Rude Behaviors
How do you best address students whom bring food, drinks, bad attitudes and texting during class?
I sometimes address these issues by calling out the students directly. So if the cell phone rings, it is "Oh is this call important to you?" They get embarassed by that.
I confess I am not sure if this kind of joking around actually works however. I think it's just part of my personality and style... but I'm not sure what is more effective.
Hi Brandon,
Is it possible to pull the "know it all" students aside and talk with them individually about your concerns for their behavior in the class? You might want to assign them special projects where they can show off their "superior knowledge" in these projects. As a result of these projects these students generally start drawing back a bit and settling into the general course activities.
Gary
I have just started a class that has had some bad habits from there previous classes. When I started the class, I handed out the syllubus and went over in detail what the policy on food and drinks were in class and the policy of treating each other with respect. I have had to remind the students a couple times about drinks in class, but overall its been pretty good.
On the other hand with rude behavior, I am trying to adjust some of the students know it all attitudes or just plain rude attitudes to other students and me the instructor. We are just one week into the class and I intend to pull the troubled students aside and talk with them one on one. I feel I can talk with the students who are rude just fine. But the ones with the know it all attitude I am unsure how to approach with success?
Hi Jerri,
Good way to manage your classroom. One of my big issues is cell phones. They are not to be used in my class as well. I agree with you on the bad attitude issue. I work very hard to keep it to a minimum and don't let it become a part of class discussions. Once you let them start talking about something they don't like or start giving you attitude then it has to be handled, if not as we both know it will spread and infect the whole class.
Gary
The food, drinks, and cell phone policy is established on the first day of the term. Absolutely no cell phones are allowed to be on the students person, they must be stowed away and silenced. We take a 10 minute break hourly and the students are provided with the schools main line as an emergency number. Snacks and drinks with lids are allowed.
The bad attitude is somewhat of a more difficult matter.It is more difficult to manage behavior that is subjective or can be seen as percieved.Bad attitudes can be disruptive, esp when the classroom setting is small. i usually try to combat bad attitudes by complimenting the student on something good they have done or telling them i have noticed that they are working harder or anything I cant think to turn them around. I do try to be truthful in my effort.Usually, if you look hard enough, even your worst students have good characterists. Passive-aggressive behavior is not tolerated at all and I see it as disruptive and infectious. I tend to send students whom display this type behaviour to the Program Director.
As many others have stated, most students are willing to comply if the rules are clearly stated on the first day of class. When working with adult students, however, I think there is room for some compromise. For instance, if students are working full-time jobs and attending classes at night, it might be okay to allow food and drink in the classroom, otherwise when are they going to eat dinner? Also older students with families and children may need to keep their phones available. They can keep them on vibrate and leave the classroom if there is a call from a child, caregiver, etc.
You have to stick to your syllabus. Never back down or deliniate from it. Because if you do the students will it is nothing more that a piece of paper and you lose crediblility.
These issues are covered in the syllabus which is discussed during the first class session. If a student or students are violating rules, an announcement is made to the class regarding how I will proceed. If I have to pull an individual aside, that is a warning. Another infraction results in removal from the classroom for the remainder of the period. So far this approach has worked well for me!
Hi Laura,
How we have approached it with our college is we have a blanket policy about attendance and absence in conjunction with the H1N1 flu. The policy gives allowances for absences as a result of the flu that doesn't count against their perfect attendance. We have developed alternative assignments that can be used in lieu of in class assignments since we are close to the 20% absence rate for an epidemic.
If a student comes to school showing evidence of the flu we are to contact the office and the will come down and talk with the student about going home. To date this has been working. I think we are all working through how best to handle this.
Gary
I have had the same problem in my class. This is a problem I wouldn't have expected because our students are adults. One of my major concerns right now, are students comming to class when they are ill. Whether it be a cold or the H1N1 Flu, I really don't want to be exposed to them. I've requested they stay home when sick; however, many keep comming to class because their goal of perfect attendance is more important. How can I professionally address this?
Establishing the policies of the class room, lab, and institution should be accomplished during the orientation process. Covering the commonly violated policies prior to the beginning of each new class or phase should decrease the amount of problems.
I told my class that they can leave phones on vibrate, but you can only answer it if it your mother or your child.
Hi Melissa,
I really like your approach to the cell phone problem. I only guess at the surprise at the other end of the cell phone when the instructor answers the phone and tells the other party that the student isn't available at the present time but as the instructor you will be glad to take a message. It just makes me smile. No wonder the turn off the phones, which is just what you want. Simple effective policy.
Gary
Gretchen, phones seem to be an evil the start of each new quarter! I once sat in on a class with a fellow coworker. She actually had a little tuperware basket and collected phones the start of class. I didn't hear one comment from any of the students. They knew she meant business!
Personally, I do the exact same as you! If I know the person I have no problem calling them out but I do expect a hight level of professionalism in the classroom and its been a while that I have had to deal with this!
It depends on what level the student is. For brand new students I remind them of the policy and what my expectations are for the class. For texting, I take their phone if they cannot stay off it during class. For higher level students I may call them out on their behavior, if I know the student.
I agree that it is very important to address these concerns in your course syllabus the first day of class. Since I teach in a computer lab setting, it is very important that the students do not bring food and drink into the lab with them. It becomes a larger temptation because I teach a four hour long class. I do have to remind them occasionally, but usually after I tell them that one spill could ruin the expensive equipment they are using, the students are fine with waiting to eat and drink until break times.
When addressing my policy on cell phones, I told my students that I would answer their phones if they rang during class. They were all quick to turn their cell phones off before class started. I haven’t had a problem with cell phones at all this quarter.
Ha,ha. I had to laugh even though it's not funny. I do provide a policy in the class in the class syllabus. Even so, I still have to tell students to take their drink and food outside the classroom and put their phones away. Sometimes I tell them that I have been in trouble for students bringing in food and drink and they will put everything away. I think I will try to get phone numbers from students and text the ones texting to tell them to stop. Sometimes I just have to tell them to put their phones away.
Hi Regina,
From day one you set the rules and polices for the class. This stops the behaviors that you don't want in class. By making the rules clear when they are broken I stop and address the situation. As a result I don't have any of these problems in the classroom. The bad attitude students I talk with individually about how "we" can change the attitude situation. This generally solves the problem. If it doesn't then I let them know I will dismiss them from the class and in some cases I have. This sends a real clear message to all of the other students.
Gary
