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Last week I vented about some disruptive students in my community college class. Your replies suggested I go beyond venting and thinking of quitting to asking my boss for help. I took the unusual step of printing off your replies from here at DS PTSD. I gave them to my boss by way of asking for that help.
It worked. My boss, who is my department's chairperson, went to the Vice President of the community college. They're both asking me to document everything these students have done in class. They also want me to document when these students laughed in my face in my office. I told these young women there that I cared about them and asked the to stop disrupting and care about me and the class. They didn't.
I took the soft approach because there are 3 of them and 1 of me. It looks like my boss and the VP are about to throw the book at these students, though. It needs to be done. Other students have gone directly and complained to my boss, too, I'm glad to say. Those other young women told her the disruptive students are messing the class up for everyone.
Meanwhile, I show up for class, put on my brave face, and teach through more disruptions each day until the bosses take their action. Please send your support so I can endure peacefully until then. Prayers of protection appreciated, too, about, say, vandalism to my car in the parking lot in revenge, etc. My PTSD hypervigilance symptoms have been triggered.
Much, much gratitude for your support. Advice welcome.
It worked. My boss, who is my department's chairperson, went to the Vice President of the community college. They're both asking me to document everything these students have done in class. They also want me to document when these students laughed in my face in my office. I told these young women there that I cared about them and asked the to stop disrupting and care about me and the class. They didn't.
I took the soft approach because there are 3 of them and 1 of me. It looks like my boss and the VP are about to throw the book at these students, though. It needs to be done. Other students have gone directly and complained to my boss, too, I'm glad to say. Those other young women told her the disruptive students are messing the class up for everyone.
Meanwhile, I show up for class, put on my brave face, and teach through more disruptions each day until the bosses take their action. Please send your support so I can endure peacefully until then. Prayers of protection appreciated, too, about, say, vandalism to my car in the parking lot in revenge, etc. My PTSD hypervigilance symptoms have been triggered.
Much, much gratitude for your support. Advice welcome.
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Here is my new brother, copper :) He's so tiny! Moo and Tuck were ok with him on first meeting. Rocket due to his severe aggression will never meet Cooper.
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https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTDeA9Wxg/
Wow, this kind of support is a first!
We had our first test in the class, though. I noticed today all 3 young women just didn't take it. They're not sabotaging my teaching the class. Now they're sabotaging their own grade, making sure they get a zero that will lead to an F for each of them.
I realize it's a case of "you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink." That's obvious.
My question for everybody here, though, is this: why do they never miss class, then?
My BFF back home teaches high school math and encounters that stuff every day. In the 14-17-year-olds. It's al I can figure to say---these kids just haven't realized they're in the *real* world and that the consequences are serious now. They're still have their High School (Stupid) Hats on.
Any chance it's early enough in the semester to suggest they drop the course and find something more amenable to them? To save them a failing grade in a class they're clearly not ready to take?
And is there any way to document t they left the test papers blank so they can't fill in later? My BFF has gotten in the habit of scanning each test paper or Xeroxing it before she grades it so parents can see what is/isn't there.
I dunno. Just throwing it out there, seeing what might stick. Continued supportive vibes. I can't imagine sabotaging myself academically. Boggles my brain.
I don't see the logic in their behavior. Maybe showing up is their way of showing defiance to the discinpling action they received. I agree about xeroxing their exam papers. How odd..,,
And wow, I'm so very sorry... I'm relieved to hear your institution is backing you. TGIF xx
They do really seem to be acting like...well, bratty freshmen in High School.
How did they not get the memo that they are adults now?
Too late to do this with this class, but I would start the semester with a speech about : " you are all adults, I expect you to act like it..."
And then lay out what will get them kicked out of class. Talking during lecture, answering the phone, Et cetera. Tell them security will be called to remove them if they refuse to leave.
Point out that what happens when they don't do their homework, show up for class, or take tests...is that they * are wasting their own money *
...because, after all, they might as well get the most learning for their dollars spent, right? ( that was my thinking )
Tell them if they need help, to ask, but you are not going to step in automatically if they are not doing well.
Dunno if that would forestall stuff? But at least they would be warned. These girls ( yes, girls ) don't sound like they are ready for college. They need to go do a cruddy minimum wage job for a bit, this will give them the proper motivation.
I say this more than a bit tongue-in-cheek.....
Right now, the terrible trio are living rent free in your head.
Evict them.
You pose a valid and reasonable question ... one to which I have NO earthly answer.
I'd do my level best to teach past them ... through them ... around them.
You had it exactly right: you can lead a horse to water ......
They're likely conniving, scheming, and manipulative, but ... other than watching my back and keeping my wits about me ... I'd do what I could to simply ignore them.
Easier said than done, but ... ;-)
Wha--????
Other students in the class are participating more. One of them came by my office to chat. She's new to college and pretty freaked out about moving from her urban upbringing to our little rural school in the sticks. It was a good talk.
Did I pass some kind of test with these kids I didn't know about or something? Wha--??
Thanks for weighing in, because I honestly do not know. It's an adventure every day. Just took a good turn I certainly did not expect.
I'd document it with that administrator again and let him handle it. Or, if you really want to know, be there at the meeting and ask them WHY they are doing this. They'll probably just say, "I don't know." In that case, maybe they can be referred to the counseling center. OR, you may just get an answer...
How about your car? Any other incidents? Do you think it was them?
No further car incidents, thankfully.
I want to thank everybody for these 50 interactions here on this. It turned into right action in my workplace, as I vented here and was able to muster up some wisdom from you about it. Very different from the past in which I stuffed these emotions and things escalated. This has had a good outcome because I reached out here and at work for help and didn't take it all inside to stew over. I left the stew here. It makes a big difference for me. I'm grateful to you all for that.