The Lab: Teach or Monitor Safety or Prevent Horseplay or Vandalism
I have up to thirty students in an automotive lab. No assistant to help me. I can only do one of the above. Management wants me to do it all. Impossible. I can either watch the students or teach the students. I can't do both at the same time.
Chris,
Take a look at including group activities. Give students some leadership opportunities and allow them to learn from each other.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
In our automotive lab almost all activities are done in groups. The same problems still exist. It becomes frustrating to the students who want or needs to be taught something while in lab due to the fact the teacher can't stop monitoring the class. It's also frustrating for the teacher.
I try to give directions and guidance before even entering the lab. Then as much as possible I try to have detailed instructions available to all the students in the lab. Even then teaching is limited.
I will constantly walk around to each group and see if they need help with a certain task being done if a group needs help I turn it into a class
I will gather the class around and re explain the process or the procedure that way I can do both at the same time.
Some good suggestions, but neither is possible in all lab situations. I can relate to all that has been said here. A problem I deal with at the time being is that of "dead" training aids.. meaning while they can evaluated on them, they cannot be test-run, driven, etc. This seems to affect the level of attention to detail and overall workmanship sometimes, making it a challenge to ensure good working condition of the aids at the end of the course.
Arthur,
A good approach. Thank you for your post.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
The safety of the student is a top concern at all times. But on another note I have noticed with our younger students not wanting to wait as the instructor works around the lab from station to station. they want your attention right away and sometimes at that point start with horseplay/vandalism. I am not sure if there is a cure for the 'I want it now' student. Having the world at their finger tips is all they have ever know.
I agree with Mr. Kelley its a juggling act and some days you drop the eggs and some days you don't. All you can do is hope that you make a difference one life at a time!
NEAL,
Today's younger generation are not a "read the manual" group. They want to figure it out on their own. Horseplay can come from boredom, vandalism requires some forethought. The latter is a discipline concern, the former can be dealt with by looking at how the learning activities can better or more steadily engage students.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I try to identify the trouble makers as early as possible. Then I insert the "perp" into a group of veterans and let the students police themselves
Timothy,
What makes them a trouble maker? How do you identify them?
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Their general attitude toward the program and also the manner in which they conduct themselves in lab, handling tools ETC.
I also have a large group of students that I watch over. I know it can be tough without an aid but I use it as a challenge for me. Maybe this is an opportunity for you show that you can and will do it successfully. Management is there for you express what you need and it will be delivered to make you more successful. I don't believe in the victim mentality. Good luck .. god bless
Sounds like a good coaching opportunity to help that student out instead of casting them out and "labeling" them. Sounds like the scarlet letter approach.
I'm the same situation as the rest of the responders on this thread. Effectively teaching, while at the same time monitoring safety and preventing vandalism, is definitely a balancing act. I try to give as much instruction as possible to the whole class before going to lab with the hope that this will reduce the number and depth of the questions by the students during lab. This (in theory at least) reduces the amount of time needed to explain again the steps/procedures/etc. and allows for more attention paid to safety and preventing vandalism. I also explain before going to lab that not all of required tasks will be able to be performed on a single vehicle, that when they get to a particular task that cannot be done on their current car they should either complete any other applicable task on that vehicle, or move to another available vehicle. It is also a good idea to explain ahead of time that the course vehicle have known problems. This is intentional so the student will be able to inspect and diagnose a faulty part or system before disassembly, diagnosis would not be possible if the vehicle was not already "broken".
Ryan,
Is vandalism a real threat? Your detailed post does reflect similar responders. Thank you for your post.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Vandalism, unfortunately, is a real threat. Students will very often write or draw on equipment or cars. We have dozens of course vehicles and clip cars (functional front half of a car on a stand), and I highly doubt that there is even one that has not been written or drawn on. More serious vandalism is not as common, but does still occasionally happen. Students have damaged wiring, broken or removed components, or anything else they could think of at the time. I think it is most often a result of boredom, frustration, and/or lack of supervision. If the students are given enough work to keep them busy and enough instruction (both for what tasks to do and what resources to use to figure out something they don't know), this cuts down on the vandalism by keeping the students engaged, avoiding some of the boredom/frustration, and allows the instructor to more effectively monitor the class.
Ryan,
If the vandalism is this flagrant there should be a zero tolerance policy.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Timothy, I feel that you need to take this opportunity to help coach your students to not vandalize and have proper respect for the tools and training aids. Preventing horseplay, and vandalism will help you successfully meet your student's needs.
In my experience when the student's behave this way, it is usually a reflection of your teaching skills. Awesome instructions first hand can help prevent accident's and things being broken!
Good luck in your future endeavors.
Tyler,
Well said. Thank you for your post.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
