Sleeping in class
Is sleeping in class disruptive or is it a way to tell me I'm boring. I used to ask the student to meet me after class to understand their "lack" of motivation, yet just got the normal response of "studying all night" Now after that I was a "live by the rules guy", I let the student sleep it off, they are paying for it.
John, another way to look at this situation is if students are sleeping then you as the instructor need to do a reality check and understand its not them, its us as instructors. The day of the lecture is dead and needs to be buried. Students need action and engagement and if the lesson plan is full of activity and action how can they be sleeping? If a student is sitting at their desk listening to us as instructors for more than 10 minutes something needs to change. More instructors need to get away from behind their lecture platform or desk and do more moving around the classroom and getting students more directly involved.
James Jackson
Keeping a few training aids in reserve at all times has helped me to combat the sleeping in class issue. When I notice a student that is beginning to nod off I will approach their table and set down a training aid that is relevant to the material being covered. When I set it down, I do so just forcefully enough to gain the attention of the sleeping student, but not so forcefully as to have my action be blatantly obvious.
Giving them something to put their hands on usually resets their attention span. Asking them about their familiarity with what we've been covering, and how that may relate to the test they'll be taking on the subject at hand, generally makes them realize they may be missing more than they thought.
I inevitably always have someone fall asleep in my class, and I've always spoken to them during a break to see what is going on and offer my assistance if they need anything or ask them what I can do to assure they stay awake in class.
I also have found that walking around, asking questions, and discussing subject matter will help keep students awake. I also like to use tone and volume influctions of my voice. A short quiz after the lesson will also encourage attention.
Dear James,
Thank you for the information! I have time this afternoon to spend some time looking through this!
Thank you for your input! I value your feedback tremendously!
LeJean Sommerville
LeJean, checkout Google Scholor and enter the search phrase "Research on Student Engagement and Persistence". You will find a great collection of research articles that will fit your specific interests. Good to see you are using information gained from conversations with your students to create an effective lesson plan for your students. Keep up the great work.
James Jackson
Some of my classes require PowerPoint presentations also.
I have found that by me moving around the classroom, asking questions and encouraging student discussion and additional breaks sleeping is reduced or eliminated.
Students in our school are typically married, working full and part time jobs as well as going to school. One thing I have found that is helpful is by setting my weeks lesson plans up so that I can give homework on Monday that is due the following Monday; this does seem to help. It allows the student to find time to get the work done and handed in without adding to an already long day. So far the classes like the idea and respond well. It does take more planning and coordination.
I have been encouraged to do more PowerPoint lectures. I like an engaged classroom--one that is full of discussions and topics.
I now encourage this in small group activities that invite students to share their opinions in the small group--not the classroom setting. I had students state that they were not comfortable with sharing in the "classroom" discussions. After two years of instruction, this was a bit of a surprise for me...since, I had not ever had this input before. However, with that information, I encourage students (on their own) to share whatever their experiences are in the classroom on a voluntary basis and in the small group activities, of course.
I teach Gen Ed--so it is full of delightful and incredible information from the students, the textbook and (I hope) from myself as a professional instructor. I attempt to utilize my past professional experience to add "additional information" to the content of the course.
I also hope to keep *all* of my students awake in class! :)
Should you have any input or additional feedback or "links" to help me, I would welcome them!
Thank you for your feedback!
Jeremy, PowerPoint slides can be a very effective tool in delivering a lesson plan we just suggest they not be the primary method of delivery. Few things are worse in the learning landscape today than an instructor standing in front of a classroom broadcasting information out to students. The classroom of today needs to be full of activity and energy and it sounds like you are doing that with your class. Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing.
James Jackson
We have Powerpoint presentations that are part of our curriculum and must be given. What I have found to be helpful is to maintain an active learning situation where I'm constantly asking students questions and using training aids for a hands-on learning approach that keeps the students awake and involved. It also helps me to relate parts of the lecture to my own personal experiences with stories that are relevant to the lesson. I do understand that some students have extreme schedules and do not sleep enough. I try to keep them motivated and remind them that school is their number one priority. But, I do agree that it can be difficult to deal with those sleepy students.
LeJean, are there other ways for you to deliver your message without using PowerPoint? Possibly look into more active methods of delivering your lesson plan and get students to move around and work collaboratively with each other as you guide them through the lesson objectives. Active learning will help to keep their attention spans much longer.
James Jackson
It is frustrating to have a student sleeping in class. One student would doze off during a power-point lecture. I discussed the issue with him in a respectful way and asked him why he was dozing off? He is normally extremely respectful, does well in class and it was "abnormal" for him to do this. I found out that for him to be in school, he had to work full-time at nights in an assisted living facility!
I gained a new awareness of his situation, and he understood my concern as well. He has done much better since we talked. I see him consciously making a decision to listen, learn and to be engaged in the lecture--even during power-points!
Michael, my question would be how they are able to sleep if the learning environment is engaging. I do not know what style you use in your classroom but I am sure you are aware the days of the sage on the stage and standing in front of a group of students issuing a lecture are long over. The focus now is go be the guide on the side and get students to interact with each other and with the course materials. I would find it hard for a student to sleep if all the other students are interacting around them.
James Jackson
