Dealing with difficult student
 

My question is about successfully dealing with a student who I have taught before and who did not enjoy my class.

I have taught adult academic ESL for 10 years. Last summer, I taught a subject for the first time. I did my best, but as often happens the first time teaching a class, it was definitely a process of trial and error. Anyway, most of my students were satisfied and improved their skills. However, I had one student who greatly disliked my class. She was very difficult to please and had trouble accepting ambiguity (i.e., there had to be a rule for everything). In addition, she asked several questions during each class period which. The fact that I made some mistakes (due to the fact that I hadn't taught the subject before) only made things worse.

Anyway, I am 99% sure she will be my student again in Spring quarter. This time, the subject of the course will be completely different. It is also a topic I know a lot better. I want to be proactive this time. So, I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for:

1) Dealing with students who ask many questions during class, most of which turn out to be about grammatical minutiae or other topics which do not interest the other students.

2) Achieving success with a student who will probably be predisposed to dislike my class since I am teaching it.

Thank you, I appreciate any advice you can give!

Re: Dealing with difficult student
 

I feel for you. I've had students like that before. It is almost like their only goal is to discredit you. She is probably just waiting to pounce.

I will usually tell this kind of student to jot down any question that she has, so as not to disrupt the flow of the lesson. Explain to her that you have the whole class to think of when you are teaching. You can't stop every time this student has a question that will not really benefit the rest. If she does approach you with the question after class, just calmy answer it, or get back to her. I think you'll find that, with this kind of student, the goal is to fluster you instead of a sincere quest for knowledge of random technical grammar points. Making her wait will until after class will take some of her steam away. Good luck!

Re: Dealing with difficult student
 

These kinds of students are too common, but unfortunately can make teaching sooo frustrating! I think alawton's suggestions are good - hopefully it will get her to wait until after the lesson, so you can deal with her then instead of affecting the whole class.

Re: Dealing with difficult student
 

One method which can be very helpful for upper level students is to as said below have the student jot down the questions; but instead of answering them for her give her the correct reference materials and allow her to answer them herself.

The reason I would suggest this is because firstly if she does have a genuine interest in these details, which are not essential to what you are teaching, it is partly her responsibility to be able to research them herself, and in giving her the correct book or other materials you are meeting her demands half way.

Also if she is interested in discrediting you; or flustering you in class you can simply ask her what the answer is and it will become her responsibility to have those answers, removing some of the burden from you.

When a student tries to treat you like an encyclopedia, it generally means it's time to introduce them to one!