So, I am teaching some Honors English II classes for the first time this year (after previously teaching only Standard) and for the most part I'm handling the transition quite well. It's nice to not have to worry so much about behavior management (oh, how sad it is that the academic level of the class seems to have such an inverse relationship with behavior problems). However, there is one particular student in one of my Honors classes who asks really specific questions about the content that I'm not always able to answer. I wouldn't mind it so much if they were helpful questions that reflected a genuine curiosity on her part, but I get the feeling that they're intended more to challenge or undermine me. Normally I would pull the old "Hm, well why don't you look that up and bring the answer tomorrow for the class," but for some reason I feel the need to prove myself, partially due to the fact that the questions are presented as a challenge, and partially because I am a young teacher. So I usually end up proposing/stumbling over my own answer to the question. I guess I'm just wondering--what's the best way to deal with students who challenge you, not behaviorally, but content-wise?
It's kind of disconcerting, because I've been told by professors and my cooperating teacher that I have a powerful grasp of content, and here a 15-year-old is challenging me. It could be a good thing that she keeps me on my toes, but I just wish she wouldn't be so persistent and confrontational about it.
She probably enjoys seeing you stumble for answers. Stop reinforcing her behavior - remember, you're the adult - and it's okay not to know everything.
I'd keep a notebook just for her questions and say something like, "Thank you for that question, I'll do some research and get back with you by the end of the week." Then, if you want to be mean ... you can compile the questions she asks and create a research worksheet for whole class to do as homework over the weekend. Or ... you could be nice ... and give that worksheet as an extra credit opportunity so everyone benefits from her "inquisitive" nature.
Personally, I think you'll get more mileage by going the extra credit route.
I just got another idea ... why not challenge the whole class to come up with questions you can't answer! Make it a game - stump the teacher. They can turn in questions at the beginning of every class - or on Monday mornings. Then you can read them out loud, etc. (This way, when your one student tries to stump you mid-class - you can tell her to submit her question with everyone else at the start of the next class - or whenever) Then compile the questions as an extra credit assignment. This gives the honors kids a chance to use their smarts in a positive way.
I think it's ok not to know everything. Obviously a good grasp on content is important in the classroom, but if a student is challenging you with really obscure questions, I think it's ok to say you don't know. It shows students that learning continues even after formal schooling has stopped.
For example, last year I taught Grade 9 general science. One of the units was reproduction. We talked about how different species couldn't reproduce because they had different numbers of chromosomes. Well, one student asked me to explain the existence of ligers if different species couldn't reproduce. I didn't know the answer because, honestly, I didn't even think about it. I was honest with the student, told him I didn't know but that I would find out. The next day, we had a class discussion about the answer. No harm, no foul.
For the past two years I have had such students. Last year the student brought up such interesting questions it was unreal. He is really quick and thinks so far outside the box, it led to some great conversations and I think the whole class actually learned more because of him. He was also a great help in class.
This year, well the student's personality is totally different. He clearly states he is bored. He claims to have known all the things I have taught in physics so far since 3rd grade. I asked him to help struggling students with these concepts, but he "isn't good at explaining these things." Uh huh. Instead of actually doing my warm up problem yesterday, he spouted out an answer, since he read it somewhere and my facts were inaccurate. I took the warm up from a book, it was a hypothetical situation. I am pulling my hair out getting quality work from him.
I have students in my "regular" (not Honors) classes who do this to undermine me because I am a first year teacher. They actually don't ask me questions I don't know, they just argue with the answers I give them (as if somehow a 13 year old who is failing English knows more about the subject material than someone with a degree in it. So frustrating!)
I think that special-t had a great suggestion with the notebook. Once she sees that you are not going to get frazzled by it, she will probably either stop or, better yet, start asking questions based on a genuine desire to learn! Good luck.
I've had success with two methods of handling this type of situation. In both methods you have to present as being very sincere. I either let them know that I hadn't really thought about it and will get back to them, if I think the question was legitimate and not just to "get" me; or I tell them that "...that's really interesting, I hadn't thought about that, but I'd love to talk about it after school tomorrow since I don't have time in class right now." In both cases you have acknowledged the question, so they don't "lose face" yet you have avoided the confrontation by sincerely giving them a chance to say their piece - just not now, during class time. If the question is legitimate, they will come in on their own time after school, and if it is just to "get" you, it usually isn't worth it to them to "get" you if they don't have an audience and they have to use their own time.
Last edited by CindyBlue; 11-03-2009 at 01:52 PM.
Reason: typo!
"Hmm, I'm not 100% sure of that one. That's a really good question! I'll look that up and try to find a solid answer ASAP. Why doesn't everyone look it up on their and try to beat my time?"
If you use this, it may not make you look omniscient, but it makes your students curious enough to look for the answer themselves.
Remember that there's a difference between mastering the content and knowing trivia. Also recognize that if the student is asking, it may be to challenge you but unless they know the answer already then a careful, reasonable response will meet the challenge.
Note that students who ask such questions might be wasting time, either intentionally or not. You're free to defer their questions on that basis as well.
Not looking flustered is probably one of the most important things. I recall once in high school the teacher reading from a poem, citing, "The steeples are swimming in Amherst;" Flabbergasted, I blurted out from the back, "Amethyst!" She handled it with a simple thank you, and I think maybe one person in the class took any notice at all.
edit: When I was teaching SAT classes, I think I once came across one question I couldn't answer in class. I think my unplanned response to it was to get really excited about the question and let the class know I would have an answer by the next meeting. I think it only took a couple of minutes after sitting down with it by myself instead of standing at a blackboard. I think, though, it got across to the class that I thought it was really neat that there was such a tricky question. It's not too often you can show a deep love of the material in a test-prep class.
Remember that there's a difference between mastering the content and knowing trivia. Also recognize that if the student is asking, it may be to challenge you but unless they know the answer already then a careful, reasonable response will meet the challenge.
Note that students who ask such questions might be wasting time, either intentionally or not. You're free to defer their questions on that basis as well.
Not looking flustered is probably one of the most important things. I recall once in high school the teacher reading from a poem, citing, "The steeples are swimming in Amherst;" Flabbergasted, I blurted out from the back, "Amethyst!" She handled it with a simple thank you, and I think maybe one person in the class took any notice at all.
edit: When I was teaching SAT classes, I think I once came across one question I couldn't answer in class. I think my unplanned response to it was to get really excited about the question and let the class know I would have an answer by the next meeting. I think it only took a couple of minutes after sitting down with it by myself instead of standing at a blackboard. I think, though, it got across to the class that I thought it was really neat that there was such a tricky question. It's not too often you can show a deep love of the material in a test-prep class.
Well, see, she doesn't always directly challenge me with questions. Sometimes her undermining behavior manifests itself as a scoff or a laugh when I say something. For example, today I told my students that a topic sentence is kind of like a turn signal for your writing. "And sometimes," I said, "if you're like me, you put on the turn signal partially to show other people where you're going, and partially to remind yourself where you're going." Cue a snicker/scoff from said student, as well as some whispers to someone nearby. In such cases, I'm hesitant to respond with common discipline consequences (warnings, parent phone calls, detention, etc) for fear that it will betray insecurity on my part and won't really target the root of the problem... "I'll teach you to snicker at me--how about you come for detention?" But I don't want to feel the need to prove myself to her, either. It's kind of a double-edged sword.
Here's an idea I had. Since we're in the middle of a unit on writing, I was thinking of assigning them to write a definition essay on intelligence, using Rumi's "Two Kinds of Intelligence" as a spark. Some people have educated intelligence, and others have more innate intelligence. Sometimes innate intelligence takes the form of wittiness, and other times it's creativity, or analysis, etc. Maybe I'll have them take a multiple intelligences survey or a test to determine if they're more left- or right-brained. In general, my way of dealing with situations like this is to turn it into a lesson somehow. I did something similar with an instance of bullying I encountered a few weeks ago...
