tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post6068411034328208382..comments2023-10-15T04:23:50.187-04:00Comments on College Misery: Mini-Thirsty: On EarbudsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-55778601195245305932012-10-26T22:18:11.173-04:002012-10-26T22:18:11.173-04:00Dude who spent most of class time messing with his...Dude who spent most of class time messing with his cellphone failed his essay. He came to see me with this whole "I THINK YOU OWE ME AN EXPLANATION" attitude. I mentioned the paying attention to stuff I said in class, "as I said in class, your essay should do X, Y and Z not A, B and C". <br /><br />Interestingly, at the next class, he was paying attention and contributing to WhatLadderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11603489349164511704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-72456291798974768332012-10-26T22:14:29.972-04:002012-10-26T22:14:29.972-04:00I will ask them once to take them out, but I am no...I will ask them once to take them out, but I am not going to have a huge public fight. If they are writing in lab classes, like Snarky, I am fine with it as long as there is no sound leakage.WhatLadderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11603489349164511704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-79139387577797194312012-10-26T15:17:03.231-04:002012-10-26T15:17:03.231-04:00The first day of class I point to an invisible lin...The first day of class I point to an invisible line that goes in front of the first desks. Then, I tell them that this line marks the separation between the technology friendly zone of the classroom (my area) and the technology free one (theirs). <br />I make an allowance for use of phones for first-response personnel (I have cops now and then), parents, and adulterers (taken from Umberto Eco). French Professeurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08062264385792788503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-56928781209925771462012-10-26T02:14:11.228-04:002012-10-26T02:14:11.228-04:00I used to take the attitude that playing nanny was...I used to take the attitude that playing nanny was beneath me, since this was college and students are expected to act like adults, and fuck 'em if they don't. <br /><br />I find this approach doesn't really work. As you may have heard, about 10% of college students are fully engaged. They'll learn, no matter what you do. I never have enough time for them. <br /><br />About 20% ofAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-8078420974163005312012-10-25T23:39:57.623-04:002012-10-25T23:39:57.623-04:00It's in my syllabus that phones, earbuds and l...It's in my syllabus that phones, earbuds and laptops(unless they're taking notes) are forbidden. Since I show slides in the dark, it's sort of hard to hide. If I catch them, they are marked absent. CrayonEaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10126396989880932207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-15050183936540520342012-10-25T21:55:30.714-04:002012-10-25T21:55:30.714-04:00I like Frod's approach but I tend to let it sl...I like Frod's approach but I tend to let it slide. If a student isn't willing to put in what I consider a minimal effort - which includes not listening to music, web surfing or texting in class - then I don't care much about them. I'm not here to save them. If they want to succeed, I will do what I can to help them. Otherwise, well, their tuition checks have cleared by now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-53093226684838666212012-10-25T21:27:55.938-04:002012-10-25T21:27:55.938-04:00That's a really important point. It isn't ...That's a really important point. It isn't about me being on a power kick. It's about being distracted from my lecture notes, or not being able to listen to what a student is saying because of the conversation going on.Academic Monkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07086078244493768565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-36057711721557000502012-10-25T19:58:56.612-04:002012-10-25T19:58:56.612-04:00I'm with Frod. I call them out. My syllabus a...I'm with Frod. I call them out. My syllabus also forbids that kind of shit. <br /><br />I am well known for being a hardass on policy, and I rarely have issues. <br /><br />We must watch a lot of the same Trek - I use that same line. One student did make me laugh however - he asked if I ever let a class know it was a democracy. <br /><br />The answer was "never". That class was I_am_not_nicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12164044353299362252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-33238339674739759912012-10-25T19:47:47.013-04:002012-10-25T19:47:47.013-04:00I lower my volume and speak even more softly than ...I lower my volume and speak even more softly than I already do. And I whisper what's going to be on the midterm exam...The Contemplative Cynichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02088570661592922436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-26096520282160580752012-10-25T18:49:44.135-04:002012-10-25T18:49:44.135-04:00I tell them to remove the earbuds, or leave the cl...I tell them to remove the earbuds, or leave the classroom. If they give me shit about it, I tell them I'll call security to have them removed. So far, they've never called my bluff, but I'll do it if needed. <br /><br />I'm a big guy, who in my younger days loved to get into a good physical fight, especially if it was standing up to a bully. I am getting old for Indiana Jones Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-6936602479594021732012-10-25T16:49:41.233-04:002012-10-25T16:49:41.233-04:00The "noticeably" part is probably the hi...The "noticeably" part is probably the hitch for me. Odds are, I wouldn't notice. If I did, I'd probably say something only if it was noticeably distracting adjacent students (which is probably how I'd notice; I'm not completely oblivious, just a bit slow on the uptake). Then I'd say something along the lines of needing to pay better attention to the conversation.Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-76459752433140560242012-10-25T15:43:39.956-04:002012-10-25T15:43:39.956-04:00Oh, I just call them out in lecture. There is a wa...Oh, I just call them out in lecture. There is a way to do that without shame. Let's say I'm lecturing on underwater basket weaving and I work a line in there "Then take the cell phone, loop it through the basket, and put it away before texting any further."<br /><br />The class laughs a bit, the person puts the cell phone or iPod away, and we continue.<br /><br />Unless the Academic Monkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07086078244493768565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-5572537593319983392012-10-25T13:48:53.919-04:002012-10-25T13:48:53.919-04:00Ah. Yes. Listening while working independently pro...Ah. Yes. Listening while working independently probably wouldn't bother me as long as it wasn't bothering the people nearby.<br /><br />Reminds me of Milton Waddams (Office Space)--BurntChromehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06055976331443607569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-57094206942889872682012-10-25T13:28:50.129-04:002012-10-25T13:28:50.129-04:00Not in my class they don't! yesterday i went ...Not in my class they don't! yesterday i went up and gently but firmly closed a student's laptop in class while they were busy texting. I know they were not taking notes because I asked them a question and they had no clue what the class was discussing. Middle-Aged and Morosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046076243513948921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-65797492837531961882012-10-25T13:18:25.649-04:002012-10-25T13:18:25.649-04:00BC: For some reason, Blogger won't let me clic...BC: For some reason, Blogger won't let me click on "Reply." But, no, not while I'm lecturing. I teach freshman comp, and there are several days a semester in which they work on writing their papers in class. I find it helps them have better first drafts because if they think of a question while they're writing, they can ask it right then.Snarky Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04196509615328045888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-4359727951255327952012-10-25T12:56:35.914-04:002012-10-25T12:56:35.914-04:00During your lecture? While you're talking? The...During your lecture? While you're talking? They're able to concentrate on your lecture while simultaneously listening to music?<br /><br />I'm sorry, but I don't think so.<br />BurntChromehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06055976331443607569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-31076710364889100262012-10-25T12:48:04.398-04:002012-10-25T12:48:04.398-04:00My policy is that I won't call out a student t...My policy is that I won't call out a student texting/on Facebook/listening to music publicly (because I'm not a believer in social shaming), but they lose all participation points for the day. With participation being 10% of their grade, that can hurt. However, if we're working on their papers in class, I don't have a problem with them listening to music as long as it's not Snarky Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04196509615328045888noreply@blogger.com