Students falling asleep
I've tried different methods of teaching and introducing content, including breaking up the lesson into smaller chunks and relating it to life experiences etc. This is an important class and is a hands-on computer course. All my students in there seem to be doing well but one in particular constantly nods off during lecture and then when she needs help I give her advice and she says: "how do I do that"? Apparently she didn't listen and was sleeping. Long story short, I realize she may work a lot and not get enough sleep etc. but how does one try and magage a situation like this where breaking up the lecture etc. isn't working, even if for just one student? I want her to learn as well so I'd love to find some new methods to try without putting her on the spot or being mean. Any feedback on this?
Kimberly,
Circulating helps keep distracted minds stay focused, for sure. I'll also ask questions of students who seem to be distracted more frequently, and soon, they realize payiong attention diminishes the questioning.
Barry Westling
I agree I make it a point to never stand in one place in the classroom. The students who are most likely to goof around during class time sit closest to the door and the farthest from the instructor desk. I walk the room and when I stand in that general vacinity I notice there is no extra talking while I am lecturing. Just by me being close to them they act professionally and also they try to participate.
Hi Ziaul:
Keeping an active environment that interests students is a surefire method to keep students attention. The more the student feels they can relate to the subject and how it will benefit them, the less klikely we'll see students with the zzzzzzz's.
Regards, Barry
I personally used this technique and feel that it gives a good result.
Hi Beth:
Great idea. Something else that might work well is having discussions about the topic at hand.
Regards, Barry
Hi Robert:
One technique that may also work well is to have the instructor walk around while lecturing, bringing a closer physical proximity to the student.
This is not always a practical solution, and may not work for certain course work.
Regards, Barry
Hi Donna:
Another effective technique (if practical) may involve having dicussion sessions with the expectation that everyone participates.
Regards, Barry
Hi Diana:
Also, if practical, the instructor can walk around the room while lecturing which may help keep students awake - especially those that you are physically near to.
Regards, Barry
Hi Gilbert:
Excellent idea. Also, we can have the instructors move around class (if possible) while lecturing to increase their proximity to the students.
Regards, Barry
I have started being a walker in my classroom. I teach night classes and students falling asleep or laying their head down can be a problem. Now I walk around the room and lecture. I have seen an improvement since starting this practice. I also seem to engage the students more and we have better discussions as well.
Where I teach, the morning shift seems to have more sleepers. As soon as I see one slipping off, I get the student to get up and walk around.
Hi Michael:
I'm not sure what you mean by this. Are you suggesting we give students a lot of breaks to prevent them falling asleep? If so, then respectfully, I disagree.
There are many approaches we can use to re-engage a students attention during class, for example just walking around and being in closer proximity.
Regards, Barry
Hi Steve:
One suggestion if possible is to have the instructor move around the class when talking. Sometimes just putting yourself in closer proximity to the student can help re-engage their attention.
Regards, Barry
Hi David:
Sometimes, another effective trick is to have the instructor walk around the learning environment while presenting new information.
The presence of the instructor near the student is often times enough to make them wake up and pay attention.
Regards, Barry
I too try to do more hands on rather than lecture, or when I am lecturing I ask a lot of open ended questions that require the students to participate and shout out answers.
Perhaps walking around the class and having them break up into small groups to work on projects and/or material, could possibly keep the attention span greater.
Increase class participation by calling on students to answer questions, provide feedback, write responses on the board, etc.
I try to have more hands on activities, less lecture
Hi Pamela:
Something that might help is to assign parts of the instruction to students or student groups, and give some of the class time for work on a segment of the lesson. Then, they'kll present that to the whole class.
Some activity that students feel have meaning to them and keeps them busy will result in better participation, attention, and enjoyment.
Regards, Barry
