Professor lives the dream

[Goliath]

CNN has posted a video of a professor doing something that most academics only dream of doing, here.

It's a good thing that most of us only fantasize about doing things like this--had I been the one who succumbed to this impulse, I likely would have missed this guy, hit the student behind him in the eye, and gotten sued.

Indeed, I've often wondered exactly how to deal with students like this. If push came to shove, and they refused to respect my authori-tah, I could probably call campus security and have them removed by force.

Any suggestions?

 

[Nardpuncher]

The video keeps changing to one about that book about the Lost Boys.

I'll try and find the video somewhere else...in the meantime, it seems to be a vid of a student acting up. By the time you get to college/university there's likely be 4 or 5 students in the class that would tell the offender to shut up.
I don't remember any student vs professor rivalry at my university...I mean not in the high school way.

 

[StolenThunder]

CNN's video is quite frustrating in that it doesn't link very well - but typing class clown in the search box brings it up.

I had teachers who did that sort of thing. We gave as good as we got.

 

[DarkHelmet]

That was awesome!

 

[Jadzia]

I've often wondered exactly how to deal with students like this. If push came to shove, and they refused to respect my authori-tah, I could probably call campus security and have them removed by force.

Any suggestions?

I think that by walking up close to the person and asking them to cut it out, it will draw the attention of the whole class since the lecturer rarely moves from the front. Everyone would know exactly who was being addressed.

The fact that he'd be getting glances from everyone for the next few minutes would surely make him self conscious enough to not continue.

 

[Goliath]

^I have done that, and it works for most of them, but not all.

In one case, I had a student answer his cellular phone, and start up a conversation right in the front row. I stopped lecturing and walked over to him, standing there disapprovingly, but he still didn't stop--though he did seem to rush things along a little.

I was really wondering what to do if something like that doesn't work.

 

[Goliath]

The video keeps changing to one about that book about the Lost Boys.

It works fine for me.

To be fair, most of my students are very well-behaved, and will even sit still when my lectures run over time. In fact, I have apologized for doing just that, and complimented them on their stick-to-it-iveness.

 

[Cakes488]

CNN's video is quite frustrating in that it doesn't link very well - but typing class clown in the search box brings it up.

I had teachers who did that sort of thing. We gave as good as we got.

^I have done that, and it works for most of them, not all.

In one case, I had a student answer his cellular phone, and start up a conversation right in the front row. I stopped lecturing and walked over to him, standing there disapprovingly, but he still didn't stop--though he did seem to rush things along a little.

I was really wondering what to do if something like that doesn't work.

Can't you throw him out of class? That's what I would of done. That is downright disrepectful...and to continue talking on the phone while the professor is in your face and staring at you with disapproval is outrageous.

 

[Goliath]

Can't you throw him out of class? That's what I would of done. That is downright disrepectful...and to continue talking on the phone while the professor is in your face and staring at you with disapproval is outrageous.

Welcome to the modern classroom.

I'm honestly not sure how far my authority extends. I really should ask someone.

I'm pretty sure, for example, that I can order a student to leave the class. But what if they just sit there and say, "no"? I'm pretty sure I can't physically throw them out--that sounds like a job for campus security. And in any case, in today's highly litigious culture, I wouldn't even try.

 

[Jadzia]

Can't you throw him out of class? That's what I would of done. That is downright disrepectful...and to continue talking on the phone while the professor is in your face and staring at you with disapproval is outrageous.

The thing about universities, is that they're not like schools. A school teacher might get away with man-handling an unruly pupil out of the classroom, but in a university it just wouldn't be appropriate, because they're adults and there is that level of social equality.

Also, lectures are unlike school classes in that they are one-shot things. A school class can be given again or rescheduled if it goes awry. Whereas a messed up lecture is unlikely to be repeated. That can mess up the whole syllabus, and possible mean changing exam questions.

Asking a student to not do something doesn't mean it is going to be obeyed. Adults are more likely to be defiant than children. If that's the case, then you're at a loss.

1. You can try to make the person feel uncomfortable, and hope to control them that way. This is a good method if it works.

2. You can ignore them. Sometimes this is for the best to minimize the overall disruption.

3. You can shout at them, which is not always a good option because the lecture is then ruined with everyone being unsettled/excited.

4. If you decide you have no other option but to be forceful, then you'd have to go through proper protocols, inviting security to have them removed.

After any significant incident, it would be wise to inform the student's supervisor, who may review what happened, may add a note to the student's permanent report, and may consider whether that person is cut out for university.

 

[Cakes488]

^ I can't imagine that the professor/teacher lacks the authority to throw them out of class. I'd also give them a nice fat zero to average in with their final grade. Right in the beginning of the year I would lay out what is and what isn't tolerated in my classroom. If you deviate from this model than there will be consequenses....I don't give a rat's rump if you fail because of it. If I was having a problem with a particular student I'd take it to the dean or whomever...but I could not put up with some punk ass kid undermining my authority.

 

[Cakes488]

Can't you throw him out of class? That's what I would of done. That is downright disrepectful...and to continue talking on the phone while the professor is in your face and staring at you with disapproval is outrageous.

The thing about universities, is that they're not like schools. A school teacher might get away with man-handling an unruly pupil out of the classroom, but in a university it just wouldn't be appropriate, because they're adults and there is that level of social equality.

Also, lectures are unlike school classes in that they are one-shot things. A school class can be given again or rescheduled if it goes awry. Whereas a messed up lecture is unlikely to be repeated. That can mess up the whole syllabus, and possible mean changing exam questions.

Asking a student to not do something doesn't mean it is going to be obeyed. Adults are more likely to be defiant than children. If that's the case, then you're at a loss.

1. You can try to make the person feel uncomfortable, and hope to control them that way. This is a good method if it works.

2. You can ignore them. Sometimes this is for the best to minimize the overall disruption.

3. You can shout at them, which is not always a good option because the lecture is then ruined with everyone being unsettled/excited.

4. If you decide you have no other option but to be forceful, then you'd have to go through proper protocols, inviting security to have them removed.

After any significant incident, it would be wise to inform the student's supervisor, who may review what happened, may add a note to the student's permanent report, and may consider whether that person is cut out for university.

I'm sorry I didn't actually mean to physically throw him out of class. That can't be done in any sort of school ..that is over the bounds.

That did happen in high school though..a student and a teacher got into it and the teacher was fired.

 

[Jadzia]

I'm sorry I didn't actually mean to physically throw him out of class. That can't be done in any sort of school ..that is over the bounds.

That did happen in high school though..a student and a teacher got into it and the teacher was fired.

When I was at junior school, there was a boy in my class who was hyperactive and who just didn't recognise the teacher's authority. He caused a major class disruption probably a once or twice each week, and our teacher often picked him up and carried him out of the room as a means to an end.

Our teacher never got into trouble for doing this. It always seemed to me to be the most effective way of dealing with the boy was to physically move him somewhere quiet away from everyone else.

Eventually he was taken to a different school.

 

[Rii]

Nice throw.

I was dragged out of class by my ear once.

 

[Middle Earther]

Beauty - incredibly accurate aim, too! I bet he has lots of experience. If that were university, I would expell the morons involved in the videotaping - they need to go back to Kindergarten and learn how to be civilized again!

 

[TheBrew]

^ I can't imagine that the professor/teacher lacks the authority to throw them out of class. I'd also give them a nice fat zero to average in with their final grade. Right in the beginning of the year I would lay out what is and what isn't tolerated in my classroom. If you deviate from this model than there will be consequenses....I don't give a rat's rump if you fail because of it. If I was having a problem with a particular student I'd take it to the dean or whomever...but I could not put up with some punk ass kid undermining my authority.

That's what I would do. If I was a professor, I would have a 10% participation grade so that if a student did something disruptive, I would say "Congrats, you just dropped a full letter grade."

 

[Spot's Meow]

It keeps telling me that the video is no longer available. I clicked on it in the list and searched for it many times but every time I try to hit play it says not available. Grr!

Could someone say what happened in the video?

 

[Ward Fowler]

Oddly enough, the exact same thing happened to me nearly 20 years ago. I was pseudo-friends with my high school science teacher and I was always cracking on him in class. I made a particularly sarcastic personal comment during his lecture one day and he threw not just an eraser at me, but the chalk as well. The whole class was shocked, but he and I just a laughed.

 

[JonathonWally]

Can't you throw him out of class? That's what I would of done. That is downright disrepectful...and to continue talking on the phone while the professor is in your face and staring at you with disapproval is outrageous.

The thing about universities, is that they're not like schools. A school teacher might get away with man-handling an unruly pupil out of the classroom, but in a university it just wouldn't be appropriate, because they're adults and there is that level of social equality.

Also, lectures are unlike school classes in that they are one-shot things. A school class can be given again or rescheduled if it goes awry. Whereas a messed up lecture is unlikely to be repeated. That can mess up the whole syllabus, and possible mean changing exam questions.

Asking a student to not do something doesn't mean it is going to be obeyed. Adults are more likely to be defiant than children. If that's the case, then you're at a loss.

1. You can try to make the person feel uncomfortable, and hope to control them that way. This is a good method if it works.

2. You can ignore them. Sometimes this is for the best to minimize the overall disruption.

3. You can shout at them, which is not always a good option because the lecture is then ruined with everyone being unsettled/excited.

4. If you decide you have no other option but to be forceful, then you'd have to go through proper protocols, inviting security to have them removed.

After any significant incident, it would be wise to inform the student's supervisor, who may review what happened, may add a note to the student's permanent report, and may consider whether that person is cut out for university.

I'm sorry I didn't actually mean to physically throw him out of class. That can't be done in any sort of school ..that is over the bounds.

That did happen in high school though..a student and a teacher got into it and the teacher was fired.

I went to Catholic school all my life, they beat the shit out of us.

Sister Mary could hit like a truck.

 

[trekkiedane]

I had teachers who did that sort of thing. We gave as good as we got.

Same here -teachers would throw bits of chalk though. (and get erasers -as in rubbers- in return)