professionalism
I work with several instructors with whom I team teach. I find while I'm presenting instructional material, they're yawning or laying their head down on the desk. I find this extremely unprofessional and rude.
Can anyone suggest a way I could stop this behavior. This is especially difficult for me since they are also close friends of mine.
Hi Maria,
This is a tough situation. I would question if they are really friends of yours if they act this way while you are presenting. I would talk with them about their behavior and explain that they are setting a very poor example for the students. This is a key part of being a model, acting like one and they certainly are not.
If talking with them does not bring any change then have them sit somewhere else besides your classroom. If you all are team teaching and they have to be in the classroom while you are presenting, the three of you can divide up the content and deliver mini-lectures. This way each person is presenting about every 30 minutes. This will keep a rotation going and not allow them to sleep.
If there are other circumstances that would help me propose a solution to this problem, please share them and I will try to develop some additional solutions to this problem.
Gary
Hi Maria,
I do agree with the response you have received from Dr. Meers. This behaviour is rude. In the past I know that when I have presented material to a group and have gotten responses such as this from my fellow instructors it was because we were not all on the same page as far as what was expected from the situation. They felt my explanations were long and drawn out or I was belaboring a point. This usually happened when I did not spend enough prep time learning about the needs of the group I was addressing or did not share the content with my fellow Instructors. I felt what I was covering was to the point but they did not. Also, Is there a chance they could be Joking with you? At any rate if I was in your place I would sit down and have a talk with these folks.
Hi Rick
Well said. It is hard enough to be an educator today without having to do "battle" with fellow "professionals" that are rude. This situation has to be resolved or I would start looking for a place to teach that is dedicated to respect and professional behavior.
Gary
Hi Maria,
It appears that you are talking to them and not engaging them in the discussion. It can become boring when someone appears to be talking to you and not with you. So I would suggest that you involve them in the discussion by asking about their thoughts and ideas in your discussion topic areas.
