I have a good friend who is also a (much younger) colleague. Today she came to me with an issue she is having with a student. She said, "I have students who are so antagonistic. They roll their eyes at things I say. They will blurt out, "That is wrong" or "This is so useless. Why do we have to learn this?" I had her give me their names, but I didn't know them.
I told her, "That doesn't happen to me. I am teaching three classes this semester - 70 students in the three classes. I haven't had a single mean or rude thing said to me the whole semester by students." I can't figure out why our experiences in the same department would be so different.. I can think of precious few times when I have had rude students in my class. (My foray into teaching a gen ed class was certainly the exception to the nice students scenario.) I used to think that those who slept through class were telling me my class was boring. After inquiring if they were okay, I learned that usually their sleeping had nothing to do with me and everything to do with being sleep deprived.
It's a mystery. I do think that some people act like a victim - which only encourages more victimization. I remember one person putting it this way. A lamb who has been injured bleats because of their pain, but instead of bringing help, it tends to bring the wolves. I don't know what she is doing to bring on the wolves, but I do feel her pain.
1 comment:
I think it is also a matter of portraying confidence. It really helped me to be older when I started teaching - I never had to "prove" myself to my students. She could remind them that they signed up for the class, so obviously they are going to need it NOW!
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