Quote:
Originally Posted by englishteacher
I have a student in a developmental college class who has learning disabilities (no details here because I don't know them either). I am making the accomodations that are required for the student, but he is very belligerent and angry. Today he was 45 minutes late and disrupted the entire class. He is very loud when he speaks and he is angry. Although I can understand his frustration and anger, I have offered to help him during office hours. He complains that I didn't SHOW him where my office is located. He complains that I embarrass him by asking him to participate in the same activities the other students are doing. He implies that I am not doing my job and that he will tell my boss. I have tried to help him, but he doesn't seem to understand the simplest of instructions, no matter how many different ways I explain it to him. Today he really upset the class and I had to pull him out in the hallway to discuss the problem for 20 minutes. I feel that his disturbances are starting to effect the rest of my class, which is not fair to the rest of the students. I'm going to go speak to the chair of my department (my boss) this afternoon, but I am actually getting scared of this student. He's a really big guy and I'm just a little 5 foot tall woman. Other students, how would you like the teacher to handle this if it was your class?
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Do you teach freshman? The transition from high school accommodations for disabilities, to university is dramatic, and confusing! In high school its "how can we help you succeed", whereas in university its "how can we make things equal so you can succeed". A lot of students have a very hard time with this. Your university's DSS office can help you with this. You can request a meeting with the students adviser and student together...to find out exactly what each of you needs to do to accommodate the student, and vice versa...student can not come late and disrupt class, he must also accommodate you!
I actually have experience with this issue as I am a disabled student myself, was on the DSS advisory committee last school year, and was the President of Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society (for disabled students that excel academically) last school year as well. It's very touchy, because of confidentiality, but DSS can help.