I teach early in the morning and I often have students not completely awake yet. When I see this happening, I will usually engage them directly with a question or task that gets them thinking about why we are there and what we are gaining from the experience. My classroom is almost completely hands on and this usually gets the creative and constructive juices flowing.
Hi Nathaniel.
I've been teaching for 12 years and have come across yawning outloud (quite disruptive) more than sleeping. Both are forms of disruptive class behavior and sets a poor example for other students and should not be allowed to continue. If this is a regular habit of the student, make sure you talk to them privately and explain that sleeping during class can result in a "0" or absence for the day (put this on your syllabus with school/course policies). Suggest they get more rest and show genuine concern for this behavior, but also give them a firm explanation of the consequences if the behavior continues (point deductions from participation grade, etc.).
Another suggestion is to make sure you vary the tone of your voice. Don't lecture in monotone! Walk around the room as you lecture, making sure you pass by this student so he/she knows you are taking note of who is listening. Giving a short "quiz" for participation points at the end of each lecture would help motivate the student to stay awake, perhaps? If all else fails, start humming the theme from "Rocky"! It's a great motivation theme for any classroom.
Seriously, I hope you can get some more good feedback on this topic, as it's always shocking to see a student nodding off, but keep in mind that it may be a sleep-disorder that needs treatment, such as narcolepsy. Always show sensitivity to the student and speak to them in private about the matter, rather than embarassing them in front of others. They most likely didn't realize they fell asleep and just need a firm but friendly reminder of classroom etiquette.
