way related to their homes. Let them tell their stories, and then ask how it relates.
  
• You can also have an exercise where everything said has to be supported by the text. This really helps to keep the text in focus.

How can a preceptor keep a healthy role in the conversation, neither sharing too many things with the class nor sharing too few?

• Ask pointed questions. Be subversive in your attempts to begin a conversation. Ask about things which they wouldn't think about right away.

How can a preceptor handle an aggressive student--one who is both aggressive towards the teacher and the students--about what they believe?

• Don't act as an authority figure. Smuggle counter ideas into the conversation. This helps both the class and the student.
  
• While preceptors should help, always remember that this is a role to be filled by the faculty, too.

What line should a preceptor draw between being friends with the students and being in charge?

• It depends on the preceptor. Always be friendly and leave the students free to express themselves.
  
• It depends on the personal relationships. Always be a good student in class. The students should understand that in such an environment, a serious demeanor is necessary. On the other hand, plan fun things to do with them outside of class. The students should understand that these are two different environments.

How do you deal with a student who is terrified of the professor?

• Explain to the student that the professor is a good person, and that he or she should talk to the professor after class if the student feels intimidated.
  
• Take the student for a private chat to find out if the FYS professor is the only professor causing these types of problems.

How should a preceptor handle a student who wants everyone to know that she is intelligent and loves to hear herself talk, especially when, by doing so, she is alienating herself from the rest of the class?

• This may be a misguided freshman's attempt to fulfill the participation requirements in order to make a good grade.
  
• Don't play the role of psychiatrist. Ask her to relate what is said to the text. Talk to her after class, and ask her to be "real" and not overly polite.

How should a preceptor handle a student who is both condescending and negative towards the professor and the preceptor?

• If a single person is interfering with the environment of the class, then there must be some level of intervention.
  
• One negative person can really disrupt a classroom. Challenge the student's comments so that he or she becomes involved in the process.

Find a problem, think long and hard about it, and act.