I am never surprised when a student shows a new way to cheat on a test. I usually shake my head and wonder why couldn't that student have used their creativity in a more positive way. Some of the techniques cheaters use have been well thought out. Especially, if there are several students in one class working together on cheating, it may take the instructor longer to realize what the students are doing.

In one of my class the students by the first hour is unfocused. I did reflect on myself and rearrange how I structured the classroom. However, the class still seemed dreamy or distracted. I finally figured out the students where logged onto the computers shopping or playing solitaire. Unfortunately the class is held in a computer lab. Now I insist that everyone log off the computer while class is in session. At present, I see progress in their assignments and eyes on me. -Alyce Dexter

I have recently had an experience with this, due to a rather unfortunate timing on contrating the flu. I missed the first few days of the 2 classes I teach. The students had substitute instructors during these days, but had a different instructor each day i was out. This sometimes is a very unfortunate dilema due to trying to arrange coverage especially during flu season when so many students and instructors get sick. The students tend to become disengaged right from the start and it is very difficult to pull the class back from this when you happen to be coming back to class several days into it. you have missed the opportunity to make that first day impression and many times are facing a "hostile" class. I have been working very diligently on trying to redirect the class to get them re-invested in it. However; some of them became disengaged right at the start, this presents a rather distressing concern when u are running an accelerated course that is only 3 to 4 weeks long. What are some ways to try to re-direct an already disengaged class?

In the classes that I teach, I do not accept late assignments if they don't hand it in the day they are due the student recieves a zero. I do give grace to those students who have been severely ill and have doctor's documentation to support that. I have allowed late work in the past but it seemed to allow the students to slack more which made more work for me in the end. What are your thoughts on my reasonings?

To help myself deal with stress, i ride my motorcycle at a quick pace down the local freeway. However i do stress when the local authorities take notice to this.

I get stressed out when my employeer mandates that i must take these online classes.

How can an instructor distiguish between an overwhelmed student or an "avoider?" An 18-month comprehensive program can be very challenging for most anyone. How do you detect the difference so as not to make an incorrect judgement call?

Hello Everyone, Despite the fact that I have three years of professional teaching experience, I find myself running into issues of my (lack of an) age gap threatening my image as a professional. I am 24, and despite a Master's degree, I find myself in a half-dozen instances each semester of a younger student realizing they are chronologically older than me, and then it becomes a distraction to focus on the activity at hand and precious learning time lost. I make it a point to dress professionally every day, be organized and provide clear classroom goals, address every student like a mature individual, and avoid Facebook and MySpace like bad cases of H1N1. Other than dyeing my hair gray, any suggestions on how to avoid the "Age Question" without burning bridges to good student rapport?

I find that it is very helpful to list the even the most simple mistake as a reminder as well as listing some positive impact moments. It goes both ways.

I really like the idea of deducting points from late assignments gradually. I have found that the all or nothing method doesn't seem to work with students. This is a good way to put the work back into the students' hands and allows the instructor to take a step back from filtering some of the excuses.

I have had many students in the past that is the barer of the apples. I have learned from my experience to pretty much able to tell the true value of their complements and comments. Not always 100 percent, but close. With the apple polishers, I try to focus the complement back to the case in point of the real issue at hand, and then find a way to complement on a previouse that had been completed and expecting good results on the next.

This blew my mind in the online course material (I have to paraphrase, as the copy-past isn't working, but it'll be close enough): "He (the pronoun "he" is used as the Angry Student will always be a male) will..." Waaaaay, way off base. never mind the sexism in such a generalization, but my own experience alone debunks such a statement (yes, yes, anecdote does not equal evidence, but, c'mon...). The "ladies" can be just as angry as the "gentlemen", and, in this day as age, just as violent.

I have a background in performance and am, by my nature, somewhat laid-back. I have a sense of humor that shows through in everything that I do (and can, on rare occasions, get me in trouble). Thoughts from the discussion group on the use of humor in the classroom: does it help or hinder? Can public ridicule be an effective behavior/attitude modification technique? By being casual, do you enhance your accessibility or damage your credibility (or both)?

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A NERVOUS SPEAKER AND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I DECIDED TO TEACH. I KNOW THIS TAKE TIME TO OVERCOME ESPECIALLY FOR NEW INSTRUCTORS...HOWEVER, I AM LEARNING IF I DON'T MANAGE THE CLASS EFFECTIVELY, STUDENTS WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INSTRUCTOR. WHAT CAN I DO TO SPEAD UP THE (IDE)? -ALYCE

While I've long made a point of trying to put the course material in a professional-workplace context for my students, this statement phrases it so much more succinctly than I ever have. I plan to quote it. However, sometime it can be difficult to make this case. I teach foundation level courses; the material I teach is, indeed, the foundation upon which all their subsequent courses will build. But, just like it is nearly impossible to see the foundation of a completed, occupied building, so too can it be difficult to see foundation-level visual arts/design principles in completed, professional-level design work. They're there, they inform the work, but they're buried under level upon level of content, meaning, technique and personal style. How do you connect the dots between the basics and the much more advanced work so that the beginner can see the completed picture?

One thing I think we need to be careful of as instructors is to make sure we continually evaluate our methods of assessing student performance. In college I worked for a professor who had been using the same quizzes/tests/lecture notes for years, really for at least 15 years. This struck me then as lazy and now as in instructor I find it especially lazy. What a mistake! It is important to remember not every test or quiz or assignment we write is workable for the students and thus evaluation is key. I ask for student feedback and statistically look at grading patterns to make sure I am on the right track.

I have found that using a syllabus helps to keep the students aware of upcoming course activities. By reviewing it at the beginning of the course gives them a chance to have something to use to allow to them ask questions pertaining to the specific training and time line involved in the course;ie: What are tests based on, how are we graded, etc... I have also noticed that sometimes a syllabus can hinder some students education though. Due to a timely pre planned layout they sometimes feel that their not going to miss much if they miss a certain day within the syllabus, but unfortunately in my experience is not always the case.

When I first caught students who were plagiarizing papers/essays/reports I was distressed and angry. To me the concept of academic integrity is one every institution and instructor should emphasize. When I spoke to my students, I started to realize some of them, especially the younger students, really just didn't get what it meant to plagiarize. Saying "don't do it" is one thing. But showing them how not to do it is something else. In my English class I review not only the rules of citation, but also review various specific examples by giving them texts, papers, etc. and having them put them in their own words or cite them in class. I also review what is considered “general knowledge” and doesn’t need to be cited and things that do. I have found when I do this students have so many questions-that there is legitimate confusion. I see this as a generational issue because younger students’ access to technology and online research has been an educational constant, it is instant and represents even a different psychomotor process than the one I learned (checking out a book writing down notes, and handwriting your draft.) Of course, there are many other issues when it comes to plagiarism, but I have found this helps when it comes to papers, etc....

Frequently I teach classes near the end of our program. Thus, by this point the students are quite familiar with each other and student cliques have formed. Occasionally I have a class where the cliques are obvious from Day One and there is some real hostility between class members-based on events that happened long before they came to my class. I clearly address the expectations for class involvement and classroom respect; however I find these classes have significantly weaker participation and discussion. Thoughts? Techniques that others have tried?

As an instructor I continuously implement group activities as part of the learning process. By observing actions of students including the inattentive student during group involvement I focus on the behaviors.Feedback is most valuable to students especially to the inattentive student.I express that their innovative ideas are encouraged therefore; the student may become sincere about learning, increase their level of involvement, and develop a relationship among peers.