Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Support Group
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I've posted here over the last 3 months about the lemon Distance Learning machine my community college bought. Its constant breaking down has disrupted classes in the extreme.
Last night I spent hours making a Powerpoint lecture of my own to try to win students' interest back in the class. When I presented it in class today, two students face to face in the class refused to turn off their laptops and listen to the lecture.
I had to go to the point of telling them to turn off their laptops or leave the room. They closed them after expressing some more disrespect. Then minutes later, one of them had hers open and back on again. I asked her to turn it off went through the same talking back process all over again until she finally shut her laptop a second time.
I give up. I don't know what to do. This has been stressful for me to work with all of these weeks, and now I am getting disrespect from students at the same time I'm trying harder for them.
Last night I spent hours making a Powerpoint lecture of my own to try to win students' interest back in the class. When I presented it in class today, two students face to face in the class refused to turn off their laptops and listen to the lecture.
I had to go to the point of telling them to turn off their laptops or leave the room. They closed them after expressing some more disrespect. Then minutes later, one of them had hers open and back on again. I asked her to turn it off went through the same talking back process all over again until she finally shut her laptop a second time.
I give up. I don't know what to do. This has been stressful for me to work with all of these weeks, and now I am getting disrespect from students at the same time I'm trying harder for them.
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I haven't written in my diary on my computer since May because I thought that my computer was dying. I got away from writing but my computer is hanging in there. I think that I will start writing in it again. It's so therapeutic.
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First, I hope everyone is doing well, and continuing to fight that good fight! Keep up the great work on yourselves; I'm rooting for all of you!So, I started doing therapy at the beginning of the year, when I was in my most depressed state, but with my therapist, I made big changes and steps in the right direction. But, over a month ago, she couldn't take my insurance anymore, and I had to stop...
Nothing like a little extra pressure, huh?
Hang in there. Isn't the semester more than half over?
Muji, this has been a nightmare for any instructor, PTSD aside. Any other normal person would want to rant and send the girl out. But because of your PTSD.You are trying even harder to please, so that you own dx is not used against you.
Twice the amount of stress. That of the lemon, student disregard, and that of fighting your own PTSD responses to stress.
The second one is why you didn't eject the girl. Fear of a complaint?
We can not please everyone, even if everything is done right. For what ever reason the student kept going back to laptop(behind in another class? life, not allowing her to finish something already due yesterday?) When she ia in your class, that is your time as well.
Breath deep my friend, . Address this in the next meeting that you can not allow it to happen. That they can and will be removed, with an absence, grade loss or credit incomplete. Any teacher has these rights to be heard. Some students take classes for a credit # for scholarships, funding. The loss may jeopardize that. Then they will need to make it up some other way. They chose your class.
Just my thoughts as I head to my class that caused a meltdown last week. But back I go, determined to complete my choice of class.
I will take an extra Xanax for you.
Hugs Jewells.
it was "passing notes"
but now
its lap tops and phones.
it aint you muji.
I suspect your doing fine.
and by the way
I can promise you that there are the quiet few who enjoy what your doing. and are very bit as stressed out as your by these waywards. they are taking away valuable teachers teaching time.
You have to wonder how some of these students are going to function on the job.
Hang in there!
Thanks, arfie. I wanna stay the "can do" guy. 5 more weeks left...
Jewells, youre right about how hard it is to maintain authority as someone at work with a PTSD dx. There is that wish to people please and avoid conflict, as you say. You nailed whats going on inside me at those times.
The good news is I sent the very same message I wrote above in starting this thread as a message to my boss. Thats how much good you do me here at DS PTSD in learning to speak up. So I lodged a complaint this time, naming the student involved, and asked that my boss do something for me.
At the end of the day, my boss came back to me saying I had conducted myself appropriately. Well see if anything is done, but its me making a complaint to my boss and my boss hearing it as justified. Thats big for me for the reasons you point out Jewells, so rightly.
Looney, thanks so much for saying youd like a teacher like me. Thats SO NICE to hear at the end of a frustrating day. Believe me.
rafyel, you went right to the point. Passing notes in the old days is what this is like indeed. Good analogy.
I act on the advice and insights I get from you here. Thats making a huge difference in my life when these challenges come and my PTSD gets triggered at the same time that I have to cope in the workplace. I do really appreciate you here at DS PTSD. What you say really counts, and I thank you.
Blessings,
Muji
rayfel