I found that I just naturally give "the look" when someone is behaving in a manner they know is inappropriate. When they make eye contact, the thought always passes through my head "is this condecending?" I want to be able to get my message across without treating them like a child.
I have some students that are the inattentive students. They text on their cell phones or talk to their neighbor. It is very distracting as a teacher and to the other students who are trying very hard to learn. I also have a couple who are the attention seekers. They are funny and keep the mood up for the most part, but are also challenging because they are also distracting. If I can do different activities and lesson plans, I find that it will for the most part keep everyone motivated and paying attention instead of always doing the same thing.
I agree, most of my "hard to deal with" students came around when I spent the time to get to know what was bothering them in respect to my class; and if perhaps, could help make it a better learning experience for them.
Since we are a career school students who are on their own for the first time run afoul of everyday life (electric bills, rent, food, cleaning their own clothes) this adds extra stress on top of learning technical skills. Being sensitive to what is going on in their lives when they are embarrassed to share details takes time, patience and a caring attitude to make a break through for them.
Opening that line of communication with the students is very effective and letting them know you are there to support and help them in obtaining the goals they set forth when they first enrolled in school.
I think the talkers are the most challenging students for me as well, Georgiajo.
Sometimes, if I'm in the middle of a lecture I'm really excited about, I'll not notice a little bit of whispering or talking, but I know it can be distracting to other students. I think I will use the 1-minute reports to help motivate students to pay attention.
I may try the Use it Wisely Cards as well, perhaps assigning points for cards used during a certain number of class periods.
I think that the talkers and the "I'm not interested and I'm not afraid to show it" students are the most challenging.
I am just getting the confidence in myself and professional experience to be able to assess whether it is my fault for giving a boring lecture, or whether the students are just not interested.
Something I've started doing: on the first day of class I go around and ask each student a few things about her/himself, including "what topic in Microbiology interests you the most?" or "what do you want to learn in this class?". Sometimes they'll just admit that they are not interested in the class at all. I know if I have the attention of those students, I'll probably have the attention of the rest.
I too have issues with students who do not seem to see the importance of any classes that are not easy. Any assignments that seem challenging get frowned upon. It's great to know that this problem is not just isolated to my classroom!
I have a situation with one particular student (who, due to schedule changes I do not have regularly but I sub frequently).
I felt that she did not like me (which I understand not everyone will like every instructor). I did not do anything about it (because being a new instructor I thought I may be being too sensitive). Then recently two students approached me (separately) to apologize for this students behavior. Apparently she is making it quite clear among her classmates does not care for me. Since I do don't currently have her as a regular student should this situation be addressed and how?
Tami
1) Make sure you understnd the problem being asked? Sometimes we over look or miss there point when they are speaking.
2) Listen to them sometimes it is personal or something at home that is triggering this behavior.
3)I go over what happen and the class that day i there is something I am doing that may anooy the student or students sometimes it may not be just one it could two or three.
4) I give praise even to challenge students because sometimes they do not get a lot during the day.
Thanks eileen szydlowski
The ones that seem disengaged in the class, what has worked in the past is to walk around the room, and actually have in the past sat down next to them and conducted the class from the back of the room. At the conclusion of the lecture we had a “chat†as to what was really going on in their life. It is vital to get to the root of the problem, not what is on the surface.
I find that sometimes the student that is challenging me the most often responds to the attention when made a group leader in a task. I am giving them attention, they now have a new focus (leading rather than texting or surfing the web :-), and they most often rise to the challenge of leadership while encouraging participation from others.
My most challenging type of students are those that question my knowledge base, as I am a new instructor. I try to explain my information to the best of my ability. At the same time I inform my students that there is some information that my occupation would not need to know, because that is for the higher level occupation.
most challenging students are those who are not motivated... create tactics to motivate
Hi Lisa,
Instructors have to be their students biggest cheerleaders. Even when they are not doing great, continue to cheer them on.
Patricia Scales
The younger student has been somewhat more challenging. They seem to want to chat and text a lot. I just kindly remind them that this isn't proper behavior for the classroom and we need to focus on the subject we are working on.
Challenging students is definitely something I need to deal with on a daily basis. It was easy to pick them out of the group, but finding a strategy that works for for each of them is the tricky part. Not all students are challenging in the same way. I find that what works for one may not work for the others. I come up with differet strategies and try new ones every couple of days to see if anything works to break down their walls. Usually I fnd that I am very sucessful.
I have found my most challenging students are those who believe they know the material being presented, have experience in the area and "can't be taught" or see themselves as the "experts."
I approach these students by asking them to describe the material in their own words and terms, and allow the discussion to break out within the classroom. I have found that, as long as I don't "throw the student under the bus" but instead allow others to discuss it, that student gains the critical knowledge that they may not be the "expert" they thought, and that others often have as much or more experience.
My most challenging students are those first year students who have not yet learned the difference between high school and college. I make clear the differences at the beginning of the course and try to engage the students as adults. Sparking their interest in the subject through videos, images and hands on learning assists me in this process of engaging the student at a different level.
Hi Edward,
For some students it is a big adjustment from high school to college. You are doing the right thing by making it known to students on Day 1 that they are at a different level now and must act accordingly.
Patricia Scales
