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Professors and Etiquette
Frank Heppner, Nicole Diederich
To the Editor:
I’m reasonably sure that Ronald Lemos’s call for civility in the classroom in the January–February issue will draw much flak from the free spirits who bridle at anything that smacks of rules or uniforms. However, as an old futzer with thirty-seven years of experience in teaching large first-year classes, in which many of the students have been dragooned into enrollment by general education requirements, I can confirm that classroom behavior has, overall, declined precipitously over the past decade, to the point where it could threaten learning unless dealt with.
Many of my colleagues complain about cell-phone use, loud chatter, and surly responses to suggestions that “work” might be involved in their large classes. For many years, I handled this by suggesting to my students that they were now in the intellectual equivalent of the Parris Island Recruit Training Depot, that I was their drill instructor, and that their classroom was a place of business and a temple of learning that deserved the respect that followed from these observations. Having tenure was a big help in employing this teaching approach.
Unfortunately, it has been many years since the film Full Metal Jacket first appeared, and my students no longer know what a DI (drill instructor) is. I have found a new metaphor that works like a charm, however. On the first day of class, I ask how many of them have been on a winning team with a coach. Many raise their hands. I then ask if Coach ever made them do things they didn’t like, like pushups? Yes. Did Coach ever ask them to do more of these things than they would have liked? Yes. If they goofed off, would Coach yell and scream or otherwise indicate displeasure and disappointment? Much rolling of eyes; yes. This was a winning coach, right? Yes. I then tell them that I am not their teacher, but their coach. More specifically, I am the personal trainer for their minds, and they will do what my track record of outstanding graduates suggests is necessary for them to win their future success. They accept this concept without a peep; they understand coaches, and they buy that I am one. Works beautifully, and we have a very civil and respectful, yet lively and stimulating, classroom.
Frank Heppner
(Biological Sciences)
University of Rhode Island
To the Editor:
I whole-heartedly agree with Ronald Lemos’s contention in the January–February issue that treating students with respect is a fundamental part of our responsibility as professors. In fact, I go so far as to put a statement about respect on my syllabi. I would, however, like to offer two qualifications to his advice.
First, I would advise professors to address students respectfully, but doing so may not mean using “Mr.” or “Ms.” Instead, I’d recommend this approach to professors if it offers the possibility of an improved relationship with students within their teaching context. For example, I made a practice of calling my students by “Mr.” and “Ms.” with great success when I taught at a public research university, but I found it better to change this habit when I moved to a smaller private university. Students told me they preferred to be called by their first names, which is in keeping with my school’s emphasis on developing a personal aspect to professional relationships with students. I also realized that the first-year students I teach took comfort in a professor who knew their first names on their first time away from home. Underpinning all of Lemos’s advice is respect for the student; respecting their wishes may mean using their first names.
Second, because students do notice how their professors dress, I concur with Lemos that professors should be mindful of their attire; however, because attire can also be distancing or welcoming, I’d again advise that professors modify Lemos’s point based on their situation and “dress for a purpose,” so long as their clothing is appropriate. For example, on rough-draft days in my writing classes, I’ll “dress down” to emphasize that the drafts are just that—rough. Some professors may always dress “business formal,” but others may feel confined in a tie or exposed in a skirt, and this could compromise their teaching. (Also, some faculty salaries may not support the purchase of a “business formal” wardrobe.) Instead, I’d encourage each professor to consider a range of attire that is both professional and appropriate, just as we encourage our students to consider a range of ideas on a given subject.
Nicole Diederich
(English)
University of Findlay
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