The difficult student
What do I do if I have a student none wants to work with due to there personality? Knowing that it's gonna be an issue in an active learning environment?
Hi Cynthia,
You have a firm talk with all involved privately and let them know that their grade is at stake. Also let them know that in the real world they may have to work with other employees even their own boss who may have an undesirable persoanlity. Make it known to students that you may work with people whose attitudes/personalities are not pleasant. We all want to work with pleasant people but that is not always the case.
Patricia Scales
working with someone like that will teach your other students how to handle and manage people with "attitude" problems. it's a great chance for personal skill development.
I had a difficult student last term. She refused to work with the other students on group activities so she was given a zero for the assignments. Prior to giving her this grade she was advised that her grade depended on her involvement. Should she be given another option or given a zero? I gave her the zero after explaining that in the work world she will have to work with individuals she does not always like. She still refused to complete the group activity. She then gave me low performance scores on my evaluation. The company looks at these evaluations for termination and raise decisions. I do not think it is fair for a student to have the ability to provide poor feedback because she was unhappy about her grade for refusing to complete the assigned group project.
Hi Todd,
It is a challenge managing people with attitude problems, but you must handle them carefully and use wise tactics because they can bark really loud. It is better to try to handle people with attitude problems privately because they will do whatever they have to in order to save face in front of others.
Patricia Scales
Hi Kelly,
You really need to discuss this with higher authorities. It is very unfair to you for this evaluated to be counted and put your livelihood in jeopardy. This student really needs to be spoken to by higher authorities. She will break her own neck by getting to many zeroes and will possibly fail the course. She will wake up one day due to failing so much.
Patricia Scales
I've had the same problem before, difficult student and refused to do the tasks we asked to be done. The explanation of expectations was given, the explanation of the resulting grade was given, the change desired didn't happen, and my eval was hit hard. When I asked the higher up folks about this situation, I was told that happens sometimes and not to worry about it. Was that really the right answer? No, but that is likely what you will get if you go there. Unfortunately in this day and age the student has more power to refuse to do than we do in holding our ground on accountability. I've tried multiple things to change the student's mind on participation, and sometimes there isn't much that can be done. Then again, there is the one that you might think will give you a hard time, and they break out of the problem and do well in class.
Hi Phillip,
This type of situation has been ongoing. Unfortunately as it is, it can sometimes really back fire on the instructor. Higher personnel has to support instructors. The moment a student tells an employer they are not going to do something they are going to be terminated. These type of students need to be dealt with quickly and swiftly by higher personnel and reprimanded accordingly.
Patricia Scales
Classroom, ungraded group activities seem much easier to manage. However, many students HATE being assigned a group activity or projects that must be completed outside of class time. The type A personality does not mix well with the procrastinator, the A students does not want to be forced to accept the C student’s work. Under less than ideal conditions it creates conflict and perhaps freeloading by some. It can also impose stresses on those students who live long distances from the classroom. The design of the assessment is also important to any group project. If the group project is graded simply on the product and not the process, this can be seen as unfair. And the only way that the C student will be successful with the A students is to ensure that explicit guidelines are set for the activity and the student assessment. It is also important that everyone understand the value of the group activity as it relates to obtaining the objectives of both the course and the student’s future career.
I am curious as to what the best grading rubrics are for the outside of class group activities. How are equity in participation/contribution, engagement,and the overall product being assessed/graded?
Hi Myrna,
I certainly understand your perspective. You may want to allow peer grading as a portion of the grading scale so that if someone is not pulling their wait their parnter(s) will have a say as to when it comes to them getting a good grade or not. "A" students do not like their grades being affected by slackers, and I do not blame them.
Patricia Scales
I try to explain to some of the other students that this student is probabley just nervous about being around people because they may be unsure of themselves and what they can do....so I try to explain to take this student under their wing and see if they may be able to break the ice to help them feel more at ease.
Hi CORY,
In our profession, especially the type of student we deal with, we certainly have to be caring and take students under our wing. Our students really do look to us for a whole lot other than just knowledge.
Patricia Scales
I have had students say other students were "weird" and didnt want to work with them. What I always tell them is there are all kinds of people in the world, which is what makes the world interesting, and that we have to learn to get along with eveyone. Can you tell I am a psychology instructor? There is usually someone who, for whatever reason,sometimes guilt, will step up and say they will work with them. Then I really praise that person in front of everyone. Of course this was done while the "weird" student was not in the room and I just talk in a very general way about the subject. This is what works for me at least.
Hi Gwendolyn,
Great use of psychology! There is always someone in the room with a BIG heart.
Patricia Scales
