How to handle Rude students?
Have a group of students who tend to be rude to the new kids on the block. Makes the class setting very cold for the students involved. How do you handle having rude,unfriendly and unwelcoming students in class. I am new at this and do not want to show partiality amongs the students.
AHA! changing seating. I'm new at teaching while I have put them in small groups to break up the routine I had not thought of new seating! Thank you
Hi Tammy,
When I talk with a student privately I discuss the situation and then ask for their cooperation in helping the class go better. This personal attention generally gets their cooperation. Sometimes if they act up a bit in class I can glance over at them and they settle back in. If that doesn't work I remove the student from the class. This may sound drastic but I cannot let one/two students disrupt the rest of the class because if I do they are running the class not me. I can't have them impairing the learning of other students.
Gary
I like that: praise in public, punish in private. When you talk to these students privately, what do you say? The student is bound to be defensive and could become angry and even more antagonistic in the classroom. Is there a way to diffuse the situation in some artful manner?
Hi Dawna,
Thank you for sharing this example of how an instructor's effort can pay off. You were able to play to the strengths of your students and then see the results. On those days when you wonder if it is worth it all and you get a surprise like you did you can answer "yes it is".
Gary
Even at the college level, it is amazing to see how the "social ones" gravitate to one another, while the "quiet ones" tend to sit together. My mixing groups, I do try to be considerate of learning style also, once I am made aware of it. A completely hyper student sitting right in the way of a student who needs more time to process or who needs accommodations won't work. Creating harmonious groups can be tricky. If I can enlist the dynamic student into a classroom role, you are right, it makes a huge difference. Making these students your ally early on in the class helps tremendously. I had a wonderful experience of actually having my "class shaker" quiet down the classroom when the transition from one activity to another wasn't quite so smooth. As a human, I was extra tired that day, and what a boost/reward that was to see my days and weeks of work pay off!
Do you offer Icebreakers in your class, so that everyone has a chance to meet and greet with others in the class? This helps me, especially during the first week of class.
Teaching tolerance and respect for others is a must. You must set the tone in your classroom and let your students know that under no certain terms, will that sort of behavior be tolerated in the classroom. Let them know the consequences will be for the unacceptable behavior. Part of your job is to maintain a safe and comfortable learning environment. This is not showing any partiality to any students. You are to address the group as a whole regarding this policy. But, you should also address the violators individually and let them know the seriousness of this matter. I hope this helps. Good luck to you.
I agree with this post. I also will pull disruptive students aside after class and speak to them about how their behavior affects others. This usually has a positive impact on future problems.
Hi Teresa,
Right you are. No one likes be embarrassed so if a student can stay within a group, much like mob behavior there can be problems but when isolated the problems become less pronounced. Also, don't be afraid to dismiss a student from class. No one has the right to destroy the learning of others because everyone has paid for the instruction they are receiving. If you have to remove a student then the other students will be more respective and focused on their learning.
Gary
I have found work to do for my rude students as well. What I have noticed is that their behavior takes on improvement. I am wondering if this is because now their behavior is diluted - the person is out there by him/herself and now is the focus of the scrutiny - so let's look at you.
I totally agree with changing seating arrangements, it gives the students a chance to meet everybody. It can also be a benificial tool to see who works best with each other, and to see if scores change for the better when certain people work together.
Hi Debra,
Good words of wisdom for students completing their education with you and getting ready to enter the field. Teamwork and the ability to work with diverse individuals are two essential ingredients for career success. Keep pushing them in these areas as they need all the skills they can develop in these areas.
Gary
This is a very good idea. It also helps with noise congestion. The noisy students usually tend to sit together in the back and can be very disruptive to the rest of the class.
I totally agree with you. I do the same thing. I am constantly changing seating. This helps each student get to know one another and realize they may end up having something in common with that other student that they seem to alienate. I also try to keep the disrupters busy too.
Teaching a class in the medical field, I remind the students that we are a team and if we don't work together then things will fall apart. I also remind them that "nurses shouldn't be eating their young". This has worked for me in the past. I also remind them that there will always be people that don't like us and that we don't like. That no one can make everyone like them, but part of being professional is being able to work with everyone in a manner that benefits all.
Excellent response. We should try to find out the cause of the behavior if at all possible. In any case, we must control our own behavior and establish classroom norms. What is the instructor doing that allows this unacceptable behavior to occur?
Faculty need to set expectations and role model the behavior that is appropriate, including being on time, setting firm standards, communicating clearly course and behavioral expectations, and treat all student with respect. They need to have a caring attitude, listen to the views of students, and make it clear that you as the instructor are committed to the students' learning.
We can also reference school policies on student conduct, remain professional and, if needed, speak to the rude individual privately after class.
**Point out how their rude behavior reflects poorly on them, and that you cannot allow that kind of behavior to continue. The rude student should be seated at the front of the class. Another way to perhaps minimize this tendency is to have students engage in activities that encourage them to get to know each other.
Agreed, and I had an extremely rude student last semester. Eventually I asked her to leave the class one day. I couldn't deal with her talking back.
I guess it all goes back to managing the classroom and having the students respect each other and the instructor, but it's not easy!
I think one of the hardest things to do in this situation is one of the best things you can do. I try to figure out what is causing the student to act rudely and work with that. I also try to remember the mantra "there is nothing personal going on here" because usually when you have a rude student it isn't about what is going on in the classroom. If it's so out of hand that you feel like you just cannot handle it, sometimes it's best to take a quick break and to address the student away from the rest of the group. It's so often something that can easily be handled if you just understand what the root of the problem is from the student's perspective.
this is the best method that i have come to know that had helped with all the class that's dealing with this same issue. You will have to work with people that you make like or dislike out in the real world
What a great idea...let them focus their negative energy into positive energy. It's a win-win-win: For the instructor, the "Ring Leaders" and the new students! The "Ring Leaders" can feel important and take some ownership in a productive way
