Hi Beverlin,
Key is to get to the bottom of the problem, and try to help the student resolve the issue if at all possible.
Patricia
Hi Casey,
The instructor generally sets the tone. We should always use a very calming demeanor.
Patricia
Allow them to express their opinion but stay calm. Ask them to document their complaints. Do not let them get you flustered. Contact security if necessary and document the incident.
I find that taking on a relaxed and positive demeanor helps students to calm down. They also tend to mirror my reaction. I also ask students to think about the situation from a myriad of perspectives and then ask them to come up with ideas for solving the situation. This helps them to take responsibility for the situation and work to find rememdies rather than stew unproductively.
Whenever I am confronted with an angry student, I find out what the student is angry about and then ensure that I acknowledge their issue and stir them towards getting the assignments done.
Hello Dennis,
How do you handle students who are angry about their grade?
Patricia
Hi Dennis,
How do you handle students who are angry about their grades?
Patricia
Certainly when it comes to anger over grades it's evenly split from my experience.
The single most common reason for student anger is their grade on an assignment. Sometimes the root cause is they didn't understand the requirement, sometimes they just don't think they should have to meet the standard. I use fairly specific rubrics, but sometimes find improvement I can make in the rubrics for clarity sake.
Hi Guy,
If you feel this is beyond your scope. You need to get the Academic Dean involved. You should never put yourself in an uncomfortable or dangerous setting. I look forward to hearing from you.
Patricia
Well - I agree with everything here. I have an angry student that is a littel scarey, making the confrontation a very tricky thing. 2 - one being myself and the instructor from another class are going to pull him aside to try to see what is going on. I am not looking forward to it because I don't feel trained enough to deal with issues beyond my control. But we will find out the next time he comes to class. Keep your fingers crossed I will post my results of the 2 on 1.
Hi Christina,
Listening can be time consuming, but it is worth it. Your situation is proof of the worth of listening.
Patricia
Hello Rodney,
Once you have listened, and you can make the student see your perspective from a real world standpoint, this tends to be most effective.
Patricia
The first thing you should do is listen and let them vent. If appropriate, provide some feedback to why this is important in the real world and see if they understand. If they do great, if not have them write down their complaints to channel their energy and validate their concerns.
I have only had one big experience with an angry student. I listened to what he had to say and realized that his anger was not so much targeting me, but the work itself. He had a difficult time understanding the assignments. I worked with him and his skills improved. The process of listening, while time consuming, is certainly essential for helping a student to become successful.
Hello Robert,
Never react verbally. You have the solution, simply listen.
Patricia
I guess just listening. We talk a lot about how we care for our students, but when they are in a situation that makes them angry enough to bring it to school, then we need to put our money where our mouth is. Reacting verbally comes out as a challenge. Most people are angry because somebody didn't listen to them in the first place. Reacting verbally only makes them talk kouder.
Hello Corey,
I feel as though this is a generalized statement. I am not familiar of any studies done in this area.
Patricia
Hi Hanna,
How would you handle the angry student if the student was so angry he or she had to be handled during class?
Patricia
I try to listen to him but ask him to talk to me after class so that the anger doesn't carry over to the other students.
