Smh and Not sure where to go with this one

From an instructional perspective, I would focus on setting clear expectations, documenting the available renewal options, and allowing the candidate to choose the path that best aligns with their experience and goals. If concerns arise, referring back to the objective requirements can help keep discussions productive and reduce opportunities for disagreement, in my honest opinion.

It sounds like having a clear, standards-based conversation early on about what each renewal option requires may be the best way to set expectations and avoid future misunderstandings.

dlross said:

Thanks. That's the plan. But I think in this case, they want to make sure he's picking the one that he's going to have the most success achieving. I think his pride and the way he talks, like he knows everything already (I've seen some doozy Teams messages, trust me when I say this), might make him try to go for publishing. I really think he will not achieve this. Sadly, he's already threatened to sue the organization (which is nuts.... we barely started, and they're just working on growth mindset!), and if he can't achieve the certification and then feels we didn't counsel him, I fear he may come for the organization later on down the line. We could, however, have him sign something that says he understands the path he's chosen makes it his total responsibility, and if he doesn't meet the standards set forth by CompTIA, then he cannot come back to the organization to litigate or demand the vouchers. We're a nonprofit. It's not like money grows on trees for us!

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Once the threats start, such as suing, that is when I would have to stop the conversation.

dlross said:

Hi-

I am about to start our next A+ cohort. There's someone in there who took the 1101/1102 already back in 2024. In our bootcamps, we give the vouchers out with the classes and prep them hard to pass. This guy has some kind of degree in the field, and I think in his own country where he's from (I think it's India), he's worked in this field in some capacity. I have not started teaching yet, but I've seen some really weird, questionable conversations in the Teams chat- where he seems to present himself as an authority on all things IT, especially Security+ (he does not have anything other than A+ and he took a course on CCNA and got a certificate of completion). I feel like he's a bit prideful and will be a handful as well. And he does a lot of pushback with the organization who runs the bootcamp as well. He will be a firecracker!

Anyway, based on how he writes, the level of writing he has doesn't seem mature. But my bootcamp thinks that if he doesn't want to retake the 1201/1202, or do the CertMaster CE, perhaps he could do the industry experience (assuming he gets a job) or do this last part: Publish relevant articles, white papers, blog posts, or participate in recognized industry activities. I just don't see anyone who doesn't have writing experience being waved through to having their certification renewed. Is this pretty common? We are trying to decide which way to push him over the next couple of days. He's proven to be quite the arguer when presented with a situation he doesn't like or want to do!

Thanks!

DLRoss

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Introduce them to the concept of the Dunning-Kruger Effect and its implications for knowledge and expertise.

Prof. J

jcrochon said:

Introduce them to the concept of the Dunning-Kruger Effect and its implications for knowledge and expertise.

Prof. J

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Ouch.
If he's already throwing his weight around, expertise he doesn't have, and threatening to sue, focus hard on the written, documented obligations. What EXACTLY were they promised in writing? Hopefully it was training and not a guaranteed pass.

Having the entire class review and sign an ethics statement and an acceptable use statement is very common organization policy grounding.
I have on the home page, and many, many, many places inside class exactly what the exam objectives are that we prepare for. There's a course entry quiz: I promise to read and abide by the Syllabus. There's a syllabus quiz with a variety of things like what are the assessed/graded items, when are they due, where do they find materials, and what's my email. Functionally if they refuse those, they cannot continue in class. They aren't willing to be a participant in the class. They still need to learn the material, fine, but not in this class. Class is a group thing, not an individual thing.
A pre-test and mentoring session about goal setting, and identifying their goals can be the equivalent on the mentoring side; are they willing to be a participant?
If they aren't willing to be a participant, what can be done with the sponsoring entity? Because if they are shoving into someplace he REALLY doesn't want to go, that's really on them.
An education foundation that I worked at had students, apprentices, and interns sign a contract. You do this. I do this. These are the obligations of participating. If you aren't willing to, then you don't participate. They also took mentoring seriously, and had policy framework in place. There was a weekly student form: Here's what I learned this week, Here's who I helped this week, Here's who helped me this week. The smallest part was what I did this week. If there was a mentoring meeting session it was put in a document: Here's what we discussed. You agreed to do this. I agreed to do that. The agreed upon deadline is this.
Some colleagues I know in other businesses and organizations started using a similar weekly check-in form after hearing about ours.
The critical key is it has to be organizational, not individual. Even if you didn't have it before now, before this class, once you start it will be applied everywhere, and there will be written documentation validating when/if you stop.

I've learned to break class into self-selected teams immediately. I also say you can be a team of one, but you probably don't want that. So far I've not had anyone who self-selected a team of one for the whole class (some weeks yes they did). You can rebalance and assign teams, but then you run the risk of perception and pushback. I've had success with suggesting rebalance, but other than occasionally splitting up a pair of students who chatted with each other and didn't focus on work I've rarely had to. However, if the teams self-select the problem out of their team... Back the students. If you have always said there can be a team of one, and that teams must cooperate, collaborate, and communicate internally, then that's setting and sticking to the framework.

When I was on remote help desk, the bigger the problem or more agitated the caller, the more I was "And I'm Kim. Here's what I'm hearing. Here's what WE will do first about it (involving them.) And I'm Kim." Immediate strong framework. Whatever happened, return it to the framework. As long as there was no personal attack "You *)(*&^)(^(!!!!!!" keep returning to the framework. The sun rises, here's the deal. We breathe air, here's the deal. There are no outside the framework discussion or options while dealing with them. Are there out of band that I juggle fast and hard to figure this out? Oh heck yeah!!! But when communicating with them, here's the framework. Anything else happens off to the side, and when we bring it back, here's the framework.

I hope this helps.
I really really really hope you don't get flambe.
It sounds like this is his mitigation for lack of skill and expertise. He can't throw those around, so he's trying to build and maintain reputation by alternate means.
Also on the don't assume malice if it might be stupidity, perhaps they were very strongly programmed that this is the path to success. It will take determined consistent modelling of what professionalism is, and regularly scheduled proactive mentor check-ins to shake and break this cycle. Bring in and discuss use cases from the news. Goodness knows there are alot of bad decisions that had consequences. Teach them to identify moments of choice, that they have and should use a voice, and start how to assess and make better choices.