Any college where the students aren't talking in class? (when not supposed to)

[Joan in GE]

So far, I keep hearing reports of talking (and sometimes lots of it) in Freshman classes (while the teacher is supposed to be teaching - not talking about discussions here). Both over here and in the US.

 

It can vary with the teacher of course, and seems to get better by the 3rd year...

 

I am just wondering what happened to respect for others? and listening skills?

 

And if there are any schools where quiet in lower level classes is common....?

 

My ds2 said that ds3 will be frustrated with the talking environment here in the lower levels...

 

Maybe I should ask too about survival skills besides sitting up front?

 

Joan

Edited November 4, 2010 by Joan in Geneva

[In The Great White North]

How do they feel about service academies?

[FaithManor]

Dd said at the beginning of her paramedic classes, there were many people who would visit over top of the instructor. Some of these people were not "young adults". She was appalled. But, he weeded them out by giving extremely difficult exams with little notice (meaning you had better have been taking detailed notes in class and paying attention to the outlines and articles he handed out). Since paramedic students must get an 80% or higher on all exams (seems good to me because I don't want a dodo showing up at my house to start an I.V., administer life saving meds, or do a tracheotomy on me if they didn't get great grades), they were failed out of class in the first month. That left the instructor with a smaller group of more respectful, more committed, students to work with.

 

DD once stood up in class and told the entire group to "SHUT UP" at the top of her lungs because, "I HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF KILLING ANY FUTURE PATIENTS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T STOP TALKING!!!" They didn't like it, but they did shut up, the instructor grinned at her, and since the talkers were promptly failed out of the program, she didn't end up with any reprocutions from the yaks!

 

I think because so many schools are chaotic and we have a fairly self-centered - everything is about ME - culture, kids are much more ill mannered than they used to be.

 

I think that it does get better each year because those with the poor listening skills and who are not serious enough to be paying attention in class, end up failing out, or leaving out of disinterest. By the time the student reaches that all important junior year, things have gotten pretty serious and most of the students in the class will be goal oriented (I would like to graduate before my thirties) and this causes a default calm to settle in.

 

Faith

Edited November 4, 2010 by FaithManor

[creekland]

I wish there were a search feature to look for such an environment. The best advice I've gotten was to look for small class sizes with serious students (not always possible for freshman classes at most colleges).

 

When my oldest comes home for Thanksgiving I'll try to ask him how his experience has been. He has all smaller classes due to going to a small college.

[Joan in GE]

How do they feel about service academies?

 

mmmm...don't think he's quite ready for that.:)

 

"I HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF KILLING ANY FUTURE PATIENTS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T STOP TALKING!!!"

 

Lol...

 

I'm wondering if it isn't also (besides what you said about self-centeredness) related to the huge emphasis on "socialization" which really has meant "socializING"...

 

Joan

[Joan in GE]

I wish there were a search feature to look for such an environment. The best advice I've gotten was to look for small class sizes with serious students (not always possible for freshman classes at most colleges).

 

When my oldest comes home for Thanksgiving I'll try to ask him how his experience has been. He has all smaller classes due to going to a small college.

 

Please let me know what he says...

 

Joan

[Nan in Mass]

My oldest is taking a non-intensive, non-major-related class for the first time this year (junior) and he said he was surprised at how different it is, how the class doesn't seem to be paying attention. Much as he hates the regiment the coast guard requires him to belong to, he has discovered that it has its advantages. This appears to be one of them. Not that this solution would suit you, probably, being rather close to the service academy suggestions... Our minister taught at a local college and had much the same complaint. He said his students were "dead" as far as the subject matter went. I believe it because I know which students from my high school chose to go to that college. This is part of why I am trying to send my youngest to a hard-to-get-into and hard-to-stay-in college. It won't solve all the problems, I know, but hopefully the students will be a bit better than "dead".

-Nan

[In The Great White North]

This is part of why I am trying to send my youngest to a hard-to-get-into and hard-to-stay-in college.

 

Please share!

[mcconnellboys]

I think it's not as likely to happen in smaller schools where class sizes are smaller. The students are more up close and personal with the professor and more personally engaged during class time. Most of my son's freshmen classes are 20 or less. There are 8 in his Greek Lit class. I haven't heard of such a thing happening at his school....

[Nan in Mass]

No specifics yet, just a general feeling. He still has a few more years before he has to decide. We're not aiming at ivies or anything GRIN, but I plan on encouraging him to at least apply to a few that are easier to get into than the near-by state college, and hope he manages to stay there. The thing that worries me is that the "dead" college is smallish, private, etc.

-Nan

[Joan in GE]

Hmmm...so it seems like the title of the post should have been, "Is it true that in small colleges, you don't have the problem of socializing in class?"....

 

Joan

[Hannah C.]

I go to the University of Dallas, and I can't remember students *EVER* talking in classes when the professor was lecturing. Or, if they were talking, it was in whispers and for very brief periods of time..for example, they were talking before class, the teacher starts lecturing, and they finish their conversation quickly in whispers. Or one student might ask another to see their notes because they didn't get everything down and the other person did. Or maybe brief comments on something in the class. All in practically inaudible whispers.

 

The only classes people talk in are ones where they're supposed to be talking.

 

It was one of the best things about coming to college from public high school.

[Jane in NC]

Must confess that this mean math teacher has asked students to leave my class on more than one occasion because of conversation. The threat has always muffled the chatter. But the largest class that I have ever taught had perhaps 75 or 80 students. Maintaining discipline in a class of 400 may be another story!

 

The thing that I hear nowadays is that students are watching Youtube videos, emailing, etc. while in class. I understand that sitting in the back of a class in an auditorium can be very disconcerting!

 

I need to ask my son what happens in his classes.

 

Reporting back later,

Jane

[Tullia]

I haven't heard about students talking out of turn, but there is plenty of texting. Ds says that people in his programming class have been reprimanded for using the lab computers for surfing the Internet even though the instructor let everyone know upfront that he can (and does) monitor what each machine is doing. Ds says that some are clueless; most just don't care.

[regentrude]

I teach introductory classes and talking in my class is not really an issue. I think it probably has to do with the way the teacher is handling discipline.

 

When students talk, I will stop lecturing immediately and ask the student who was talking whether he has a question. Sometimes it is indeed a question about the content, and a student was trying to get his neighbor to explain, so I answer the question and encourage them to ask me directly. Sometimes it was not related to the topic - and being addressed directly (I have only 80 students in the class and know them by name in the third week) and singled out usually puts a stop to it.

[Karenciavo]

We visited a few local state school, we sat in the back of the room. I was surprised by the number of students on Facebook. :glare:

[creekland]

Please let me know what he says...

 

Joan

 

I sent him an e-mail asking if kids were talking, on facebook or other computer web sites, texting, or zoning out in class and he told me tonight on the phone that there's never any off topic talking in any of his classes (largest class has about 50 students). A few kids text (very few he said), and once in a while kids are on other sites on the computer, but many professors crack down on that and won't allow computers in class due to it - effectively ending it. He said when computers are allowed, only a handful of kids have them and only one or two might be surfing.

 

The biggest problem (according to him) are kids phasing out due to sleep deprivation! He's learning to make effective use of caffeine and admitting he might need to sleep just a little bit more!

 

I haven't actually asked my middle son about his cc classes with regards to student behavior. He's at a conference this weekend, but I'll try to remember when he comes home tomorrow. It wouldn't surprise me to see more issues there, but there might not be. He's in small classes too.

[creekland]

...talking in my class is not really an issue. I think it probably has to do with the way the teacher is handling discipline.

 

 

 

This is the same way it is in my high school. I don't allow off topic talking when I'm teaching, but many teachers do. I suspect the students then go off to college thinking it's normal and ok unless directed otherwise. I consider it rude and will stop a class if it's going on. Our school doesn't allow cell phones to be on during the school day. Any student caught using one gets an automatic in school suspension day and mom/dad have to pick the phone up at our office.

 

When the students are on computers it takes a bit of effort to keep them off the internet (non-school related). Some teachers don't give a hoot about that either - hence - one has to teach them what is allowed.

[Joan in GE]

Well I'm so glad to hear the positive stories! All is not lost yet. :001_smile:

 

Eliana, I can see what you are saying about class size vs school size...

 

FWIW, my ds2's classes are not that large - 80 second year to 150 first year, yet students were still talking in the second year. And in first year, approx 60% are failed, (2nd year I think 30%) so you would think they would be serious...

 

Some of the teachers definitely had more control - but it seemed like many gave up. So I'm glad to hear that you teachers (I guess we all are teachers:001_smile: - teachers of large groups I should say) out there are keeping up the discipline standards!

 

Creekland - you said some don't allow computers...and that even when they are allowed, not many are using them...what a vast difference compared to the classes where so many are surfing, etc. Could I ask where your son is?

 

I should have asked that all people who post a positive story also post the schools attended....but then I guess I'd want to know schools to avoid too...so could people do that too?

 

Thanks!

Joan

[creekland]

 

Creekland - you said some don't allow computers...and that even when they are allowed, not many are using them...what a vast difference compared to the classes where so many are surfing, etc. Could I ask where your son is?

 

Joan

 

My oldest is at Covenant College - Christian college in Lookout Mountain, GA right next to Chattanooga, TN. It's definitely a Christian college, so won't be the right choice for everyone, but he absolutely loves it there. For what it's worth, he told me he discussed his experiences with his sophomore roommate to get a better gauge of experiences and make certain his weren't "special."

 

I've noticed on "Rate My Professor" that a few students at colleges I'm looking at for middle son have mentioned whether profs allow [off-topic] talking in class or not. I wish someone would report this on all profs. He's looking at higher level schools, so I was rather surprised - and disappointed - to see that even be an issue. I suspect internet computer surfing will be an issue in those places too. If my middle son attends these places, he'll just have to be certain to sit up front I suppose.

[Elizabeth in WA]

I haven't heard about students talking out of turn, but there is plenty of texting. Ds says that people in his programming class have been reprimanded for using the lab computers for surfing the Internet even though the instructor let everyone know upfront that he can (and does) monitor what each machine is doing. Ds says that some are clueless; most just don't care.

 

When I TA'd a course euphemistically titled "Management Information Systems" which essentially covered Microsoft office, we used a computer lab. The prof always put the screen of any student surfing the web or otherwise not on task up on the main screen for the room and asked them to show the class how to do whatever was being discussed. This seemed to cure them of the surfing pretty quickly. She told me she hadn't had any success with reprimands, but putting their screen up so everyone could see what they were doing worked pretty well. She showed me how to do it as well when I was teaching for her, but apparently many of the profs using those rooms never learned how to use the lectern controls to manage the students. Students with laptops are more difficult to manage since the prof can;t see what they are doing as easily.

 

Still, it;s a shame that profs have to manage these behaviors at all.

[Tullia]

The prof always put the screen of any student surfing the web or otherwise not on task up on the main screen for the room and asked them to show the class how to do whatever was being discussed. This seemed to cure them of the surfing pretty quickly.

 

LOL--it's a perfect response and fits the infraction!:lol: I agree with you, though, it's sad that profs have to deal with that sort of thing.

[creekland]

Still, it;s a shame that profs have to manage these behaviors at all.

 

:iagree:

[Joan in GE]

The prof always put the screen of any student surfing the web or otherwise not on task up on the main screen for the room and asked them to show the class how to do whatever was being discussed. This seemed to cure them of the surfing pretty quickly.

 

Hilarious!

 

And creekland, I keep forgetting to tell you that I love your sig line about learning from others mistakes!

[kiana]

The larger the class, the easier it is to hide. When I TA'd for large classes, we had issues with cell phones going off constantly and not knowing whose it was. Really annoying rap music as the ringtone, too.

 

When I've taught smaller classes/recitations, I *have* had students openly doing crosswords/sudoku in class, but not anywhere near as much talking, and when there is talking it's usually whispering to a neighbour along the lines of (what page are we on again?)

[creekland]

And creekland, I keep forgetting to tell you that I love your sig line about learning from others mistakes!

 

Thanks! It's my life motto and one I TRY to convey to students at school. :tongue_smilie:

 

Middle son is home from his conference now and I asked him about behavior in his two cc classes. He seemed really surprised that I would even ask. He said there are absolutely no students talking off topic, no computers in use at all, and all cell phones have to be 100% off as per professor's request in both of his classes. His microbio class has roughly 45 students of all ages (some are returning to get a degree in nursing, others are just out of high school). His effective speaking class has 24 students. There's one other homeschooler in that class. The rest appear to be normal aged college students.

 

I'm thinking smaller class sizes is a good thing.

[Nan in Mass]

Or students paying for their own classes.

[southcarolinamom]

Dd said at the beginning of her paramedic classes, there were many people who would visit over top of the instructor. Some of these people were not "young adults". She was appalled. But, he weeded them out by giving extremely difficult exams with little notice (meaning you had better have been taking detailed notes in class and paying attention to the outlines and articles he handed out). Since paramedic students must get an 80% or higher on all exams (seems good to me because I don't want a dodo showing up at my house to start an I.V., administer life saving meds, or do a tracheotomy on me if they didn't get great grades), they were failed out of class in the first month. That left the instructor with a smaller group of more respectful, more committed, students to work with.

 

DD once stood up in class and told the entire group to "SHUT UP" at the top of her lungs because, "I HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF KILLING ANY FUTURE PATIENTS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T STOP TALKING!!!" They didn't like it, but they did shut up, the instructor grinned at her, and since the talkers were promptly failed out of the program, she didn't end up with any reprocutions from the yaks!

 

I think because so many schools are chaotic and we have a fairly self-centered - everything is about ME - culture, kids are much more ill mannered than they used to be.

 

I think that it does get better each year because those with the poor listening skills and who are not serious enough to be paying attention in class, end up failing out, or leaving out of disinterest. By the time the student reaches that all important junior year, things have gotten pretty serious and most of the students in the class will be goal oriented (I would like to graduate before my thirties) and this causes a default calm to settle in.

 

Faith

 

Wow! Your daughter is gutsy! "You go,girl!" :001_smile: