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Tips from TSE: Manage your difficult learners

Staff Development Weekly: Insight on Evidence-Based Practice in Education, September 25, 2008

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When it comes to dealing with challenging students, the last thing an educator should do is ignore or avoid disruptive learners, says Mitzi Grey, MEd, RN, BC, president of Grey & Company, Inc., a healthcare education and consulting firm in Mocksville, NC.

"You have to adjust the learning environment," says Grey. Keep the following strategies in mind for dealing with these specific categories of challenging students:

  • The visitor. If you hear constant chatter during one of your classes, you have this type of disruptive learner on your hands. A visitor who is chatting away should be taken aside and told that talking during classes is unacceptable behavior. But remember the golden rule of praising in public and criticizing in private.
  • The self-doubter. These learners may seem disinterested, but they're not. They just lack the confidence to participate. To encourage participation, try to draw out what learners know by having them complete hands-on exercises; by applauding their success, you can begin to build their confidence and increase their desire to participate, Grey says.

Editor's note: This excerpt was adapted from the September issue of The Staff Educator. Discover all the benefits of subscribing to The Staff Educator!



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