How Dare You Fall Asleep

By Lew Ludwig

While I keep a relatively low-key persona in daily interactions, my Myers-Briggs is INTP. If you follow such things, you will be surprised by how outgoing I am in the classroom. I was fortunate enough to conduct my student teaching under George Schwipps, a high school math teacher described as “part game show host, part auctioneer.” Some of George’s classroom enthusiasm rubbed off on me, and I try to keep my classes lively and engaged.

That said, woe to the student who nods off in my class! How could this be? My classes are high energy! How could a student find them so dull that they nod off?

For years, I had a rather set approach for the sleepy student. Upon the first offense, I might have the student sitting next to the drowsy delinquent give them a gentle nudge. If the dozing continued, I might walk nearer the student, using proximity to keep them awake. If that failed, I would call on the student, generally stumping them as they were not cognizant of the prior discussion.

By the end of these interactions, my blood pressure was up, and my students felt embarrassed and possibly even alienated. The pandemic helped me realize the error. I let my ego get in the way of what could be a significant problem. Instead of showing concern for my students’ well-being, I placed the focus on me and my teaching style.

If you see a student nodding off, it may be time to shift focus. Introduce a simple think-pair-share activity on the topic. It does not have to be too involved - try this example - but long enough to get the students engaged with one another. For the occasional mid-afternoon nod-off, this usually does the trick. If the nodding continues, suggest the student get a drink of water. For transparency, consider a statement in your syllabus under classroom etiquette:

Sometimes we are less rested than our bodies like. It is surprising how a little bit of movement can help us refocus and be more alert for our learning. If you find yourself repeatedly nodding off in class, I may ask you to take a moment to get a drink of water.

If you do reach this stage, make sure to follow up with the student after class to assess the situation. Were they up until four a.m. playing that new video game release, or are there more pressing matters?

While I am new to this approach, it is more appealing than my prior efforts. Students are receptive to the transparency in the syllabus and its focus on adjusting a situation to improve their learning. Additionally, I’ve had a few instances of catching some student issues early and helping the student find support before things developed into something bigger.

Upside:

Better connection with my students.
Possibly catching a minor issue before it becomes a more significant issue.

Downside:

My syllabus has gotten longer.

Still learning from my misstakes mistakes...

Lew Ludwig is a professor of mathematics and the Director of the Center for Learning and Teaching at Denison University. An active member of the MAA, he recently served on the project team for the MAA Instructional Practices Guide and was the creator and senior editor of the MAA’s former Teaching Tidbits blog.