Annette, there will at times be the occasional student that feels their wants out way the needs of the classroom. As I have dug in at times I tend to discover there are deeper rooted reasons why a student is not attentive in class. Knowing your students well can be a great asset in achieving positive student outcomes. For some students they simply lash out or do not pay attention because they need a defense mechanism due to other factors that may not be totally apparent on the surface.
James Jackson
I have had experience with side conversations and phones being a disruption. As I move around the room, I move close to the student(s) having the conversation and it has worked. I have also used that technique with pausing and eye contact which has worked. To regain attention after an activity I've used humor like, "one, two, three eyes on me" and it has worked with everyone laughing as I comment, "can you tell I used to be a pre-school teacher?"
There was an incident where a student was rolling her eyes and having side-bar conversations. I moved closer to her as I spoke and then asked her a question relating to the presentation, she answered with a negative attitude. I stated, "well, I need focus so eveyone can receive the needed guidance in this area as it affects all in this classroom." She begrudgingly complied and I carried on with the presentation.
colby, a little silence can go a very long way and also allows for a potentially volatile situation to simply resolve itself. For those times when silence does not work it is good to be ready to take things to the next level but regardless you should always focus on the well being of the overall class. Thanks for sharing.
James Jackson
Ricardo, using smart phones in class is a common issue. There are several different replies to this issue and they range from incorporating smart phones into your lesson plans or not allowing them at all to be in sight of the instructor. Some institutions have had students sign agreements where instructors are authorized to confiscate the phones and students must pick them up from the Dean of Students or some form of administrator. I am in favor of finding some way of incorporating them into the lesson plan but each situation is different. Please let me know if you are able to make a difference with the techniques you have learned in this class. I am sure other readers would be interested in your results. Thanks for anything you can share.
James Jackson
I catch myself using the silence apporoach as well. I feel that by using non-verbal communication it gives them a sense of knowing what they are doing is wrong and correcting it.
I think one of the most recurring problem I have in the class is when the students use their phones, looking at them or texting. I had a student recently who would not leave her phone alone, always had it in her hand, I would ask her to put it down or put it away, sometimes she would put it down other times she would tell me she was looking something up to do with the class. To be honest not much seemed to have an affect on her, even taking away points from her. I think I will try the "see me at the end of class" approach I believe this has a more immediate affect on correcting the behavior.
Another thing I have learnt from this class is that it is okay to ask the student to leave the class when they are so disruptive to the rest of the students, it seems to make sense to remove them so they cannot continue to disrupt other students who really want to learn.
I've practiced similar methods and foound positive results. I find that when I approach a student who needs discipline, they respect me more and respond positively.
Allen, great post and the best policy is to always scorn in private and praise in public. You just never know how a situation will play out and some students feel the louder person will win in any argument so never give them the chance to be the louder person in a public setting.
James Jackson
Fedele, a little silence can go a long way and make a powerful statement. I sometimes include a statement to the tone of "anything you would like to add to our conversation?" and than really sits with them for a few weeks at least.
James Jackson
Daniel, policing the classroom is one of the harder parts of being an instructor. The good thing I see is you have your own experiences you can call upon which will allow you to control with some level of compassion and that from my perspective gives you a great advantage. Few students actually enjoy the process involved with learning but they do it because it is necessary to learn and achieve their goal of graduating and getting into a career. We as instructors are in a similar situation when we are asked to be outside our comfort zones with all the things that make teaching an actual job versus just talking about our passions and the subject matters we enjoy. It does get easier over time from my experience and just as we expect our students to stretch outside of their comfort zones, so will we as instructors need to stretch from time to time. Thanks for sharing and great post.
James Jackson
JODY, great comment and taking control by having a private conversation is the most professional process versus "having it out" with that student in front of their classmates.
James Jackson
Susan, what actions do you take day one of each group of new students to set the stage for your expectations and to inform students of the consequences of their failure to follow the rules? Just like in a real work environment there are consequences for lack of conformity so may be worth your time to create a lesson plan where you cover the rules and policies of the class and discuss what consequences students expect when they do not follow your rules. Also prepares them well for their first job or their next job in their new career.
James Jackson
I caught a student cheating on an exam once and quietly called him out on it. The situation quickly escalated to a verbal attack by the student out loud in front of the other students. So, from that I learned that it would have been better to pull this student away from the classroom to discuss the cheating.
I regularly use the 'silence' method when the need arises. I find the moment of quiet makes the student/s in question wonder why you are not talking and it also makes thier conversation seem louder, again making them realize something is amis and correction thier own behavior.
I have a lot of classroom management issues as I don't want to deal with them.
I have always had good attendance, because I address this immediately, talking to them, calling those who aren't in class on the first break, etc.
I have a big problem with students using their laptops (that they need for my computer-based classses) to look at unrelated websites like Facebook, etc. I have to walk around the class and call them on it with a look. It doesn't always work - I had one student who would not stop playing games, even after the meetings with the Director of Education. He isn't here anymore due to this ind of discipline problem.
I have my own attitude problem. I do not enjoy the police role. I was an undisciplined student myself in college except in my computer classes.
Many times i usually have one student who likes to get the class a little too lively which takes the focus off of the learning activity. I have found that pulling that student aside and speaking with them generally works well.
Well, sadly, I find that the main mistake I make in the classroom is not addressing minor behavioral issues every single time and in a timely fashion. I am a non-confrontational person by nature but I have to overcome this to keep the classroom humming along smoothly. This is something I have already been working on and I have seen results. If I never ignore any inappropriate behavior it really does minimize the likelihood of repeat behavior either by the same student or another student.It is good for me to reestablish my commitment to this goal via this course.
Zach, well stated and you are 100% correct, students will push boundaries until they fully understand what they can and cannot get away with. A good guide will have command of the classroom. Students will be obedient out of respect for the instructor and their fellow classmates. There will be at times a student or two that simply does not fear the consequences and in those rare cases you may need to solicit the help of your administrators and other members of the faculty. In over 20 years of teaching I have only had to remove two students from their programs so it can happen but should be a very rare event.
James Jackson
Leigh, first let me say such behavior should never be tolerated and the other students should never be exposed to such behavior. That said, we live in a time where mental health and awareness has become part of our daily lives as instructors. Some students act out improperly as such behavior is what they experience at home, they may not have role models to let them know such behavior is not appropriate. Handle each situation as its own, know each of your students and their personalities and always look out for the best interests of your students in your classroom and assist each one as best you can. Keep up the great work and I hope such situations are the exception and not the rule.
James Jackson
Shannon, well stated and setting the stage early has proven results. Students should never be surprised by the consequences of their actions. By discussing your classroom and institutional policies and the consequences associated with violating them you take care of so many potential issues up front. You also are preparing students for their career fields as they will need to understand how to follow rules to first get a job and then to keep it.
James Jackson
