Step Away from the Door!

In my first years as a teacher, at least once a semester there would be a full-time, more experienced professor who would come into one of my classes and observe the way that I taught my class. He or she would take notes on what happened during the class, and then we'd talk about the things I did well and the things I still needed to work on. I felt kind of nervous at first in front of the other teachers, but once they gave me their advice, it was worth it.

One professor said that I had to be more strict with my students about making sure that they did not start packing up their things too early. He said that it always bothered him when students did that in his class; that is, ten or fifteen minutes before the class ended students would start putting their books away and noisily zipping up their bags, even though he was still teaching. I didn't even really notice that the students did that, but once I did, I realized that there were some students in almost all of my classes, no matter which school I taught at, who did the same thing.

When students start packing up like that when I'm still teaching the class, it basically makes me think that they've stopped listening, because in their minds the class is over. Or at the very least they're half-listening. It's irritating because not only is it distracting, it's also disrespectful. Not all the students do it; most students will sit quietly and patiently until I actually dismiss them. But when it's happened with a select few students in past semesters, I've called them on it and told them to wait until I actually dismiss the class before they put their things away.

Why are they in such a hurry? Maybe they're worried that they won't be able to get to their next class on time. Maybe they have to be at their jobs and will get in trouble with their bosses if they're late. Or maybe, in their minds, as they're closing their notebooks and fussing with their bookbags, they're thinking this:

Impatient student: Run for your lives! She's trying to EDUCATE us!
Fellow impatient students: AAAAHHHHH! Must resist! Must resist! The door is only a few feet away! Think she'll notice if we sneak out early?

(FYI: I WILL notice, and I WILL get mad. Students have snuck out early before, and they ALWAYS get in trouble with me when they show up for the next class.)

What REALLY bothers me is when students will literally stand up and start walking out the door when I'm still talking and I haven't even dismissed the class yet. I'll say, "I'm not done talking yet! Class is NOT over! Sit down!" And inwardly I'm boiling, because I shouldn't even have to say that. It's like there's this stampede towards the door, and students are practically running to get back to their dorm rooms/apartments so that they can catch the latest episode of Jersey Shore/The Hills/Pretty Wild or play Guitar Hero or update their Facebook page for the thirteenth time that day and give huge sighs of relief, thinking, "Whew! At least no one's trying to educate us here!"

I don't have any illusions about the classes I teach; I know that most students take them because they're required to, not because they want to. But as I tell the undergrads, doing their school work is their job. Even if they don't get paid for it, a lot of what they get out of college is what they put into it. And if they're not willing to sit through the full class period, then they're going to miss out on a lot. And I have little patience for the e-mails I will inevitably get later on from students asking about stuff that I covered in the last ten minutes of class when some people were in such a hurry to leave.

I'm going to be teaching during the summer session, and I'm thinking about standing in front of the exit towards the end of class. That way no one can walk out early. There aren't any locks on the doors, and anyway if I were to lock the door it'd feel too much like the setting of a prison movie or something. But I'm definitely not going to tolerate anyone packing up or leaving too early.

I told my students this semester that I'm treating them like adults, because I'm holding them accountable for their actions. Maybe when they're older, they'll understand.

Jeez. Now I sound like my parents. Maybe watching the Jersey Shore will make me feel better.

Then again, definitely not.