Students I'm Worried About

1. The student who is failing despite doing all the right things (hard work, coming to see me, forming a study group). She can do each step in a problem. She can understand each idea in isolation. But she can't put it together.


2. The students who think that they're gaming my grading scheme by never coming to class, not turning in any homework, and not taking any of the exams or quizzes. While, yes, it is true that you can get a 65.2% in my class (just barely a D) by only taking the final and getting 100% on it, miss only one point on the final and you're down to a 64.9% -- which is failing (all fractional points are rounded down). Drop now.


3. The student who seems unwell. In addition to the lingering cold, I suspect a pyschiatric condition is keeping this student from succeeding. Or am I projecting based on the experiences of my insane friends? Is there something really wrong? Where is the line between concern and prying/meddling?