Thursday, January 31, 2013

Leona's Latest Tale From Loveland

All semester, I have battled a chatty group of students in my Survey of Hamsters class. The conversations are constant, and none of the standard approaches have worked in getting them to quiet down. The majority of the talkative students failed the first exam. I called each of them in individually to explain that they failed, attribute the failing to the talking in class, and ask how they plan to change their behavior. All of the students were ashamed, apologetic, and promised to act better in class and study more.

My final meeting this week was with Instigator Ian, who is always at the center of every conversation. I can count on him to be talking all the time. I assume he talks in his sleep, while eating, and perhaps even while singing. What Instigator Ian didn't realize was that as he and his friend, Clueless Cassie, were waiting outside my office for Ian's appointment, I could hear every word of their conversation. About what a bitch I am, about what bullshit this class is, about how stupid it all is, how they claimed to be sick last week and were actually just hungover. Ian came in, pretended to be remorseful, promised to change, then left and continued his conversation outside my office with Cassie and Entitled Eric, who had just arrived on the scene. Ian recounted our meeting to his friends (apparently I yelled and called him names and told him he's ruining my life), and his friends agreed that there was nothing wrong with his behavior. Entitled Eric announced he was dropping the class because I'm such a bitch, hoping that he will get a better teacher next semester.

I opened my door, looked directly at them, and said, "Do you realize I can hear every word you've said?" They stared at me. Then I went back in my office. I wanted to lose my temper and scream at them for being entitled, ignorant little shits with no sense of respect of decency, and I hope they have trust funds because even 7-Eleven won't hire them with that kind of shitty attitude. But I kept quiet, went back in my office, and continued working on a project for the students who actually give a shit.

12 comments:

  1. First of all, I would write up the whole thing and send a copy to your department head or chair, just to cover yourself if the students get aggressive after realizing what's happened (they're most unlikely to become contrite). I hope you will be able to write them off as ignorant, lazy anuses, and get long-term revenge by doing your job well and as you see fit. But I can't let things like that just roll off my back, which is why I'm clinically depressed, etc.
    This is when I really wish we had an anonymous rate your students. Why shouldn't you be able to go to a web page, post the students' names, and rank them on work ethic, attitude, etc. Do this after the term is over so they have no idea which of their five professors did it. Maybe a potential employer will find that and think twice....

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    1. This is a brilliant idea. Unfortunately, it would likely violate all kinds of privacy laws. Sadly, grades have to suffice. You can't flunk them for being assholes, but neither do they get any benefit of the doubt over points.

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  2. I agree with Doctor BPD. If this student is willing to fabricate the details of your meeting, then it is too precarious a situation to leave to memory. Write down as much of the details and situation as you remember, then send it to your chair.

    As an additional cover-your-ass measure, consider printing, notarizing, and mailing yourself a copy of this statement. If you ever get into a legal pissing contest with Instigator Ian, you will have signed, notarized, and dated evidence.

    While this measure might be a bit over-the-top, you can never, ever be too careful with students like this; the misogynistic tone of "she's a bitch" and that you "yelled" are strong indicators that there is a lack of respect for you in your classroom based on gender.

    Consider filing a grievance with HR about this creating a hostile work environment, and also consider using (if you have a decent one) student conduct to officially put this student on notice that his behavior is unacceptable.

    Nip this in the bud quickly and harshly.

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    1. I think it may be worth filing a greivance so that there is a paper trail. I had a student call me a "Bitch" in class (he also harrassed me every way possible). I did file a report- be sure to use the phrase "creates a hostile work environment" and other buzz words. Often not much will happen (assuming this is his first offense) but sometimes he will be called in and given a "talking to" which may or may not have an effect. Our person told my problem child that if she heard any other complaint from anyone anywhere he WOULD. NOT. GRADUATE. He shaped up damn fast. For the record- I think telling them that you could hear them was enough. They SHOULD feel like idiots, if they don't, then nothing you might have said would have helped (and likely would have only hurt you).

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  3. Regardless of whether you file an official complaint, I think it would be a good idea to write up a summary of what happened and email it to your chair/someone you know with a "Just wanted to let you know in case ..." preface.

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  4. This feels serious to me; that's just my view based on the story.

    I always advise getting colleagues and the chair up to speed on these kinds of incidents. With as much transparency as you can, give all the details to someone so you can control the narrative a bit.

    It's a shit deal, and it happens more and more.

    Hang in there.

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  5. Yes to all of the above. You might also consider writing up a behavioral contract for each of the disruptive students to sign. Something along the lines of any furthet disruption to the learning environment of your class will result in their removal from the class. Check your school's student conduct code--we have a provision where a faculty member can suspend a student for up to two class sessions, and the student cannot return to class until a meeting has been held with a dean.

    And if you ever have to meet with one of the little darlings again, have a witness there taking notes.

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  6. Wow, just wow. You should be commended for keeping your cool. Too bad you didn't have a recorder handy to get it on film or at least audio. The utter gall of the students disgusts me.

    You're a better person than I for being so calm about it.

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  7. Well, sure, if this is an isolated incident, treat it as a disciplinary issue. Especially if we're talking three out of say, thirty snowflakes.

    Eventually Ian will drop, Cassie will stop showing up (but not drop), and Eric will get a well-earned F. Now, imagine your classes have not thirty, but fifteen students. And that every single one of them includes four or five of these types, and none of them ever passes your class (they still get the opportunity to evaluate you.)

    Then you can document and explain all you want, your classes can be awesome and, say, three of the other snowflakes can think you're the greatest, and it won't matter. Somebody will start saying *you* are the problem. Ian, Cassie and Eric will be sure to gossip about you to the other snowflakes (so the good ones stop showing up, just in case), and whine to your archenemies on the faculty. One day one of your enemies becomes department chair.

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  8. I agree about documenting. I would start keeping a journal now with names, dates, and incidents, both in class and out. Assuming your office structure is such that any colleagues would be nearby, also leave the door open whenever students come by and alert folks about potential issues without violating FERPA.

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  9. If you want a slightly less confrontational CYA strategy (and if you have competent folks at your teaching-support center; I know the quality of such centers varies considerably), you might try getting in touch with whatever teaching-support services you have, and describing the situation in as much gory detail as possible. They *might* have ideas; even if not, you've shown that you're being proactive, and reported the inappropriate language to someone else.

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