Question by HENRY C: How do you handle disruptive students (adult students) when you are trying to learn in class?
I take two classes in the evening that will lead to certification in addiction counseling. There is an older student who has many years experience in the field who attempts to “hijack” the class every night with long stories about her experience and her own recovery from alcholism. I find it very disruptive and distracting. Should I email my instructor and tell her my feelings on this?
Best answer:
Answer by Wounded Duck
AA members are prone to this. Ask her to save her “Sharing” for a meeting. You would like to hear the teacher being paid to teach.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
Normally I would say go directly to the person and talk to him/her, but going to the instructor is good to. Sometimes we aren’t able to work out problems with other classmates and it gets frustrating. Whatever you do, keep working hard and be the best you that you can be
Sure, but keep in mind that college isn’t just to learn about a subject… you’re also supposed to learn how to deal with various authority figures and distractions. Your instructor knows it’s annoying and disruptive, she has a lesson plan that gets thrown off by this student. If she has a lot of experience in the field you want to go into, you should listen to her and takes notes about what she’s talking about… real world experience will help you every bit as much as the textbook will.
I think you’ll just have to put up with this person. On the evaluation of the professor you should write that down. But remember your goal is certification. Try to destress before class and “accept” that this will happen. Try not to get annoyed. Use this time to meditate. Or write down stuff in your notebook. Don’t let this derail you!
Definitely speak to the instructor! I advise doing it in person rather than via email, unless you can’t avoid having the disruptive student see you talking to her and realize afterward that you were talking about her. As a longtime professor, I’m sure that your instructor is also distressed by this woman’s taking so much of the discussion time, and knowing that at least one student feels the same way should give her a stronger incentive to take a firm stand with the woman. You might even ask the instructor (nicely, even diffidently) whether she could speak to that woman in private and explain to her that her long narratives, relevant though they may be, are depriving her classmates of their fair share of class time. In any case, I agree that you’re entitled to learn what the instructor has to teach. Your objective should NOT be just the certification but the knowledge of the field.
I would definitely inform the instructor or the student – which ever you feel most comfortable with. Just let them know that while you understand the need to learn from others, that you are concerned that his/her comments are dominating the class.