THE STUDENT

One of the goals of any university is to provide a safe and secure environment where the faculty can teach, students can learn, and researchers can conduct research.

In today's world unfortunately, the college or the univeristy campus is far from being always safe. However there are a few things that the faculty can do to help recognize potential red herrings among their students.

So what does on have to recognize these red herrings or how does one recognize them?

This is a question that plays silently in almost every faculty member's brain.

Somewhere there has to be an answer.

Well as a student and a practitioner of psychology cum faculty member, my observations have led me to read or recognize and classify them as more or less along the following lines.

Right or wrong is not the point to be debated here, however it is more along the lines of how best we can manage to keep ourselves safe.

Safety is in recognizing the situation, being alert and taking the apt measures to enable both lead better peaceful ,meaningful and healthy lives.

The Patton Tank – This type of a student enjoys confrontation and always needs to be right. This is the student who will argue with you about your syllabus or other class rules, and seeks to dominate the class while pushing around weaker personalities.

The Sniper – Always criticizes you behind your back and looks forward for every opportunity to create chaos. This student will blend in when threatened or challenged but is good at instigating others.

The Exploder – Such a student makes insulting and cutting remarks. He or she displays wide mood swings. This student is the happiest when all others are passive.

The Eternal Complainer – Such a student is constantly whining and complaining about his or her situation, or rules in the syllabus. Such a student often bears on others in the class, though can sometimes get other fellow students to join him/her in the complaints.

The Negativist – Such a student is never seen happy. Always desires others to be just gloomy like him or her. This student is an emotional drain on the entire class and is likely to elicit attention when they talk about the latest “injustice.”

The JCB – Such students value only their own opinion. They have little regard or respect for the knowledge or viewpoints of others. This is the student who tries to overwhelm others with facts and figures, and is often difficult to get along with.

Mr.Clam – often seen as disengaged, silent, and unresponsive. A careful observation or monitoring of the, 'Non-Verbal'cues, from such a student will tell you that the student is upset or frustrated though they will not communicate what’s troubling them.

All these seven types of students can damage the sense of community in a classroom.

However it is crucial and critical to keep ‘Mr. Clam’ on top of your list,” whilst noting that as the quiet, growing frustration type of a personality type can be a precursor to violence.

This hardly suggests that the others are incapable of any action that may lead to wanton rashness - however it is our friend Mr.Clam who has to be watched out for.

It’s important to engage such a student, help him to express his frustrations, and remain or stay connected with the community.”

How many could have forgotten or who would have pushed aside the memory that in case a faculty member was far fom their liking , in the generations that grew up in the 60's , 70's 80's - the best recourse was to stay quiet get one's learning / knowledge, or, politely approach the faculty with a prayer or plea to shed some light on their students.

However this has changed - times have changed - ways and means of redressal have changed - where in some places it is petitioning the head of the institute seeking termination of the faculty as the only form of redressal - to - filthy , foul language being used brazenly , to open defiance or ignoring the faculty even as a human being per se , to violent responses in the form of gun battles or bomb attacks or targetting homes and objects in use by the faculty.

Now that this has been my observation , i thought it prudent to share with you all. Though many of us are far from the academia, yet at heart we still remain students.

So the question rests on us all in ensuing that the oncoming generations are rasied such that they know , understand and learn that as students they have a role to play befitting their age , mental maturity, make-up of the psyche.

Many students by way of their culture and upbringing may be far from being or turning violent types , yet it is for us as their guardians in the academia to play the lead , take up our role, so as to save our stakeholders - the future generations from harm.

Possibly the day , when we realize that age is no respecter of wealth , will we as elders - in the role of parents , faculty , seniors learn that it is our moral right to act now.

Tommorow may be too late, also this may be too little.