Defining/describing the problem and who it affects

Purpose:How many times have we heard someone complaining about something happening in our communities–but offering no solutions for the problem? This assignment is designed to develop your problem-solving skills and engage you in a substantive conversation concerning a current local issue. This assignment will also encourage you to begin seriously considering your audience as a writer. When you are writing a letter such as this, you’ll want to consider who will be reading it, particularly in terms of what words, examples, facts, or appeals might best convince this particular group.The Assignment:* Write a two to three page (double-spaced) letter to the editor, proposing a solution to a current local problem. List the newspaper to which you would be sending this to at the top of your paper. Begin the letter with: “Dear Editor,” Throughout the paper, be as specific as you possibly can in terms of:1.) Defining/describing the problem and who it affects2.) Describing your solution3.) Defending your solution as the best means of dealing with this problemHere is an example, you can write based on this topic.After facing pressure cooker atmosphere in the previous three years in school to score high marks, many students seem to unwind and relax once they get into a professional college. Even students who had a brilliant academic record in their school days seem to falter in their academic performance in the college. They did well in school, they have the potential to do well even in college and yet they failed in a few subjects right in the first year. Bad performance could be traced right from the beginning of the semester in the class tests.Why is this happening? Intrinsic issues During counselling, these students came out with many reasons for poor performance:* Could not manage time (a lot of record work and assignments, no time for studying) * Lost interest because s/he wanted to study some other branch* Have the habit of studying towards the end of the year just before exams, could not cope with large portion * Relaxed as there is no individual attention or pressure as in school* Did not realise that the subject would be tough to clear, hence not paid attention from the beginning* Free atmosphere in the college diverted attention* Coming from a rural area, hence finding it difficult to follow the lecture* Could not adjust to the new environment and new people (missing the school friends) Extrinsic issues* Joined late, hence missed initial classes* Commuting long hours to reach college, hence getting tired and could not concentrate on studies* Could not understand the subject* Faculty changed in the middle of the semester* Feedback on performance not given* Didn’t have proper notes (never read textbooks) The students just out of school and left to manage by themselves get wayward, if they are not guided properly.This is the transition stage from childhood to adulthood. They need to be handled sensitively. The intrinsic issues need to be sorted out by the students with the help of counselling. The students should be helped to do self-analysis to correct their mistakes. The extrinsic issues have to be addressed by the college management and faculty to correct the situation. Many of the professional colleges are having the practice of conducting counselling sessions for the students, but in most cases they are being conducted like a ritual. Neither the faculty conducts them regularly and purposefully nor the students take them seriously. If only these counselling sessions are taken seriously, and conducted professionally, many students would escape the rigmarole of picking up arrears and colleges could improve their academic results. The counselling should be psychological in nature, conducted in a friendly tone in a conducive atmosphere. The student should be allowed to express himself freely and has to be actively involved in the discussion and treated as a friend and not as a patient or culprit. Empathising and encouraging words go a long way in changing the mindset of students. The aim is to touch the emotional chord, helping the students to identify their own pitfalls, realise their responsibility and plan their own remedial course of action. When students require help in the form of extra classes, tutorials, more demos or lab hours, explanatory notes for tough lessons, the counsellor has to arrange for the same. It is necessary to start the counselling right from the first semester. Identify students requiring specific assistance such as language proficiency, mathematical tutorials, presentation skills, time management, handwriting improvement, etc., and guide them accordingly. Academically high scoring students must also be counselled to encourage them to excel in their subjects targeting university ranks. Present day students are facing a multitude of avenues to distract their attention, yet it is beyond doubt that they are much smarter than the previous generation and more intelligent. If they were made to realise their potential and their responsibilities, every one of them would do better. Professional counselling right from the beginning of the course with regular follow up and feedback would definitely contribute to academic excellence.