Student Behavior In class
How many of you experience unprofessional student behaviors in your classrooM? How do you deel with this matter?
Hi Brenda,
What are the most common unprofessional behaviors being exhibited by your students? This information will be helpful in giving some suggestions on coping with such students. Thanks.
Gary
I take how they are acting and put them in a real life situation as if they were on the job and how would they handle it.
I have found that if I set the ground rules on the very first day of class, things go much more smoothly. They need to know what my expectations are, and that my expectations are for their benefit. I want them to have a great learning experience that can only happen when the classroom environment is conducive to learning and free from unncessary distractions. They also need to learn to behave as they would be expected to behave in the work environment.
Hi Bonnie,
Good point. You lay out expectations and then be consistent with your polices and the class will progress toward the goals you have set.
Gary
It is rarely a problem in my classes. I think it is important to set expectations on the first day of class by providing clear guidelines. It is also important to be consistent in the application of the guidelines.
Hi James,
Good to hear you don't have many of these types of problems and I am sure it is because you lay out your instructional plan at the beginning of the course. With clear expectations and consistent management the students will progress through the course with minimum disruptions.
Gary
I set very clear expectations for behavior on day one and lay out all of the rules. I then make sure that I continue to remind students of the expectations and rules throughout the course. I rarely have any problems with behavior as the students know what I expect of them from early on in the class.
Chef Sandmann
I have the most problem when I am covering a class or for some reason taking over a class from another instructor. It seems as if several students need to test me. I try and seperate the person and discuss the behavior with them. If it continues or is a bother to others in the class I will then make an example out of them in public.
I ahve found that there is always some sort of underlying issue and if the student opens up it will solve the acting out.
On the first day of class I set standards high and if they say none of my other instructors do this or that I tell them that I am not the other instructor and in our chosen field, I need to be able to trust them with my life and so inorder to know whether I can or not they must live up to the high standards that I set.
I always try to relate bad behavior to marketability in the industry. How can they market themselves in the industry and make money with this attitude?
Setting expectations early is a key component to handling bad behavior. One of the principals from my former school said that what you put up with in the first two weeks of school, you will have to live with all year. At the beginning of the school year, teachers are anxious to have fun with the students and get to know them. We all want them to have a good opinion of us and our class. I always found organization was my salvation. Plan too much for each class, and they won't have time to get into trouble. They also need to see that the teacher is serious about the lesson, and that the teacher will not tolerate acting out.
Hi Joan,
Good advice for instructors. I know this information will help beginning instructors develop their style and approach to the classroom. You are right with your planning and over preparedness. So much easier to have too much to fall back on rather than trying to come up with something to fill in 20 minutes of class time.
Gary
Students that are unprofessional in the classroom generally need to be reminded that we are helping to guide them to a profession as a professional. In doing so I discuss with them what they expect from an employer and relate it to their behavior. This helps them realize that their behavior wouldn't be acceptable at a job so why should it be acceptable in the classroom.
Hello Brenda,
I appreciate the question. A college dean frequently reminds us that our students are setting behaviors for their work . . . every class day. Our dean also reminds us that our college is so much more than just a college; it is life preparation.
I try to remind students with sub-optimal behaviors that they are in a constant job interview.
Phil
That is a great technique, let them know you are a type of "boss" for right now and help them see what the behaviour would look like in a real job. this is particularly important if you are teaching in a career-building college. A great tip for me to add to my education base. Mindy
