I find the most challenging students to be those who have given up on the power of education.
Many of them are there because of the economy = “downsized,†“outsourced," or simply “laid off.â€
It’s not the wonder of learning, but the necessities of existence that bring them through the door.
And, unfortunately, some are terrified that the cycle will just repeat it-self again in time, and they might be right back here in the future.
The most challenging students have been the 20 year olds who don't really appreciate school yet.
The boys normally think they know it all, so they won't study.
To prevent disruptive behavior, I hand them a grading scale for each day's behavior. 10 points if they follow along with the hands-on, pay attention, have read their assignment for the day, and participate. It goes all the way to 0 points if they use their cell phone, goof off on the web, talk, sleep, follow someone else's screen, etc.
This has kept the behavior in check.
Hi Beverly,
Great idea as to how to bring about separation. Sometimes I teach from the back of the class, my back then becomes my front. Great way to keep your students on top of things.
Patricia
My most challenging students are those who sit at the back of the room and don't pay attention to the subject matter. I try to involve the students in discussions so that they need to be alert to the subject, not knowing when they might be called upon. In some situations, if the behavior continues, I give assigned seats to separate them.
Hi Yvette,
Just remember to utilize what you've learned from this course.
Patricia
My most challenging students are younger students without a background in medicine.They are ready to give up,they don't see their way to the end of the course.The strategies I found to be most effective are based in telling to them my own experience and I frequently invite graduated students to tell their story.These are working quite well.I use different tools to encourage them.One I found very useful is also telling them , they will be a key factor in saving the other people lives.
again I have not the opportunity to teach on my own yet so I would just have to wait and see.
I agree that it should be stressed that this is what it is like in the working world and deadlines must be met. The younge students seem to have the most excuses as to why assignments are late.
My most challenging students are the ones who make the most excuses on why their work is not completed on time. Simply talking to them about why it is important has been the most effective.
Craig Couillard
Hi Raymond,
The observer method is very effective. Try it you will continue to use it.
Patricia
Hi Nia,
I use the same approach. I tell the student it is a good question, however I would like to entertain the question once we cover that topic or to see me at break if it is something that we will never cover. I try my best not to discourage the student from asking questions.
Patricia
Hi Paul,
You really have to watch this type of student. These students are hard to deal with because they will not readily ask for assistance. You have to be very forward with them and mention, please let me help you; I see that you are struggling.
Patricia
Hi Graham,
What a good way to put these students to great use. Patience certainly is a virture in the restaurant business.
Patricia
I teach a pastry class in a program where most students are more interested in the culinary aspect. Sometimes I have students who are very resistant to learning anything about pastry. For these students, I try to show them that even though pastry might not be their primary focus, being well-rounded is definitely in their best interest. I share stories of former students who told me how they were unexpectedly called upon to make a wedding cake or a sugar sculpture, and how their value to their employers dramatically increased after demonstrating these skills. Overall, I try to spotlight the "what's in it for me" aspect of pastry.
My most challenging students are the ones who want to be labeled as the smartest student in the class. I love questions from students and never want to set an enviorment where students do not want to ask questions. I do have students who ask such off the wall questions to appear smarter than everyone else. This is challenging to me because I welcome all questions related to the discussion but I do not want other student to be confused by the one asking. I try my best to gently suggest that we discuss that topic later. It seems to work ok, but I am up for other suggestions.
Hi Patricia,
I have a challenging student currently who I was SO looking forward to never seeing again, only to notice he is on my next session's roster. :( He is a very unstable individual who tells grand stories that often times are so outrageous that the lie factor is embarrassingly transparent (i.e. claims to be a millionaire one class and informs me he applied for a job at Macy's then next). He LOVES to interject his experiences and opinion into everything and even when doing group work, he has to talk VERY loudly so everyone can hear him. Despite my outside-of-class conferences reminding him that sometimes he needs to be respectful of other students' opinions (as he's offended more than one student in the past), he remains the same. It is a constant struggle as the student, I do believe, really wants to succeed and has a good enough heart. He always blames his problems on his ADD diagnosis. He says "I can't help that I burst out with my thoughts, I have ADD. I can't help that I am loud and distracting, I have ADD. It's not my fault." He is a 30 year old man though and I want to tell him that my sister also had adult ADD and still understand social norms and proper classroom or work etiquette. I am thinking for my next class of limiting class discussions and being a bit more strict in my participation grades. I know if he's deducted for outbursts or offensive comments, and I explain how this doesn't lead to effective participation in the classroom, then he may limit his behaviors. We shall see. :) I also considering the "use-it-wisely" cards but I imagine he'll see right through those.
Difficult students have had problems in other classes, I hear about them.
Some problems are obvious and I wonder how they got this far; the unprepared, the blamers and, frankly, the lazy. Others have been defeated or defeat themselves.
They all seem to respond to a little personal attention. If I can assign them a task that shows a little confidance in their ability, they seem to re-energize and try a little harder in class.
The attention grabbers I personally have a little problem with, I seem to play into their hand at times. Giving them a responsibility such as supervisor or assistant usually helps.
The bored students make great tutors and lab assistants. If they are so smart then they can help you train the great unwashed.
The most challenging students I often encounter are actually some of the most knowledgeable and skilled ones. They have a tendency to try and bully other students in a practical restaurant classroom. Beyond this, they tend to be overly critical of other students as well as the instructor. I find that encouraging them to be peer mentors puts them in a position to have to learn patience.
a real challenge student is one who is not a dicipline problem , very quiet but academicaly challenged. these students generally don't make their need for help known. When these are in my class, observation and encouragement are a way to build confidence, as this is often the issue.
Hi, Danielle,
I surely understand the use of the "minute-after for-each-minute-wasted" plan. However you may find that adult learners who have a schedule to meet will get impatient with the culprits, but impatient with the instructor as well for the impact this has on their schedules. They may argue that you're punishing them for someone else's infraction, and you may find yourself backtracking. I now try not to take any position from which I may have to back away once cooler heads perevail. --Gary O. Ackerman
