I am starting a tenure-track assistant professor position in Fall. I will be teaching a very large class (~120 students) in an auditorium. I have experience teaching, so I am as not worried about the usual process and logistics. What can I do to keep the class under control: situations where students talk to each other or engage in activities that disrupt the class decorum? I am a woman of color, so I want them to take me seriously, because despite a largely positive teaching experience, I can see that it is hard for some students to shake off that bias.
What can I do to be less overwhelmed about handling such a large class? I have no problems with confidence or communication, but facing so many people and having all those eyes on me makes me feel overwhelmed and exhausted.
Comments
I teach a couple of hundred-student sized sections. To prepare, I attended with permission other awesome instructors’ classes who taught even larger classes. I realized there’s no stopping people anywhere from being on phones, laptops and just surfing etc. The one thing I learned observing and talking with those instructors was that you can’t make it personal and about you.
I tell students myself that their distractions don’t affect me… but they affect their friends and peers around them. I’ve noticed they’ve listened to this… when I emphasize I don’t gain/lose anything, only their friends do… and that I only ask they don’t disturb those around them…. whether they want to pay attention or shop online is their business.
Other things is if it’s an active class, then you keep people busy. They busier they are, the less chance there is.
If I do on rare occasion notice people talking I might say “guys… shhh” but have a facial expression that you’re not being mean but they accidentally did something and we can fix it.
In a class that big, or even a class half that size, trying to police students whispering to each other is a hopeless and unnecessary fight. If someone is disruptive, be direct to that student. Otherwise, don’t worry too much about. The only time I’ve ever had a student actually disruptive class was one who had a medical emergency that I would hardly chastise them for.
Show up early, stay late, and give students a chance to talk to you. Most students are silent in class, especially large ones. But if you can get a few good students comfortable talking it can help with engagement a lot. Don’t come at the class like a bunch of children you need to herd. They’re not. Focus your energy on being engaging for an audience of adults who are paying to be there and things will go smoother.