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As I'm sure you know, classes have personalities, just like individuals. It sounds like this one needs some adjustment! When I've run into this kind of class (and I've taught for nearly 30 years, so yeah, it happens) I turn the class over to them. I don't know what kind of assignments you give, but you could arrange the work so they have to write discussion questions, short papers and/or oral presentations as part of their grades. Then, go sit with the rest of the students and let each of the slugs present his/her work. The tendency is to help each other, so this may generate more discussion. If it doesn't, then at least you have them participating individually. As a last resort, you can put them in groups to generate discussion questions which they must also be prepared to answer. (You will need to do a little workshopping on what a discussion question actually is, so they're not asking each other in what year Whoosis painted Whatsis.) Good luck, and remember the best thing about teaching is that semesters do end! Andrea Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2006 From: Jenni Drozdek Subject: Dealing with apathy Has anyone else dealt with extreme student apathy (especially in introductory courses)? I am teaching an Art History course this semester that has been the most challenging class I have had thus far. Although it is an "early" class (starts at 9:30am), I am still shocked and disheartened by the apathy and boredom of the students. Every class, 2 or 3 students are obviously sleeping, while about half struggles to stay awake. I am a big proponent of class participation but have found it immensely difficult to engage these students who either never read the text (and this is an Honors level class!), look annoyed when I ask questions, or simply stare at me with blank eyes. The class leaves me absolutely drained when I finish, and I have even run out of material (I know - most of us have the opposite problem) because the time I had hoped to spend discussing material cannot be put to use because students are simply not interested in engaging. I am finding that the class is causing me to question my abilities to teach (I've only been teaching for about 3 years and have taught about 7 or 8 course of varying levels) and leaving me mentally exhausted. Has anyone else encountered similar problems or could comment on mine? Thanks much, Jenni Drozdek PhD candidate, Art History Adjunct Lecturer, Duquesne University and Carlow University
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