I try to see what they like and see if I can find a comon ground to get the point across.
I am a younger instructor that is very close to many of my students age. I have the hardest time deaing wih the "Cetner Stage" students. I am the one usually trying to maintain the center stage so I can keep the class focused and moving
Hi Michael,
You do get some of those students that are there, simply because mom and dad said so. I generally have a heart-to-heart conversation with these unhappy students. The conversation tends to work on most of them. For some reason, these students need constant motivation/encouragement in order to retain them.
Patricia
Hi Timothy,
I've encountered this type of student as well. You normally have to nip that attitude in the bud immediately. These type students can be dangerous to your institution with their negativity.
Patricia
The student who is here because mom and dad said so. They are lost and confused, angry, sad and just want to get through the course. I sit and talk with them and ask what really makes them happy? Where do they see themselves in two years? How can they guide themselves through this class?
it seeme that its the angry students that I have most of. I hear alot of "I payed xxx amount of dollars to come to this school, I shouldnt have to......". We try to teach a level of proffesionalism along with the course matirial. these students fall short when you ask them to write down their complaint, and seem to quiet down when you direct them to the student services personell that can best help them with their problem as if it was not that big of a deal in the first place.
Hi Edward,
I have some of these students too. We play the rubberband game in my classes. Every student gets a rubber band the first day of the class that must be worn for the entire grading period. Every time a student says anything negative or whines, a students gets to pull their rubberband. This practice has cut the negativity, whining, complaining, etc. drastically.
Patricia
The most challenging students I've found are the ones who whine and complain about everything. Even when something is good they find something negative about it. These students can have a real negative effect on the rest of the class. This is just part of their personality and there is no changing it. What I do is try to be patient and chose my words very carefully. I try to set my best examole and try to help the rest of my students the best I can.
Hi Nicole,
Handle your students. Do not allow your students to control you. You must control your students. Simply, warn the talkers privately, professionally, yet firmly. If the talking continues, simply REMOVE them from the classroom. I am sure administration will back you. The serious students will appreciate you eliminating the problem so that they can better learn.
Patricia
The most challenging students are the ones who contantly talk during class with one another while I am trying to lecture. I am still working on ways to get their attention. I do tend to explain to them that the more quiet they are, the sooner we we get done with the material. It seems to work to a certain extent.
Hello Kenny,
Of course, you do not ever what to "Call them out" in class, but do speak privately. My favorite moto is, "A student does not care how much you know, until they know how much you care."
Patricia
The biggest thing with challenging students is NOT to single them out in front of the class,Yes hold them after have a nice fireside chat, Let them feel that you care about them and there career path.
Hi Ron,
As educators, sometimes we are wrong because we are only human. I have known people to doodle while lecture is taking place and do extremely well on assignments/tests. Sometimes the drawing, scribbling, doodling, etc. help the student to really concentrate when we as educators think they are in la-la land.
Patricia
I have had students that are not paying attention and seem to be in their own world.They may be drawing or coloring on one of the student handout pages. At the end of the day i felt that he/she did not get any of the subject matter, then they do good on test and lab assignments.I have been proven wrong on my first opinion of a student more than once.
Hi Dennis,
You should never have to stop every 10 minutes to accomodate a student. Not only is the interruption unfair/disrespectful to you, but most importantly it is unfair/disrepectful to the other students. The environment should always be conducive for learning.
Patricia
The most challenging students for me are the center stage students.
Foe the center stage types, it was a matter of think up things for them to do while I am trying to keep the lesson going. This is very difficult to do, it takes the course off track quickly and reduces your patience quickly, if you have to stop every 10 minutes to accomodate this person.
Hi Clayton,
Do not allow students to control you. You are to control them. Students will take advantage of you, and say and do whatever they want, if you do not put a stop to it. Take control, and let them know you are the instructor, and it does not matter what they think. You are the expert, and you know what's best for the students.
Patricia
I have only been an instructor for a year, but the students that have been the most challenging for me are those who say "this sucks" about everthing or think they only need to be doing hands on activity. It basically comes down to me seeing a bad attitude. My course is specific manufacturer training. All material is the same as what a Technician in this field would get. As an elective course, its difficult to understand why someone would opt for a class, pay extra money and have a bad attitude about the material presented. So what I try to do is when the student does not agree with whats presented or activity being done, I point out how what they are doing will help them succeed in this particular chosen field.
Hi Robin,
Every course I teach, I have a PowerPoint presentation that tells the purpose of the course, why the course needs to be taken, and the practical concepts that will be learned in the course. The presentation helps the students understand the importance of the course and how they will benefit from it.
Patricia
Some of the most challenging students have been students that did not want to be in the course because they felt it was of no value to their future or that that was an area that they would never work at. I usually tell them the story of my friend who felt the same as we went through classes many moons ago. He went to work at a gas station and when the price of gas went up the station closed. He went from one low paying job to the next until he finely decided that he had to go back and learn the material. Today he owns his own garage and is much happier.
