When the student knows more than you....
I have a student in class whom consistently tries to "show me up" in class. He has a desire to be much smarter than the instructor...this is driving the other students insane. How can I stop this?
I try to use it as a learning tool for all involved
Not that I've really had any problems lately with a know-it-all, so to speak, but I think your suggestion is a novel idea and will keep in mind for the future.
I really love this idea! Thank you!
Dr Mears,
I liked your response. I feel that feedback is important to the student, because they may not know that they are being disruptive. I always try to give someone the benefit of the doubt. Documentation of this meeting is also very important. It allows you to proceed for further disciplinary actions, if needed.
Are you sure he's trying to "show you up" or is he just overly enthusiastic about what is being taught. He may not even be realizing he's causing a problem, but is just proud of his new opportunity.
To get to a suggestion I have used a method in the past that has worked well. At the beginning of class I pass out pasta pieces. (dried / uncooked and shaped.) Each student gets two peices. Those are their "tickets" to comments, stories, answering a question, etc. Once they have used their two pasta pieces for the day they must hold all remaining questions / comments until after lecture is completed. It helps on a number of levels. I don't have the same students dominating all of class time, we don't get "off topic" talking about other things, etc.
Hi Harold,
This is a great way to involve students and keep their interest high. The more involvement like this you can do with students the more invested they become in the course. Great plan, thanks for sharing it with us.
Gary
I would have to agree with Mister Walker. Now a days with almost all information being readily available online, students can be made to feel like they are an expert or know more then the instructor. In this case I would bring my experience to the lesson in which the student nine times out of ten has none.
If this does not work and I see the enthusiasm is strong, then I do not want to stifle that motivation. Instead, I would like to harness it. So in effect, I approach them about being a teacher assistant. This does three things in helping me teach. First, it helps me to gain a stronger understanding of the student. Second, because he feels he in a so called inner circle of learning, just a negative glance his or her way will curtail any disruptive action and third, if you have a big class, that student can help any other student who may be struggling outside of class.
Hi Sharion,
With such a student I first have a private conversation where I ask the student some questions about the approach he is taking in trying to show everyone how smart he is and how he has superior knowledge to myself. Often this conversation is enough to get such a student to back off. If not I then set up a system where I limit his ability to bring topics or discussions into the class so I in effect shut him off from the rest of the class. He starts to see that if he wants to have any role in the class he is going to have to work within the parameters that I have set up.
Lastly, if nothing else works and he is disrupting the learning of the other students I will remove him from the class. I know this is severe but I will not have a student ruin the learning opportunities of other students plus word gets around quickly that I will not tolerate such behavior.
Be sure to get the support of your administration and document everything you do in case there are questions later.
If you want to discuss this situation further please let me know and we can talk more.
Good luck with this situation.
Gary
What is the level of expertise that this student brings? Is he an expert in his field? Does he/she have a working knowledge? Is it only on the chapter?
Praise him for his added knowledge on the subject, and his wiliness to share, however, ask him to please refrain from class interruptions that do not pertain to classroom discussion regarding the textbook.
Tell him that you have an obligation to the other students and the college to meet certain standards and requirements by a certain deadlines and although you appreciate his belief that he has the most current information you are restricted to the information you have been provided.
Maybe you can make him in charge of a group project.
Good luck
