Last updated Feb 20, 2004

Handling the High Maintenance Student
"It's all about me"

We've all had them ... an example below - I'm sure you can add your own!
Registers for class, after confirming makes sure to note that she has trained
"several field trial champions and I don't want to use food - will that be a problem in your classes?"
When told that this is a totally motivational training school and, yes, we will be using lure/reward training
and perhaps if she prefers more "traditional" choke chain training methods, that she'd be happier elsewhere.
Oh, no. Everyone says they should go here, so they still want to come.

Week one orientation, 20 minutes after class has started she shows up on the front porch
talking to someone on her cell phone, dog in tow. Looong explanation about moving her
office and losing her confirmation and couldn't find us ... luckily we are just finishing the student intros
so we settle her in - she's frantically filling out her student profile and talking to her daughter.
We ask for a "quick" introduction. Her introduction includes little about the dog and much
about her office moving dilemma and apologies for being late and bringing the dog.

Throughout the demos she interrupts with long questions about using food.
Her puppy is a stellar demo and is doing hand signals in a matter of minutes but she's still skeptical.
She talks to her daughter when she should be listening and talks to students next to her.

Week two she says, "as soon as I didn't have food he was slow and wouldn't do it as well ... "
(the third day of training.) The rest of the class is excited about how far they've come and report that all
their dogs are doing well and are anxious to get started on today's lessons, but her hand keeps going up ...
he has a bump on his head week one from playing with her other dog, should she take him to the vet ...
week two he got stepped on by a horse, can't do play time ... should she take him to the vet?
She has to leave early (oh darn) ...

The question is - how do you gently divert those who monopolize class time with their own agenda?
What "let's move along" phrases do you use to avoid letting this type of student take
over your class? How do you cut them off without being curt (when you'd really like to be?)

First to answer - Lisa !

A squirt bottle and a penny can. Those are non-verbals she should understand.

And Nancy !!!

Whoa! Customer service! What fun!

It hasn't been that long ago that Chris, Dewey and I spent a lot of time in the student role. I can recall every such classmate… and hope that no one thought of us in that manner! I believe some people are aware of their behavior and continue with it, in spite of their knowledge. However, I truly feel the majority of folks who behave in this manner are totally clueless!

I also believe most of the unfortunate classmates in these situations are very understanding and sympathetic to the instructor's dilemma. This does not deter from the fact that the instructional effectiveness and learning process is disrupted. It isn't fair to the majority of the class when one person monopolizes the time and instructor's attention.

Needless to say, the actual situation dictates the manner in which it should be handled.

Here are some suggestions:

• Play the Toby Keith song, "I Wanna Talk About Me" as the class is settling in. Ask the woman if her husband (or significant other) wrote the lyrics.
• Use the woman as the demo for the inhumane aspects of choke chain training.
• Demonstrate the use and effectiveness of Bitter Apple to decrease and/or eliminate this woman's undesirable behaviors.
• Have the class identify and practice "Calming Signals" using the woman as the subject. (Turning away, avoiding eye contact, yawning, etc.!)

OK. OK. So, those aren't gentle enough? Here are some other suggestions:

• Keep that person/dog team busy! Sometimes, you can give that person the attention he/she craves by calling on them for demos. Hopefully it'll also put more pressure on him/her to pay closer attention to what is going on in class.
• Acknowledge the person and the question/concern and then suggest to meet privately (before or after class, depending on the class time) for some personal guidance.

Beginnings:
"That's a good question, concern, observation,"
"That's a legitimate concern,"
"I can understand your frustration, concern,"
"Oh, MY!"

Endings:
" … but we have so much to cover, we need to be continuing."
" … let's arrange to discuss this before class next week."
" … why don't we talk after class?"
" … perhaps you could write some of those things down? We could bring some of these things up next week or go over them privately."

• Strategic placement of the student may help. Since people like this tend to disrupt everyone around them, it might be beneficial to place them where there are the fewest number of people around them.
• An assistant may be strategically placed or even intervene with the problem student… at least for a while.
• Suggest the student may prefer private lessons as opposed to the classroom setting.

And Kim !!

Okay, now I cant wait to see Nancys!!!

UGH!!!!! I HATE CLIENTS LIKE THIS!!!!!!!!!! They make teaching exhausting and no fun! When I have people like this in class, I just hope and pray that I get really sick on Wednesday nights.....but it never happens.

I guess to start I would say it depends on the student and the situation. I am reminded of a couple cases. One was 2 sisters who brought their bloodhound to class. They were constant chatter chatter chatter and a bazillion questions. When asking time and time againg how to get the dog to sit and saying he wouldn't, and after trying to explain over and over, I once again got up, walked over took the treats from her hand and said "Josiah, SIT!" I held the treats above the nose and waited. Sure enough, he sat. The sisters gasped in amazement. "Now why did he do that for you and he wont for us" I replied "Because he is blowing you off and he knows he can get away with the with you. He knows I am not going to put up with it." I handed her the rest of the treats, turned around and walked back to the instructors chair. Of course my guts were turning by that point thinking Crap! I have just been unprofessional and have probably totally offended these people by talking to them like a fussy/whiney 5 year old who wants ice cream for dinner "Sit down and eat your dinner or there will be NO ice cream for the rest of the week!". The following week they came in with Christmas presents for both Teri and I as well as Christmas pictures of the dog and wanted us to be in a photo wiht the dog...they brought their camera. Sigh. So, I guess with them, and people like them (have a few at the clinic), you just treat them like a five year old.

The other student that immediately pops to mind is, you know her, the lady with the husky named Timber who weight pulls and now says the dog is a wolf and not a husky (sigh). I remember, I think I was an assistant in the classes she was in, with her I would simply say, "Great...but we are working on the (fill in the blank) now, so lets focus on that." Of course I had a smile on my face and was as pleasant as I could be.

I dont know how to handle these people some times. Both at DITR and at work. I would love to see what others say cuz I really need help with this. Short of rolling my eyes at Teri and trying to figure ways to play hookie, I am at a loss. I can say that I am really glad this student is in your class and not mine! *VBG* Love ya!! Kim .

My reply:
(I always write my answer before I get yours.)
I just love Nancy's answer!

Placement of the student - it depends on the student!

• Sometimes they are better seated right across from you so you can make eye contact and keep them engaged when they are likely to talk to their neighbor.
• Sometimes you want them at your right elbow so you can keep them close but can effectively ignore them while keeping them from talking to others.
• Sometimes you want them waaaay over by the front room window so you can avoid making eye contact unless you really intend to. (That's where I like my "yeah, but's" and story tellers - but chatty types are more apt to talk to their neighbors if they are away from you.) Story tellers can't gain a captive audience as effectively when they are seated out of the main circle. And in the event of the late grand entrance types, they end up there anyway.

If you put them by the front window, you can plan ahead with your assistant to intercept incessant questions while you continue the lesson without bothering the other students - if they have no ability to whisper, the assistant can say "let's meet in the library at break time or after class." If being near the student encourages them to continually corner the assistant for a private class of their own, the assistant can act 'needed' elsewhere and go fit a collar or cut treats or something and escape.

What you say and how you say it:

Ask specific questions that require a yes/no answer. Don't ask generic or leading questions ... and for heaven's sake, if there's a lull, don't ask the person "is there anything else?" or "does that make sense?" Move on!

Avoid getting sucked into a private consult in the middle of a class discussion. Use their question as a jump off point for something else. State your answer to the whole group in generalities, not directly to the person who asked the question. Example: "I can't get rid of the food - he slows down and doesn't work as well without it." "Good point" *turn your attention to the whole class*: "Sometimes when behavior slows down it's because the dog isn't really sure what you are asking - he's just not confident yet." (Dana's great quick answer is "You've raised the bar too high, too soon.") Then proceed with your group lesson from there.

Once you've answered, move on without looking back at the student who had the question if there's likely to be a "yeah but" or "what if" in the offing.

Derailers to stop them cold -

• "Perfect question - we will be doing some exercises today that will help you with that."
  
• "Does anyone else have a problem with that? No? Well, I'd be happy to talk after class then because we have a LOT to cover today."
  
• OR better yet, "there's a page in your handbook about that very concern - have you read your handbook?"
  
• Or, "[assistant], there's a handout on that topic in the files on the table, could you get her one?" or "be sure to check our library, we have books that talk about [this topic] that will give you more complete information than I can give you during class time."
  
• "That's a good question for your vet, groomer, breeder."
  
• Shift her question to the next person, "Sally, I know you had a similar question about that last week - how are you doing with that this week, is what we suggested working?" Or more general "Oh, yes, this was in last week's homework, who knows the answer?" (Indirectly noting to the monopolizer that we've already discussed it and she'd know the answer if she'd been listening ... and effectively transferring your attention to a listening student.*S*)
  
• Or "Would you email me later with that question, I'd be happy to give you a complete answer that way."

  Interceptors for the chatty types-
  

• "Mary, would you like to go first?" (especially effective if she wasn't listening and doesn't know what she's being asked to show off.)
  
• Using her for a demo could backfire if she's an attention hog - in which case, invite the person she is bothering to be the demo (rewarding them and removing her reinforcer:- the other person's attention.)
  
• For people with a good sense of humor who are just having too good a time you might say in a "motherly" tone of voice (hand on hip waggling finger): "Do I have to separate you two?" *big smile*
  
• If the whole class is babbling, make some grand important announcement about how "noise level increases stress and makes fearful dogs more worried and exciteable dogs bounce off the walls - so let's everyone take a deeeep breath and hold it ... let it out slowly ... ahhhh" (silence, at last!)
• Whisper or talk in soft tones - they will have to strain to hear you and will shut UP so they can. *S*

Ignore behavior you don't want and pay attention to behavior you do. Just like training dogs. In the case of the person in question, I direct all questions to the daughter and if the mother asks a question, I verify it with the daughter and then answer the daughter's version of the question (or not, if she's not having the issue stated by her mother.) Chronic late arrivals should be welcomed briefly, seated and then ignored. Don't waste the rest of the class's time trying to catch them up on what they missed. You might enhance it by saying, "OH you missed Susie's great trick!"

Interrupt and redirect. Just like training dogs. Stand up, pick up a training tool, and tell them the plan: "Next we are going to learn .... I want you all to [insert step one].... "

Calming signals. Yes, they do work on people (although you might not want to yawn in the middle of yet another long question ... but it would probably work!) Body language is important. Keep your knees and shoulders turned away from attention seeking missiles. Don't lean toward them or make direct eye contact. Just like training dogs!

Remember to reward appropriate behavior. "Your daughter was so attentive tonight - I love how quiet and focused she is when she's in class." If you can't say it about the person you'd like to change, say it about someone else who is a good example while they are listening. It's always better to point out good work, "see how nicely she's holding the leash and how generous she is with her food rewards - let's all try it JUST like that!" Than it is to run around the room harping "loosen your leash!" like a demented parrot. If you make a big production out of giving the quiet child in class a piece of candy, the rest of the kids will start class more quietly next week.

I have to share the following - because while there are occasionally problem students who "demand" extra attention at the expense of the rest of the class, there are many more who simply need it. One of the greatest things about teaching the kind of classes we teach is that we are able to meet those needs. For years I taught "forward/halt" classes at the club where I stood in the middle of a huge room with a microphone and barked orders, rarely answering questions or addressing behavior concerns. Now I am able to really meet the needs of my students. We have to find a balance, of course, to be able to give ALL of our students a quality class.

Here's an example of how taking the extra time pays off:

On Saturday 10 AM I received the following email:

Carol, I am in a real quandary. We have not been training Mosa, giving her bits of meat in training. I don't even have any meat as of yet. (I'm vegan and struggling) And now, at the last minute I am bringing this up with you when you are probably not even at your computer. I am not expecting you to give me my answers or solution to this situation I've created. I think I just want you to be aware and am open to your input. I will certainly inform our instructor when we arrive in class this morning of the situation. I'm off to figure something out and check out the grocery store. Our class starts at 11am. Respectfully, Louise

I replied with several suggestions [Do you have veggie burger? portabella burger? fake bacon? pretend wienies? cheese? garlic bread? Just use your imagination and ask her what she likes. (Being a carnivore, she'll vote for meat, but if you can't stand to touch it, you'll need to find ways to make both of you happy!)] and then decided to call her just in case she didn't check her email before heading to the store. We talked for several minutes about her options.

This morning I received the following email:

Carol, Thank you for your support! Because of it I felt motivated to make our class attendance happen as well as feeling like we should be there regardless of our obstacles of lateness, etc. You are proving yourselves to be people of integrity and caring of others in your business environment. I am grateful for this and appreciate who you are. Your instructors picked up the ball on the other end, upon our arrival, and we experienced a great time in class. Mosa loved going to class and it made our day as well as it opened doors in our relationship with our sweet dog. You and your people are awesome. Warmest regards, Louise

Thank you, Diane and Nancy, for your gentle handling of her concerns
and for making her class experience a great one!