Stuttering Teenager VS Teacher?

[B.A.D.]

A student was told by his college professor not to speak aloud in class any more because his stutter was 'infringing on other students' time'.

Phillip Garber Jr, 16, from New Jersey and a student at County College of Morris, has suffered from a stutter since he was very young.

The intelligent and confident 16-year-old - who is taking two college classes this semester - has a lot to say in class and was angered when he was told he should keep his comments until afterwards.

In fact, college professor Elizabeth Snyder not only sent him an email discouraging him from actively participating in class discussion, but ignored his raised hand for the whole 75-minute history session.

Mr Garber told the New York Times that his professor sent him an email after he had participated in a couple of class sessions saying: 'I believe it would be better for everyone if you kept a sheet of paper on your desk and wrote down the answers.'

Later, he said, she told him: 'Your speaking is disruptive.'

Mr Garber reported the incident to a college dean who then had him transferred to another class where he has been encouraged to join in again

--------------------------------

QUESTION?

Do you think the teacher did the right thing?.... Do you think this Kid should've complied?...

Couple of things:

well, this kid has some youtube vids where he talks about his stuttering, but you can see kind of an attitude in there, if you closely study the videos, well, Its strange. He seems to think that a way to outsmart this "disease". (dunno if it is) is to build up confidence, but on the way, I think immaturity gets a hold of him.

Now, the teacher... well, I don't know how she approached the kid, but I don't think it was done in a smart way.

Anyways, I'm interested in this story, I think its a few months old, but yeah share your thoughts if you like

[BigBoss]

im pretty sure if the kid brought it to the dean she can get fired(maybe) for saying that...well at least for saying it THAT way,






why is there a 16 year old in college?

[Amaranthine]

That's fucked up. The kid should be able to participate if he wants to, even if it takes him a little bit longer to get his answers out.

why is there a 16 year old in college?

It sounds like he's just taking classes at the college and isn't a full time student there, which is actually pretty common. A lot of lower level colleges [junior, county colleges] offer programs where high school students can take a certain amount of college courses without actually being students at the college.

[Trimss]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfLHojgVYtk

I honestly don't know what to think.

[EminemBase]

No I don't think the teacher the right thing and here's why...

Firstly, that speech impediment is not chosen, he's not doing it consciously or for its sake. So that's discrimination of rights against a disability.

Secondly, what's disturbing to one person is liberating or helpful to the next. It's subjective, and whilst we all generally agree on certain tram lines of annoyance (loud noise, baby crying etc.), there could be a student with a particular regional accent that bothers another student.

Is that girl's accent also not 'infringing'?

Teacher was definitely in the wrong here.

[Amaranthine]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfLHojgVYtk

I honestly don't know what to think.

He almost seems like he has Tourette's.

[Blu]

This kid could be the next Einstein but she has a problem with his stutter?

[Kill You]

Teacher was definitely wrong. EminemBase put it perfectly.

[the real slim shady]

He has something that he cant really control, and he gets in trouble for it?

Thats a load of bullshit, let him say what he wants to say. He has the same rights as anyone else anyway.

[INbfor88]

Let's take away the stutter for just a moment and focus on the general issue. Which is just: There is limited time to teach. Wasting class time (without intent) is not new, in high school, college, whatever, there are students who incessantly ask questions without fully understanding the restricting effects they are having on other students' learning. In that scenario I can imagine that it may be necessary to (politely and respectfully) ask that student to save some (not all) questions for the end of the class, rather than asking them during class time.

Now, the teacher in the stuttering teenager case obviously handled it appallingly, however I don't disagree with a situation where a teacher respectfully asks a student with a stutter to comment slightly less for the positive benefit of the class (making sure that the student understands how there is an issue with time, and so any questions or input that aren't pivotal to the lesson can be answered outside of class time). Obviously you don't stop the kid from engaging with discussion, but you just ask them to self-regulate for the sake of time. Plus, if the kid was akin to a student who asks a ridiculous number of questions, then stutter or not - they would still be wasting time.

At the same time, telling someone what they say is 'disruptive' is both provocative and patronising and I can understand why any student would be outraged - especially one actually engaging in class discussion despite having a stutter.

[CrashBand]

Let's take away the stutter for just a moment and focus on the general issue. Which is just: There is limited time to teach. Wasting class time (without intent) is not new, in high school, college, whatever, there are students who incessantly ask questions without fully understanding the restricting effects they are having on other students' learning. In that scenario I can imagine that it may be necessary to (politely and respectfully) ask that student to save some (not all) questions for the end of the class, rather than asking them during class time.

Now, the teacher in the stuttering teenager case obviously handled it appallingly, however I don't disagree with a situation where a teacher respectfully asks a student with a stutter to comment slightly less for the positive benefit of the class (making sure that the student understands how there is an issue with time, and so any questions or input that aren't pivotal to the lesson can be answered outside of class time). Obviously you don't stop the kid from engaging with discussion, but you just ask them to self-regulate for the sake of time. Plus, if the kid was akin to a student who asks a ridiculous number of questions, then stutter or not - they would still be wasting time.

At the same time, telling someone what they say is 'disruptive' is both provocative and patronising and I can understand why any student would be outraged - especially one actually engaging in class discussion despite having a stutter.

agree with most of this.

The teacher is definitely wrong in the way they dealt with it. That's a given

But ignoring the Teacher dealing with it wrong, it is definitely an issue that would need resolving (if we assumed it was disruptive to the rest of the class)

No I don't think the teacher the right thing and here's why...

Firstly, that speech impediment is not chosen, he's not doing it consciously or for its sake. So that's discrimination of rights against a disability.

Secondly, what's disturbing to one person is liberating or helpful to the next. It's subjective, and whilst we all generally agree on certain tram lines of annoyance (loud noise, baby crying etc.), there could be a student with a particular regional accent that bothers another student.

Is that girl's accent also not 'infringing'?

Teacher was definitely in the wrong here.

If a girl's accent was somehow wasting a significant amount of teaching time or was impeding on other kids learning then yes a reasonable solution would have to be found. Maybe they could ask extra questions at the end of class or something.


The stutter kid sounds like a troll tbh. I'm picturing some kid taking 15 minutes answering a question and when they have finally finished and the teacher is moving on they immediately have their hand up high in air wanting to speak again

[Kill You]

^ But it's not something someone can really help...I don't see why a teacher would blame a student for something they can't get rid of.

[CrashBand]

Not blaming them.

But there is a solution that needs to be found. Perhaps ask more questions after class or something.

Being special needs isn't someone's fault. But you still need to find a solution to suit all parties best.

[Doodlebug]

Dude I would get so pissed if I couldnt make myself talk when and how I wanted to. I dont know if I could take it. I got about 20 seconds into the video and realized that if it was me I would just stop talking and give up.

I was born pretty premature and had a tied-tongue. I stuttered and had 10 years of speech. First off, if a teacher had done that to me at that age -- I would of actually gotten up, excused myself and went and had a talk with the Principal. I refuse to be talked down to, talked bad about, or insulted by persons that have this odd-quirky feeling that I work for them and they have some power over me.

The teacher is there to teach, and I'd probably make it known that when I wanted his opinion on how fast I can or cannot talk - I'd shake his cage and ask him.

Yes - I got detention alot. Yes I am a girl. No teachers got used to give me alot of leeway and stayed out of my face. BTW - I did not curse, or use profanity - and I used few words - I just made the words I did use - count.

[Doodlebug]

I took ten years of speech and yes, I stuttered.

If a teacher had done this to me, I would of walked up to the front of the class room - stood toe to toe with them - and said "My name is Debbie, and I stutter but that does not make me a moron. I would appreciate some respect while in your classroom - thank you".

Then.. (and don't do this please)... I had anger issues. I probably would of found out where they shopped, cut them off before they put their key in the door, twisted the key out of their hand and as I held their wrist, ask if they would like to discuss my stuttering issue. (I was underage).

While please don't do this - this is what I would of done. Since I was an exceptionally tiny, thin, doe-eyed girl, who was very quiet - most would of not believed it.

But yeah I would of done the first - probably the second. Can't say I would of regretted it.