I find that some students are motivated by a point system. For example, if their phone goes off during class, they lose a certain number of professionalism point for the day.
This is good information. It is challenging when working with these students. I also try to find things that are a motivator for these students in addition to finding out why they decided to attend college.
Katie,
You separation of these two groups is something I have experienced in my classes as well. The disruptors are easier in one sense to deal with since they are trying to control the class and that can be stopped with the right strategies. The other group requires ongoing effort to get them engaged and seeing the value of what is being taught. A variety of activities like case studies and small group projects help to move them toward being a part of the class.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I think that this question might have been better served up in a two part question. There is a big difference between the "uninterested, unmotivated students" and the "disruptors".
The disruptors definitely need to be dealt with before there is an air of you loosing the class to their antics, but the "uninterested, unmotivated students" are different. Too many students just sit in class quietly and look as though they are there but don't do any work, don't ask questions, don't try to engage and then do poorly on exams. When asked why they didn't elude to their struggles - It's a shrug or an I don't know or I don't like asking for help.
Gail,
There are a number of different ways of handling this ongoing problem. In my classes I tell my students I want their phone to be put out of sight and not to be used while we are in class. If I see someone texting I stop and tell them to put the phone away. After a couple of class sessions I don't have a problem with phones being out because they have learned that I am consistent in my enforcement of no phone useage. As the course starts to enter the last third of the sessions the texting starts to become a problem again and I handle it with a couple of reminders and the problem goes away. The reminders are quickly done because I don't want to disrupt the class for something like this and I want the class to continue to move forward.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
My problem again is the texting during class? Do you have any suggestions?
Timothy,
I have these students as well. I try to do the best I can with them because I want to be able to reflect on my interaction with them and know I did the best I could in trying to help them further their education. I was their choice not to be a part of the class. I do not let them disrupt the class because no one has the right to disrupt the learning of others. If they will not follow the class rules then I remove them from the class. This always makes me sad but I do it for the good of those students that want to be there and are trying to create a career path for themselves.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
