How do you maintain focus in the classroom when faced with the antics of less serious students?

Question

In post secondary education, we pay for the information, experience, and teachers' attention. When we have students that are developmentally still a teenager, who are for example; tardy and/ or disruptive, the learning environment is stressed. More of the teachers' focus is on making sure they catch up, and less on getting more in depth into the material being studied.

I finished first year two years ago, then took time off for pregnancy and rearing my newborn son. Now I am continuing with second year, and have entered a new class with it's own dynamics. I am curious to know if there are any tried and practiced techniques in use, on how to keep focused on the material and not the antics in the classroom. Ignoring them, is one way, but when we are required to often work as a team, it can be impossible.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Answer 1

true... hard to keep focus when working as a team. but individually, ignoring them or making a polite sarcastic retort on their antics is easy.

when i was in high school and college, i was one of those who like to do such foolish manners. but that doesn't mean i didn't concentrate nor focus on my studies. nor was i dependent on others... just love the attention, i guess. knew it was pathetic, but testing your classmates intellect in exchanging banters or testing their patience were fun for me back then... though it was fun for me... i still earned their respect for i was the choice to exchange trades especially with wise-up instructors/professors or those who were terrors to the students....

thing is, i'd admit what i did was wrong. take it from me, it's really difficult having such classmates but here's what you should do.

when doing a team effort project... try to be the leader, but make a separate note indicating each members effort then, submit the project proposals by yourself. make sure no one else knows about it. secondly, in a group presentation, prepare your report effectively, don't bother about their ill fated report. it may affect your group, but i do know, professors know whose report was well prepared. and will give credit on yours. be prepared for the criticism you will receive from such classmates. third, ride with their antics by retorting back sarcasm everytime they throw you a nasty remark. be witty with your remarks and make sure that it would hurt their ego's too. this way, you're proving you can't be boss around and you demand respect from them. make sure it really hits them hard on their ego, okay? fourth, whenever possible, try to stir them slowly to help them realize what they are doing are foolishness and would affect their future life. lastly, just stay away from them... if you can. if you are included with them in group thesis or projects, see your instructors, ask for you to transfer to another group and state your reasons. try to point out that it affects your performance and grades...

hope that this could aide you with your troubles.... ciao.

Answer 2

Send the kids out of class that refuse to pay attention. They need to be let known that the classroom is for learning and studying, not carrying on with whatever they choose. If they aren't doing what they're supposed to in class, they should be taught a lesson and be reprimanded for their actions. If it continues, they can get expelled....

I like that movie Dangerous Minds about kids growing up in the ghetto with a white teacher who motivates them by rewarding them for doing good. Kinda like you would do with your own children. They had to have some kind of initiative to get them interested in doing the school work.

Good luck!

Answer 3

i've been in the same situation many times. while i was giving a speech in an honors class i had to deal with people talking over me. i excused myself, walked up to the offending people, and polietely told them to be more respectful and shut up or to get the "f-bomb" out. yeah.. i was tired of their rudeness. they did leave and the class went much more smoothly. then i had to deal with fallout and snooty girls.. but thats another story.. lol

the best thing to really do is see your instructor during his or her office hours and let him or her know your concerns; you're afraid that too much classtime is spent on those who are not taking the class serious enough. if nothing is done and the problem continues, go to the chair / head of the department and let them know whats going on.

as you said, you're paying for this class just like everyone else. you derserve for the teacher to take the class as seriously as you are and at a respectable, college-level pace.

Answer 4

I always sit in the front row - I know, how nerdy! But, but doing this, you have an unobstructed view of the professor and those who are slacking off are behind you. It's kind of like putting blinders on. Once you are taking courses for your major, the students in those classes should be better behaved. At least in theory. Good luck!

Answer 5

Smile to their comments, and tell them "we will talk about that by the end of the year"