The Adult Learner
The adult learner is a different type of student than many instructors have encountered prior. Many of the tactics used to control and engage younger students will not work with adult learners. Adults are much more independent and have been making decisions on their own for some time. Structure seems to be difficult. I like to allow seating to be the choice of the student. When it becomes a problem, I usually give a short break to initially stop the disturbance, and then upon return of the students, change the course of the presentation. This is when I would introduce the minute quize or paper, or break up into working groups. Often I assign working groups being careful to assign at least one of my attentive students to each group. The disruptive students are strategically placed into different groups. The idea of movement around the room seems to curtail what difficulties were occuring prior to break. Ownership of classroom control is on me, not the student.
thank you for the post in assigning one attentive student to the group have you found that student to become the leader or the follower at the end of the project
I have found that the disruptive student often becomes withdrawn when assigned to a group of very serious students... almost as if they feel as if they are displaced.
Hi Stephanie,
This type of grouping can really bring out the best in a disruptive student, or it may even cause a student to shut down; it really depends on the student.
Patricia Scales
