‘#160;
“I hate this class, it totally sucks.”
How should a teacher react to a student’s statement like this? Is there a way to handle a freshman’s constant apathy and disinterest in the classroom?
These questions were answered by Jeannie Ludlow on Friday during the first workshop of this fall’s Women’s Professional Development Series, organized by graduate student Melissa Altman.
The title of the workshop, “This class is bullshit,” dealt with student resistance, teacher authority and negotiations of power.
Ludlow, a lecturer in the Women’s Studies department, presented and discussed different cases of difficult student behavior with the audience, and explored ways to solve these problems.
“When I started teaching I was about a year and 20 minutes older than my students,” Ludlow said. “I had a lot of help when putting together the syllabus, but when I walked in the class for the first time, I panicked. I had to train myself to be a teacher.”
Being graduate students and teaching assistants or teachers themselves, the audience could certainly relate to Ludlow’s memories of her first experience as an authority in a classroom.
Since individual guests shared very personal stories and particular examples, they will remain anonymous.
Many factors can lead to student resistance, among them the young age of teaching assistants, a lack of support in the teacher’s department and even identity politics, according to Ludlow.
She remembered a case where a young woman of color had to react to a racial comment from one of her students.
“She dismissed the class, and that was the perfect response,” Ludlow said.
Ludlow emphasized the importance of the right amount of authority that should be applied by teachers.
“It should be used according to your personality,” she said. “I often wished someone would have told me to just be who I am.”
But finding the right balance of authority is often not that easy.
While Ludlow prefers to empower her students by involving them in setting up the syllabus or deciding which assignment has the biggest impact on their final grade, other guests try to get to know their students more personally.
“They give me less trouble if I’m connected with them on an individual basis,” one of the women said.
In order to recognize student resistance, it’s essential to distinguish between overt and covert behavior, Ludlow said.
“Reading the paper, doing crossword puzzles, doing homework for other classes or putting the books in the backpack seven minutes before class ends is overt student resistance”, Ludlow explained.
However, if a student falls constantly and uncontrollably asleep during class or is notoriously late, there can be other, more serious reasons.
“I had a student once who I had to sent to the health center. It turned out he had a sleeping disorder,” Ludlow said.
Other causes for covert behavior might be poor time management skills, or a lack of awareness of college culture.
“Make sure that it is resistance through individual conversations,” Ludlow said. “If the student is resistant, let [him or her] talk, but be very firm and clear about what you expect.”
In cases where students disturb with outbursts or make arrogant and inappropriate comments, Ludlow believes it’s important to react in front of the class.
“Even if you dismiss the student, you still have to deal with all the others who have heard it,” Ludlow said.
But in tough situations, teachers can count on the University’s support.
The Women’s Center will offer two more workshops this fall.
Graduate students who attend future workshops can also get credit for the ongoing GradStep, according to Altman, graduate assistant in The Women’s Center.
Editor’s Note: Teaching assistants and teachers who have problems with student resistance can contact Jill Carr, associate dean of students in the Office of Student Life, at 372-2843.