A negative student
Having a negative student can bring down the morale for the entire class. Try to make things more upbeat, don't focus on the negativism, steer the class in a different direction.
The bad apple spoiling the bunch is proven for sure. I try to spin the negative feelings by pointing out positive sides to the negative comments.
Hi Jessica,
I concur! We should never let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch because I have seen where they can. Let's let everyone catch our positiveness.
Patricia
Negativity can be contagious. So getting control of the situation at the beginning is the best practice. Negativity can bring down the whole class, try being positive and up beat yourself, and hopefully the negative student will "catch" it!!
I agree as well. Try to make things a lot more upbeat and more cheery that they just can't stand it. Maybe they have to laugh at their nagativity and that will get them to turn around or give them a different outlook.
Hi Angela,
I certainly have seen where one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch. Negativity is contagious, therefore the instructor should nip it in the bud before it makes a good thing go bad.
Patricia
I agree a negative student can bring the morale of the class down if its a small class. I feel like if I have a larger class it wouldn't matter if one student is having a bad day or not if I can keep the other part of the class excited. By the time the other half of the class continue to do what it is they have to do it will start to make that negative student feel like they are not getting the attention they wanted. Sometimes that workm, sometimes it doesn't but after showing the negative student that it is not as bad as it seem they seem to come around.
I agree each student is unique in their own way they come from all different walks of life with all different problems. How ever I take the time with each and every student that comes through my class. I had one particular student she had a very rough background and felt she had to have that bad girl attitude all the time. It create an air in the class with the other students. The one day I pulled the young lady aside and told her of some of my bumps that I hit in the road of life and tried to help her to see that in order to reach her goal that she would have to chance her ways. I started out the conversation by pointing out all the positive things I saw in her. I assured her that I would do everything I could to help her stay on the straight and narrow but that I needed to see some positive changes. After nine months I am proud to say that I had the pleasure of teaching this young lady she made a 180 degree turn around and is out in the field working and doing a fine job. I feel that some of these students just need a positive person in their lives.
Adult students come from various walks of life. It is important to remember that there is no 'cookie cutter' student. at any time, a students' attitude can change from positive to negative. As instructors, we must be able to alter the behavior to a positive learning experience.
