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  Home > Resources > Teaching FAQ's > From the Veterans > Dealing with Difficult Students

Dealing with Difficult Students

• I had no idea what the boundaries were with regard to grading or "dealing" with students. I had a hostile student argue with me about his grade; I also dealt with several academic dishonesty cases and students not showing up to class. My supervisor never stepped in until I specifically asked for her help. Often her response would be, "I'll leave the final decision up to you." For a graduate student, this is a huge responsibility and most of my anxiety came from feeling as if I were all alone in the world to handle situations for which I had no training or preparation.
  
  
• Fear of students. I actually think it is increasingly important (as undergraduates become even more belligerent, focused on their "rights," disrespectful and self-centered) for GTFs to know how to handle anti-social behavior. I've actually been afraid to NO PASS some of my students for fear of retaliation.
  
  
• Plagiarism, students stalking students, crisis in the office hour. How are we to deal with racist, sexist and homophobic attitudes in papers that we grade?
  
  
• I did not feel very prepared to deal with was how handle "mad" students. I mean, in one of the classes I was GTF, although the GTFs were not doing the grading, we were the ones who had to turn the exams back (during the discussion sections). The students were really mad at us because they had done so poorly. I did not exactly know how to calm them, how to express my sympathy without putting down the professor, whether I had to spend a decent amount of time talking about the exam or continue with the class as if nothing had happened, etc.
  
  
• Another GTF and I had to grade 5 exams that formed 80% of the final grade. I had a couple of students who did not like their grades (one of them complained that he was an "A" or "B" student and that he did not like the C- that I gave him.) Although I explained all of the reasons why he got that grade, he still did not like it and was really mad at me. I don't think that he had any respect for me and the fact that I am a woman and foreign did not help either. He was aggressive and I did not know exactly what to do.
  
  
• I wish that I would have known that some students start the term by testing you. They'll push, and try to be know-it-all's in order to show you up. Just act smooth and confident, and it can turn a potentially bad situation into a great experience for you and your students. The biggest lesson I've learned is that CONFIDENCE, even FAKING CONFIDENCE, is vital to maintaining control in the classroom and gaining respect. I instantly spotted the ones who were potential problem students, and when they started giving me an attitude, I'd act like I was their concerned friend, and say things such as, "Oh, yes, great point, John, you're absolutely right, this is related to such-and-such, and actually, it's also connected to this in such-and-such a way. Excellent, comment, John, it's obvious that you're really thinking about this...." Whereas, I've seen some instructors get angry that certain students are acting like know-it-alls.
  
  
• Deal with students who challenge your authority in a non-confrontational manner, and try to debrief this incident with them afterwards. Email can be a good communication channel for follow-up.
  
  
• The policy on student cheating must be written down somewhere, but THAT is really important and I wish I had known the specific procedures this university requires.

 

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