A few years back, I was teaching a class where I was required to have office hours once a week. This is not always common for adjunct instructors such as myself, as we often do not have access to even a shared office to use for that, but in this case, the university had a designated shared adjunct office space and I had my assigned time there each week during the semester. It was very, very quiet. Imagine my excitement one day then when a student came in the door. "Hello," I said enthusiastically. "What can I do to help you?" The student replied, "Um, do you know where the nearest ladies' restroom is?" Slightly deflated, I gave her directions, she thanked me, and that was the extent of my face-to-face student interactions during office hours for that entire semester.
Very few students utilize office hours or other forms of communication with their professors and instructors, and, truly, they are losing out on a valuable part of their college experience by doing so. I state on my syllabi that I am available by email 24/7 and encourage students to contact me that way, because after any given class, I am usually flying out the door to hit the freeway for my next campus.
While it's undeniable that many students and instructors have hectic schedules, there are always ways for students to get that extra clarification and information that will help them do better in their classes. This can also help students build relationships with faculty that can lead to recommendation letters, internships, and even employment.
The simple habit that can make or break your college experience
