Difficult Students
What is in your toolbox of techniques that helps you deal with difficult students so that their learning as well as the learning of their peers is not interrupted?
Chad,
well put & this helps show our students that we do care about them & their whole life.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Chad,
well put & this helps show our students that we do care about them & their whole life.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
In my expeirence's I have found the the distraction is often times always associated with something ouside of class. I always remind my students that this is a place where they can focus on them and their goals and try to leave those distractions at the door. I do understand this can be difficult at times but keeping them engaged certainly helps.
Dave,
often this is the case. They are ahead of the rest & so become bored; these extra assignments/projects often help them stay focused.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
In my experience, difficult students are typically bored. I assign them additional projects and praise them for their work. This makes them feel like part of the team.
I will keep calling on that student and open up a discussion wih him/her while hitting the main objectives of the lesson for the class to hear.
I usually assign a student I precieve as a problem special tasks in lab that are subject related. Since they somrtimes missed important subject matter while being disruptive.
I find that most difficult students are bored. I have developed additional learning materials for them. I also like to assign them additional lab projects to keep them busy.
If you have difficult students depends whether or not they are disruptive or not. For the disruptive personnel, I usually will separate them and give them a warning. If they are bored and looking for something to do. I will give them a project or ask them are they done with their projects. If not, let them work on them quietly. Very disruptive, I will talk with them out in the passageway, away from their piers.
Disruptive students are my biggest challenge. I try to have them be more involved during the lecture and have them help with the demo's when i need someone during demo's.Having there attention is the key to keeping them with the class in a positive way.
I agree - maintain your composure, don't let a difficult student "frazzle" you because you lose your credibility if that happens.
Hello All,
When I deal with difficult students, I probably don't take the correct approach. Though I don't wish to embarrass them, though some may deserve it, or even kick them out of class, which I've done in extreme cases, is to ask them questions about the situation at hand. I guess a person causing trouble is simply wanting my attention or someone else's. Also, he/she may be seeking validation by his/her fellow classmates. Sometimes, giving a break to releive stress really makes a difference. I teach many classes that are nearly 3 hours long at a ground campus in the evenings. Students are tired, hungry, thirsty and just don't have the disposition to learn. So, a break sometimes makes a huge difference.
In Electrical I find students that are difficult or disruptive are in one of two groups. One,think they know the material and are bored. Two,are completely lost and hope there actions will fool others in seeing that they are lost. The way i try to handle this is assign extra material to the bored student that will challenge him/her,but not embarrace yhem also if there attitude is good have them assist students that are haveing problems. The lost student i may have a one on one and find a way to motivate them are sugest study guides.
first find out why they dont have buy in and adjust so the learning activity is is diected closer to thier needs or challenge. you can only go so far so they have to adjust also. but involving them in thier education directly usually helps.
First thing is try to find out what is wrong.The situation will depend on how you help them to change their mood to better help them stay focussed on the task at hand.trying to lighten the mood with comedy when the student is having to deal with a very difficult situation is not the best idea.So every situation is different.
Their seems to always be something behind the behavior problems that a student may have. I seem to have more success when I let the student know that he belongs to the class and he is needed. A lot of the times I will find a job or function for him to perform and then thank him for his/her help.
Above all maintain your composure. Deal with the student one on one, not in the classroom infront of his peers. Do not let it get personal, enlist the help of somebody with more authority.
Dealing with a difficult student is pretty much a case-by-case basis. You have to determine if this is their nature to be disruptive or is there an underlying problem that they're dealing with at that moment. I have found out what works best with a difficult student is to have a private conversation with them. And then
give them how they're disrupting the class. Also to come to an agreement so this behavior doesn't continue on.
The course I teach covers Customer Service/Relations and we talk about how there is a small percentage of customers out there that they are going to have to deal with that will be impossible to satisfy. Some customers get satisfaction at making your life miserable.
When teaching students you are going to deal with the same problem.
When you are confronted with a student who is negative to what is being presented or is negative towards the outcome of an assignment we must try to understand and be compassionate to their issues.
Students and customers usually have something that is making them be difficult. We need to try to redirect their negative actions and comments to positive ones.
If possible get the student away from the group so you can talk to them one-on-one. You need to keep your cool and remain calm. Don’t argue with the student and don’t take their criticism personally. Listen with empathy and for facts when dealing with the student.
For those who do not know what empathy is it is the projection of one’s own personality into the personality of another in order to understand them better; the ability to share in another’s emotions or feelings.
By combining compassion and authority in this way can really defuse the entire situation.
