Is there discipline problems in College classrooms, like in High School?

[TabulaRasa]

I've never seen it. My observationson are across cc, small liberal arts college, and private university, graduate level.

The biggest disciplinary issue I've seen is students camping out on their phones during class.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by HedgeYourInvestments

Yeah, I get the whole "I don't wanna be here" from my students, especially because I teach history and have a 1st period class and an 8th period class full of lower-performing Juniors who are mostly over the whole education thing. I teach HS. I often wonder how much easier it would be to teach college.

3-year-old thread. OP has been booted from the forum, some of the other members are long-gone as well.

FWIW, I've seen the type of behavior issues the OP describes in his kids' college classes, but it was only in 1 class, and it was an instructor who was unwittingly condescending and patronizing toward the students. He completely lost their respect, and they made a point of showing it.

I've also seen in some classes, how there can be one trouble-maker, who for whatever reason wants to create disturbances for the instructor.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

I've never seen it. My observationson are across cc, small liberal arts college, and private university, graduate level.

The biggest disciplinary issue I've seen is students camping out on their phones during class.

my daughter teaches at a good sized college (20 - 30K students). This is her biggest problem. Then the kids who camp on their phones get all mad when they fail or get a C. (Her class is mandatory for seniors in her field to graduate). They tell her "I always get good grades in my other classes, it is just you that is a problem."

It was getting to her until she was awarded Graduate instructor of the year by student vote. Now she realizes they are the problem and they are probably lying about getting good grades elsewhere.

Otherwise, she has no discipline problems so far. But her class was almost entirely seniors who had to pass the class or not graduate, so they may be a bit more motivated than other classes.

[NewTexico76]

In my experience of about 12 years, I only had one major discipline problem, and that was in my first year at a community college.

For the most part, the two big classroom problems are constant texting/surfing the internet, and arriving late/leaving early. But we also have the authority to prohibit laptop use and we can penalize with points for tardies and absences. That takes care of a lot of it. Most students who do those sorts of things clear out with the first major exam.

Plagiarism was a problem in my earlier years, but the tools we use to detect plagiarism have helped limit the temptation to cheat.

One major issue is in college, faculty are all over the place - some of my colleagues have no rules at all, and others have a long list of don't-dos (no hats, no laptops, no backpacks on exam days...) So at the beginning of each semester, there is always a little dance that goes on between the faculty and students over what students can get away with.

Often, a very strict looking syllabus and very firm demeanor in the first week helps knock out the worst cases. I actually like getting to relax as an instructor and get informal, but that can only happen after an initial period of being rather strict and firm.

I have friends at other schools who complain about discipline problems from athletes, that is rare where I work as one email to their coach will take care of that very quickly here.

I think the real problem with middle and high schools are the parents, not the kids. In a college setting, we can challenge a student without provoking a fight with an angry mom.