That is my experience too. I have had angry males and females. In most cases, the females were angrier because of what had happened to them in their lives and how they were treated. Believe me, women suffer greater injustices and are indeed very angry about the trauma.
Paricia and Scott, you are very correct. I have had some very angry women in my classes and cannot fathom how someone can make such a stupid statement. In fact, I think I have had more angry females than males, someone got this all wrong.
Hi Richard,
What a nice comment to give your students. At some point, we all become angry. You must control your anger.
Patricia
I also have to say that most of my "angry" students are female. I had to look twice at that in the material as well. I'm relieved to see I am not the only one.
Absolutely, My most angry student was a female. She was just angry at the world. Listening and not raising the voice seemed to help diffuse the situation, and of course,later, ended in an apology from her.
I have had several "angry women" in class. However, by asking them about themselves and to participate with groups, and be leader, we are able to change much of that character. Most of my students, however, are pretty engaging and great people to instruct.
Hi Steven,
In my 21-year tenure, the angry females definitely out weigh the angry males by a long shot.
Patricia
Hi Barbara,
You're right! Our type student has a lot of personal problems that they bring to school with them. I try to emphasize to my students that they have to learn how to separate personal from school/professional.
Patricia
Every angry student that I have had contact with have been female. I have found that by talking with the student that it is usually "life situations" that have made them frustrated and they use the instructors as an easy target. It seems by letting the student express their feeling they respect you more and feel you really care for them as a person. Many students have so much outside pressure they need a sounding board.
In my experience, I believe that I have had more angry female students than males students.
Hi Karl,
One is very generic in nature, and then you are not pointing fingers at any particular gender. Kind of like one size fits all.
Patricia
Who, me?
Not angry, simply calling attention to a point made in the course materials that does not reflect the facts as I, or any of the other discussion participants who've responded, have experienced them.
I'll quote this time:
"Many of these students can be described as "having a chip on their shoulder" rather than just plain "angry" (the pronoun "him" is being used here because hostile and angry students will almost exclusively be male). Your first strategy should be to let the student know that you recognize him..."
This isn't a matter of "PC" sensitivity to a careless use of a pronoun; it is a disputation of a point presented as fact.
We have a perfect example of an angry student. You handled the response well. It really is a shame that PC comes to the surface so often. I guess we could all throw away the pronouns he and she and start using one.
Hi Karen,
I've seen it, women can become very angry. I've seen more anger from women than men at my institution.
Patricia
Patricia,
So have I. On the few occasions I’ve had angry students, they were women.
Karen
Hi Scott,
You're right! Perhaps the pronoun should read he/she. I've seen some really angry women as well.
Patricia
