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Regardless of which of the aforementioned issues applies, the reality is that the instructor is faced with a room full of students who are not prepared. Educators should question realistic expectations when it comes to classroom preparation. The ACA Code of Ethics (American Counseling Association [ACA], 2014) states that counselor educators should be “skilled in applying . . . knowledge; and make students and supervisees aware of their responsibilities” as well as serve as role models for the profession (Standard F.7.a.). Instructors provide a syllabus that clearly outlines expectations for the course, but it can be tricky to address students when expectations are not being met. As counselors, students will be faced with clients or students who are not following recommendations or putting in work outside of session. It would not be appropriate for them to scold or punish their clients for not meeting expectations. However, counselor educators are ethically responsible for modeling counselor characteristics while still evaluating student progress and assessing for competency (ACA, 2014). Instructors who gently remind students about the importance of participating and explore their reasons for not doing the reading can model professionalism while holding students accountable and working toward a solution, just as they might with a reluctant or resistant client.

What appears to be a lack of student preparation can also be misleading. An important part of experiential learning is reviewing readings assigned in class (West et al., 2013). West et al. (2013) suggested spending 15 to 20 minutes at the beginning of each class going over important topics and referring to specifics in the readings. This can help students understand the most important parts of a lesson prior to engaging in discussion and activities. West et al.’s approach is interesting because they posited that students who react to prompts in the ways described in the case above may not be unprepared. Rather, they may have read without knowing what they were looking for; thus, they were not able to retain key topics or concepts. This is students’ first exposure to the material, and they may also be taking other classes in which they are flooded with new information. Providing an overview of why assigned readings matter or what to look for may be key to helping students retain information in the long run.

It is also important to remember cultural considerations that may impact students’ preparation. Ng (2006) found that the three most common concerns for non-Western international counseling students were English proficiency, adjustment, and conflict with Western understanding and approaches. Students may not understand readings or questions because English is not their first language. They may be dealing with concerns around cultural adjustment. They may also be struggling to relate to Western conceptualizations of cases and solutions. Sharing conflicts or personal experiences with a group of strangers may also be inappropriate from a cultural standpoint. It is important to check and provide assistance as well as consider the unique perspectives of non-Western students in the context of class discussion (Ng, 2006).

When instructors consider cultural differences, it is important that they think about aspects of U.S. culture and history that may make international students and English language learners uncomfortable (Interiano & Lim, 2018). Historical inequalities and experiences of marginalization may cause students to feel uneasy asking or answering a question in class. In this same vein, dominant white American culture tends to strongly favor assimilation, encouraging people of color to abandon their culture of origin in favor of adopting dominant norms and values. Students may worry about their English not being good enough or their perspectives going against white American values. These concerns can lead to students being rejected by peers and faculty members. Instructors can combat this by viewing the material they are teaching through a multicultural lens. Incorporating multiple cultural perspectives into lessons and opening the door for conversations about culture may encourage students to share their views.

There are also considerations for working with minoritized students from the United States. In one study, Black doctoral students suggested that having white teachers who were invested in them and their success helped them feel supported and have more trust in their mentors (E. M. Brown & Grothaus, 2019). White faculty members may leverage networks and resources to help minoritized students access opportunities that are more difficult to access as a result of systemic oppression; this is a way to show investment in their success. Instructors can also demonstrate investment in students’ success and experience by reaching out to students outside of class to check in, which may help them feel more comfortable speaking up in class.