The Arrogant Adult Student
What are some strategies and tactics for dealing with the adult student who seemingly refuses to acknowledge the instructor's authority, etc. and knowledge of subject matter?
Hi Corey,
These type of students can certainly be a challenge. I normally have a good firm private conversation with these students, and I let them know that I will not tolerate their arrogance. They must be respectful, otherwise I will remove them from the class.
Patricia Scales
I agree. Dealing with adult students that are arrogant can really be annoying. I've found myself in a few of the situations as well. In some situations I've dealt with students who felt I was challenging their manhood and that wasn't the chase. They felt when I gave them instruction that I was belittling them but I explained to them that it was merely instructions that was needed to complete the task.
Hi Hans,
You have it! In order to get respect, you have to give respect.
Patricia Scales
As an instructor we show respect towards the students and it has to be clear to them that respect goes both ways.
Their was a student that chose not to respect this Instructor's decision to deny his request to repeat a teaching project from a former class to meet the requirements of this class. He showed up with the teaching project anyway. He attempted to explain that he thought that this group of students hadn't heard the topic so he thought it would be interesting for them. He was confronted tactfully. I provided him with a new topic and a new deadline. The student stated that he was prepared and ready to deliver. He delivered and basically stated in less than 5 minutes that his topic wasn't relevant to the group and that he had questions but didn't have the answers and that was it. He was asked to redo the project (final chance) and perform just for the instructor (to save his embarrassment). He complied the 3rd time. This student shared that he just thought the topic was dry, didn't take the time to prepare. Also complained that it took him 6 hours to prepare and that he resented the time he had to spend away from his family in order to complete college homework. He also acknowledged that he chose to go against my instructions. The student had 8 weeks to complete the teaching project and chose the unapproved topic. Was offered 1 to 2 weeks and provided a topic and a website to get him started and he chose 1 week and then was not prepared. By the second week he decided to comply with the requirements. It seemed to me that possibly arrogance of going against the Instructor's decision and possibly self-pity regarding the sacrifice he has to make in order to be committed to completing this nursing program led to his struggle to complete homework and project assignments.
I find that I am having this problem as well. I have a very small class, just 4 students, in the begining of the term, I told the students I wanted there to be class discussions. I did not excpect to have students be argumentive each time we have a discussion. One or two are very vocal with their opinions. I would not have a problem with this is if they were not so unreceptive to the concepts that we are discussing that are realities not passing fads.
I explain to my students that although we may be experienced in one area or another or think "we know it all" we can never learn too much...Learning never ends. Usually, the student behavior will begin to subside.
Hi John,
The instructor needs to have a firm conversation with this student and let them know how important it is to respect those of authority.
Patricia Scales
