I am fortunate to have my block at the end of the student's 6 months in the program. The class is considered advanced. Throughout the program I am able to observe future students as they navigate their schooling. I can spot who has difficulty and who does not. I do not allow that information to pigeon hole these students as either bad or good. I welcome the opportunity to teach the "student" that is either "unteachable" or "not very smart". Teaching would be easy if everyone was an A student. The difficult students are why we are educators. Every student deserves the opportunity to learn and is entitled to our full effort in their educational process.
Hi Blake,
I have come to realize that students are opinionated regardless. I like the stance you taking dealing with this issue.
Patricia
My most challenging is the center stage student. it doesn't work when you try ignoring them.You need to sit them down and explain to them you appreciate enthusiasm, but not when it causes disruption. I ask them to ask questions that are relevant to what is being discussed.
The most challenging students I have are the inattentive ones and the outspoken ones. I try to incorporate into my lessons a fair amount of group discussion. This seems to keep the inattentive students focused and allows the opinionated ones a forum to voice their opinion.
I work in an environment where most of our students have “Type A†personalities and are very opinionated. One of the strategies I use is to have another student explain the first student’s comment or answer the first student’s question, then I ask another student in class to provide an example.
Another phrase my students always hear is â€Why?â€, because the student must back up their position, instead of making open comments about a subject.
Hi James,
Have a firm serious talk one-on-one with each student and let them know about their distractions and the repercussions.
Patricia
I'm having a problem with a group consisting of recently graduated high school students. Many students in class have complained about the immature distractions they cause. Are they seeking attention wanting center stage, the product of today's high school culture or just immature? I've tried to take them seriously by encouraging and complimenting their efforts. I've decided to break them up putting each one in a different group.
My most challenging students are those who do not attend our Live Chats in the online classroom. It is difficult to get them to participate. More importantly, it is important for them to listen to the recorded chats via the archives. I have been successful in sending email reminders and invitations to the Live sessions. I also send emails to my students to remind them that the class was held and is available in the archives. This has afforded me more success than just mentioning it in the actual chats. The students need to listen to the chats to get the information. By bombarding them with emails, it seems to raise the success level of this initiative. The other challenge I have in the online learning environment is to get the students to attend at all. I send intervention emails of my own in addition to the "form" emails my director recommends I send weekly. The more individual attention I give to these students, the higher my success ratings and retention of these students in future classes.
Hi Shannon,
Great idea! This is certainly a way to get them to stay alert. I like standing beside and asking the inattentive student a question or two. They finally wake up and begin to pay attention.
Patricia
I like that idea, it puts all the students out in front street. Maybe the talkative ones will be less likely to talk out nmow that they are all sitting in front.
I find that inattentive students are the most challenging students. When doing group activities, I will assign "team leader" roles to the more inattentive students, so they know that their role is crucial to the team's success.
I believe the most challenging students are the inattentive students. I feel the most effective thing to do with these types of students is to call on them randomly, encouraging their participation. Also, placing them in groups of 3-4 people works as well.
The know it all student is the one I put in the first seat in front of the instructor. I find it is easier to control because the student is not being edged on by other students in the back of the class. Some student can be very disruptive in the back of the classroom but move them up front, and they can become the mouse of the class. If this does not work, I would pull them off to side at break time and let them know, this type of behavior is unacceptable.
The most challenging students for me are the know it all students who have been there and done that and wrote the textbook on it! I have to exercise extreme patience with them because they can throw the entire class discussion and lecture off with their consistent and repeated interruptions. I find it difficult sometimes to stay on track when they interject. I applaud student involvement but to a degree and I will call a student out who continuously gets the lecture off topic by asking first...Is your question relevant to the topic on the floor? If not, I simply ask them to wait until break and I would be happy to discuss that with you.
The most challenging students in my classes are student who are having trouble grasping the concept of what I am trying to teach. Instead of the student asking for a clearer understanding they act out. The most effective strategy I found effective is to talk to the student one on one to find out what his/her issues are in regards with being the "misbehaving student". Then I need to come up with a way to incorporated the issues into the lesson so te student does not feel like they are a target, but that they added suggestion to help to teach the class.
My most challenging students are the ones who are easily picking up the material and get impatient with the ones who do not. I try to engage them in the teaching, such as asking them to come to the front and work out a problem, but I cannot do that all the time or it would seem as though I am having them teach the class.
I have always struggled with people that don't talk much. you have no idea what they are thinking, etc. With students this is especially true and getting them to participate is literally like pulling teeth!
I have found that speaking to them one on one in a round table non threatening discussion helps find out where they are at.
I also set out the rules and guidelines at the beginning of each term and politely call them out if they are not adhereing to policy. Megan, You are late, but I'm glad you are here! Megan, please be quiet. Megan, please put your cell phone away. (fake name of course)
They understand that I have high standards, but they are also not going to be just any employee someday...they are training to be the best employees!
Hi Becky,
Make it known policies are not debateable. Students either follow them or else. If a student becomes disruptive/disrespectful remove them from your class.
Patricia
I have found the most challenging students the ones who are aggressive and attempt to challenge my authority in front of the whole class. I find it hard to keep my resolve when the whole class jumps on a bandwagon and attempts to wrangle over a class policy. I feel like I haven't figured out the best way to handle this, other than stating, "we aren't going to argue over this now, if you want to discuss this privately you can stay after class" Does anyone else have a better way of dealing with this?
I believe our most challenging students are those who believe they can gain all they need to know by coming to class and listening. They think they should be able to pass any quiz or examination with the one exposure.
I suggest having students list the most important elements or concepts from their reading and why they believe they are the most important. Also I ask students to write quiz/exam questions on the most important concepts. These test questions cannot be simple one word answer questions. They must have substance. Then the student must also answer the questions. The test questions are shared in class (as a game, review, or small group). Points are awarded for the best questions and correct answers. Students are also asked to examine why they thought the concepts they chose are the most important. Small groups can compile a list of the best questions from their small group. These test questions can also be used on quizzes or exams.
