Quincy is moving along a bit ahead of schedule. I managed three episodes last week instead of two--two of them being early in the week and one on Saturday--and I have already something "mostly done" for this Thursday and Saturday. A character or two from Quincy's past will soon be resurfacing.
I gave quizzes the week before last--which explained why I was so busy last week. Grading quizzes, especially essay quizzes, has to be the worst job-related activity that I can imagine. Anyhoo, as expected, many students didn't study, a fact that is exposed by the essay format more than any other format. No guessing! No hoping that circling D will be the right answer! That's right, kids, it's your brain, your pen, and a blank page.
Good luck with that.
After the first quiz, the morale in all of my classes always takes a (massive) hit. Early expectations of great success are squashed elephant-meets-cockroach style. What matters to me is how the students take it. I'm fine with these reactions:
1. Pouting silently
2. Begging for an easier test, and then pouting silently
3. Complaining about fairness, and then pouting silently
They can hate me secretly all they like. Being a university teacher is not the job description for a person who values being liked. No, the only reaction that bothers me are the ones who opt for choice #4:
4. Slump in their chairs, make wiseass remarks, talk constantly, and otherwise distract the class
Yes, some of these university students act like junior high kids. When that happens, I notice it once, and then I plan the part of class that I like to call "The Showdown." The showdown only happens once a semester, if at all.
Because for some reason, these kids don't think that I'm going to call them on their bullshit. Maybe it's because I choose to be polite most of the time.
Anyway, my usual method involves me asking them lots of questions.
Q: Why are you talking?
A: Who?
Q: You. Why are you talking?
A (silence).
Q: You are aware that some students are trying to pay attention?
A (silence).
Q: And that their first language is Arabic?
A: Yes.
Q: And that when you speak in Arabic, they hear Arabic. They hear you. They can't hear me. Are you aware of that?
A: I'll be quiet (or something like that).
Q: Do you realize that many students want you to shut up, but they are too nice to say that to you?
A: (silence).
Q: By talking, you are announcing to the class that they should listen to you instead of me. Do you see that?
A: (silence).
Q: You are announcing, "I am more important than everyone else here." You are saying, "I am more important than this class. I am more important than every student in this class."
A: (wanting it desperately to end).
Q: Is it true? Are you more important than everyone here?
A: (silence).
So, that strategy always works. Or I just go with Option B. Option B involves me telling them to leave and to never come back. They apologize after class, and I invite them to return to the next class.
Extending the moment for a couple of minutes, with long pauses, leaves the students with a memory. And throughout I make sure not to raise my voice. I just allow for a long silence before I ask the next question. Anyhoo, after the Showdown, student behavior tends to be pretty good.
Outplayed, bitch.
I gave quizzes the week before last--which explained why I was so busy last week. Grading quizzes, especially essay quizzes, has to be the worst job-related activity that I can imagine. Anyhoo, as expected, many students didn't study, a fact that is exposed by the essay format more than any other format. No guessing! No hoping that circling D will be the right answer! That's right, kids, it's your brain, your pen, and a blank page.
Good luck with that.
After the first quiz, the morale in all of my classes always takes a (massive) hit. Early expectations of great success are squashed elephant-meets-cockroach style. What matters to me is how the students take it. I'm fine with these reactions:
1. Pouting silently
2. Begging for an easier test, and then pouting silently
3. Complaining about fairness, and then pouting silently
They can hate me secretly all they like. Being a university teacher is not the job description for a person who values being liked. No, the only reaction that bothers me are the ones who opt for choice #4:
4. Slump in their chairs, make wiseass remarks, talk constantly, and otherwise distract the class
Yes, some of these university students act like junior high kids. When that happens, I notice it once, and then I plan the part of class that I like to call "The Showdown." The showdown only happens once a semester, if at all.
Because for some reason, these kids don't think that I'm going to call them on their bullshit. Maybe it's because I choose to be polite most of the time.
Anyway, my usual method involves me asking them lots of questions.
Q: Why are you talking?
A: Who?
Q: You. Why are you talking?
A (silence).
Q: You are aware that some students are trying to pay attention?
A (silence).
Q: And that their first language is Arabic?
A: Yes.
Q: And that when you speak in Arabic, they hear Arabic. They hear you. They can't hear me. Are you aware of that?
A: I'll be quiet (or something like that).
Q: Do you realize that many students want you to shut up, but they are too nice to say that to you?
A: (silence).
Q: By talking, you are announcing to the class that they should listen to you instead of me. Do you see that?
A: (silence).
Q: You are announcing, "I am more important than everyone else here." You are saying, "I am more important than this class. I am more important than every student in this class."
A: (wanting it desperately to end).
Q: Is it true? Are you more important than everyone here?
A: (silence).
So, that strategy always works. Or I just go with Option B. Option B involves me telling them to leave and to never come back. They apologize after class, and I invite them to return to the next class.
Extending the moment for a couple of minutes, with long pauses, leaves the students with a memory. And throughout I make sure not to raise my voice. I just allow for a long silence before I ask the next question. Anyhoo, after the Showdown, student behavior tends to be pretty good.
Outplayed, bitch.
You won a bracelet in class management.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had prof's like you back when I had, like, profs
ReplyDeleteI haven't had to use the Socratic Method of Embarrassment yet this semester, so I'm crossing my fingers.
ReplyDelete