Sometimes it seems to me that some of my students inhabit a parallel universe. My creepy student joined one of my master's seminars this past term. There was no way to refuse him, paying customers get in the door, and the course has no prerequisites other than being in the program.
All semester he sat in the first row, wide-eyed like a little puppy waiting for food from the table. He would often say something, and it was usually far enough off topic to be from some parallel universe, tethered to the topic at hand by a tenuous strand. [Hey, that sounds good, maybe I should moonlight as a novelist?]
They have been presenting their baskets all semester, and we recently had the presentation of the underwater basket weaving results. Creep did another simple basket, pretty much exactly the same as the other three baskets they did this semester. He started into his presentation, I interrupted and asked a question about the underwater part.
He looks up from his page, nods, replies that he couldn't do underwater basket weaving because he doesn't live near the sea, and continued reading in a monotone voice. I interrupted again - this session is the presentation of the results of UNDERWATER basket weaving, and if he didn't work underwater (you can do it in a bathtub, if you have to!), then we will continue with the next student.
NO! I DID THE WORK AND I'M GOING TO PRESENT IT! And he continues talking in a monotone voice. I interrupt a third time, my voice now down about 0° Kelvin. The rest of the room is cringing. They know that this voice means business. One student interrupts, helpfully, with the suggestion that this simple technique could for sure be done underwater.
Creep does not take the hint, but continues reading in a monotone voice. I interrupt for a fourth time, noting that he is disturbing our discussion of underwater basket weaving and insist that he stop immediately.
He replies NO! I DID THE WORK AND I'M GOING TO PRESENT IT!
Exactly the same, like a robot. And then it dawns on me - I think he's autistic. So I sigh, let him continue. Now we have dead silence for a minute. I raise an eyebrow and ask if we can go on. NO! I HAVE TO FIND MY PLACE IN MY NOTES. I request that he see me after class, we let him finish, and then continue our discussion.
My attempt to explain to him after class that I am the leader of the course, and if I say "Stop", that means "Stop dead right now and don't move a muscle." He repeats over and over I DID THE WORK AND I WANT TO PRESENT IT JUST LIKE THE OTHERS!
After three rounds of this (eating into my lunch break) I ask him: What conversation are we having? Do you understand what we are talking about? Of course he does! Well, then tell me!
He can't. He can't verbalize at all. He stumbles over this and that, and they returns to say I DID THE WORK AND I WANT TO PRESENT IT JUST LIKE THE OTHERS! I say, look, I'm just trying to explain to you how a scientific discourse functions, but you don't seem to be listening, I have a meeting and walk off.
He follows me the entire way to my office, saying "Thank you Mrs. Dr. Prof. Dean Suzy, Thank you very much".
I lock the door behind me. I don't feel physically threatened, but I just want him to go away.
I've called admissions, but no one answers the phone out there. I'm at that campus next week and I'm going to pull his record and check if he really has a bachelor's degree and if so, which Snake Oil University printed it out. If he is autistic, I don't see how he's going to get a master's thesis written.
You have to call whatever office on your campus helps care for students with mental problems. He's a student in crisis; I have no doubt. And I have no doubt I would not be qualified to advise on this. Get help from someone.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Call your counseling department asap!
ReplyDeleteYeah, this doesn't sound like typical autistic behaviour, at least not from someone on the spectrum but high-functioning enough to get a bachelor's degree and get into a graduate program. There's something else going on here.
ReplyDeleteThis actually sounds like Aspergers to me, I have worked with many students like this at the high school level. They are often high functioning and cognitively can do the work, however they cannot read social cues and cannot apply what they learn to social situations without difficulty. They can (not always) be violent. I would also contat the disabilities office to see if they know about him, if not they can become aware, if they do maybe they can step in.
ReplyDeletePlease, whatever you do, don't let this d00d pass (unless he miraculously shapes up). I'm insecure enough with the little associate's degree I'm studying for without people such as this creep getting freakin master's degrees.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds a great deal like a student I have observed in the undergraduate program here. It sounds like he definitely needs some assistance, though what kind, none of us can actually say.
ReplyDeleteDo the students in the program have advisors? It definitely sounds like it's time for some multiple chats with someone like that and maybe the chair...
Document. Document. Document.
ReplyDeleteCommunicate. Communicate. Communicate.
Calmly.
Politely.
You are not judging him.
You are assessing the work he has done in the class.
@Laura, no, we only have advisors for the froshers.
ReplyDelete@Terry P., I wish we had such a beast. There's a half a psychologist to deal with exam anxiety, and some person who signs disability certificates that permit students to take longer on tests, but the students have to request help.
@Bubba, you bet!!
That's pretty rough, Suzy! I wish we could give you better advice, but it seems like you're stuck with minimal support. Document and we'll all hope that you'll see the last of the student soon!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of sympathy for you. Not all people can do all things. I have a lot of trouble being a good teacher for some of my students with particular special needs. I actually wrote a comment in the last couple of days about troubles I have with a particular student who I suspect might be autistic. But... seriously, suzy, for the sake of your deanship, learn a little more about autism. What you really mean is clear to anyone who follows the discussions that go on here. But TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT, it could look like you're ignorant about autism if you think autism = can't write a thesis. There are lot of successful autistics. Some write textbooks other people who write here have used in their own educations.
ReplyDeletePS I hope the I don't envy you and I think you're great parts of this comment come through despite the "be careful with that" warning. I really mean it for your best interest.