I teach at a major university and at a community college. In both places, most of my students are wonderful. I really do love teaching. But, in both places, the classroom atmosphere suffers because of some basic impoliteness on the part of a few students. I like to think that maybe they don't know how to behave. Here's some things that students have done:
- forget to turn the cell phone off. Phone rings in class.
- A couple of students have answered the phone in class!
- Texting. Huge problem.
- Doing crossword puzzles in between exercises.
- Insisting on an explanation in the middle of a lesson (the explanation is coming -- my lesson is building up to it)
- Cursing "Oh shit" when I ask a question and they don't know the answer.
- Pounding on the desk and saying the F word during an exam/quiz.
- Calling out the answers to a listening exercise during a quiz.
- lying -- totally ridiculous lies because of missed classes.
- Assuming that I will give a make-up exam on my own time, regardless of the fact that the syllabus explicitly states that there are no make-up exams.
- Doing homework during class.
I have had to get really strict about excuses that I will accept, and I always start the semester with a talk about cell phones, etc... but the cell phone problem in particular just seems to get worse (perhaps because more people have cell phones). I think the problem is that I don't want to call out adults for misbehavior. It feels ridiculous. Some of my students are older than me. I shouldn't have to tell them not to curse in class.
Any thoughts?
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4 comments:
I'm doing what I can on the elementary level! I've had kids do at least five of those things... fifth graders though. I like to remind kids that I'm not on TV and that I can SEE them and they need to be responsible. If you had nose picking instead of saying the F word, or asking how to spell words on a spelling test, you'd have my fifth grade class.
1. You mean mumbling F### under my breath in class isn't ok? ha..that's a funny one.
2. If it is a good student who gets straight As who is doing hmwk during class or doing crossword puzzles, maybe they are too smart for the class and need something to keep them occupied. If they are not getting straight As..they probably shouldn't be doing those things...but i'm not surprised.
3. Call them out. If someone does an absurd thing in class, or anywhere, you can call them out. I had this friend once who told another friend to "sit on the ground" in a stern voice...that would require a calling out in most circumstances, but not the one in which it happened. In any other circumstance, I may have called that out. :)
Stacey -- you crack me up. I'm so glad my students don't pick their noses. That, at least, is something.
biggestcampmomcamper -- I know who you are! It took me a while to figure out b/c I'm brain dead...
Unfortunately, there was more of the same yesterday in class. Including a student who told me I could call her grandmother to check her (unexcused) excuse.
My dad says I should take points off for foul language. I think I will set the bar very clearly for the next class. Foul language = must leave class = receive an absence. What do you think?
That sounds like a great idea! Seriously, it's your room, your class, your rules. If they can't handle all that then why are they there? Get out, get an absence, rack up enough of them and lose your credit. Follow the rules next time or find some other prof to take it from. I think you are right to establish and hold fast to your rules. These are supposed to be adults here...as a SAHM who used to teach HS, I get what you're talking about! Sometimes I would excuse HSers behavior b/c they were not quite adults, but they always wanted to be treated as such, so why not hold them to those standards? Good luck!
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