Student with no respect
How do you manage a student that has no respect for you at all. Talks to you any type of way.
Richard,
I excited for you as you start this new career endeavor. I wish you much success with your students and I look forward to hearing good things from all your efforts.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Being a new instructor i have already run across this situation. I will use some of these helpful replies and see what types of changes/results occur. Stay tuned. Thank you.
Mo,
This is the approach I take with disruptive and disrespectful students as well. I will do all I can to support all of my students as long as they put forth effort and do not interfere with the learning of others. If they do interfere then I talk with them and if that does not help then I remove them from the class. My position is that no one has the right to disrupt the learning of another person.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I really agree with taking the supportive approach. Making sure that the class rules are clear up front and having a brief conversation about respect I found has been helpful. Also what I have found to be a powerful tool if a student continues to be disrespectful. Is to let them know that this is college and no one is forcing them to be here. Not only are you not required to be here but you are paying for this education so I ask them. What are trying to get out of this education? Sometimes the discussion of just dropping the class comes up or if they want to continue down the same path. They can receive a failing grade for the course.
Paula,
Thanks for sharing this example with us. With the tables turned they decided they were going to be students rather than challenges to the learning of others.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I asked them if they wanted to teach the whole lecture, or if I should. Kinda ended the whole attitude thing.
Roseanne,
I commend you for outlining your class standards and then upholding them. Developing the self discipline needed to be on time, get along with others and be competent in the field is a must. You are helping your students to achieve such.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
The first day I make sure tht there are expectaions of behavior. Respect, discipline and diplomacy are requirements on the job. Dealing with all types of people are part of job experiences. Some people will not be respected but the employee and the employer must remain respectful. After thius explanation does not result in the pehavior that is conducive to learning due to expression of disrespect, Ii use humor and assign jobs to the student being disruptive. I evaluate and talk to that student when behavior continues and document this. If further action has not brought relif,I bring it to the attention of supervisors and deal with the possibility of letting that student make hard choices about poor grades, dropping out etc.
I would suggest that you speak with that student one on one to see if you all can get a resolution for the problem. If this does not work. You may want to get with your DOE or Campus Director to get a third party involved. You do not want to bring that negativity to your classroom because this will definitely kill the morale in the classroom.
I think some students a just not mature enough to understand what respect is now a days. They think that they are entitled to get heat they can and that it will be cake for them to get their 4.0. I like to make sure that these students have to work for their grades. This is the best way to ensure that students respect you. Make them feel proud of their own accomplishments. Many times I feel they do not know what respect is, and by showing them respect for themselves through hard work, they learn about what it is.
Donna,
This is the way to handle something like this because it prevents the situation from getting out of hand and you losing control of the class. Also, this increases the respect your students have for you as the learning leader.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
On the very first class day I discuss with the students respect for their fellow classmates as well as me as their instructor. And if i ever feel that a student deviates from the respect I counsel them one on one and then write up an advisement with the expectations that they were given day one and if the actions are not corrected then they will be disciplined accordingly.
Oscar,
Good strategies to follow in dealing with a student like this. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I would also take a more supportive role in addressing the issue. I would address the class ground rules specified at the start of the class and if the student still refused to maintain respect for his/her fellow classmates, then I would arragange a private metting with the student to see what the real issues are. After that, the student and I would enter into an agreement as to what our next steps would be...Either dropping the class or being excused from the class and getting an failing grade. Either way the ball is in the students hands.
Sonya,
First I have going to have a conversation with that student and try to determine what the problem is with disrespect. Then seek to get the situation corrected. If that does not work I then remove the student from the class because he/she is disrupting the class and impacting the learning of other students. I take a firm stand on this because one of the components of my courses is the development of human interaction skills. If a student cannot or will not show respect for other classmates or the instructor then that student is not suitable for my field and should seek another learning venue.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
