SGPsychStud: 5 Ways on How Not to be Noticed/Remembered by the Lecturer

It is a common thought of students that they DO NOT wish to be called or noticed by their lecturers/tutors during lectures or tutorials.
Basically, there are two types of students that will be remembered: 1) those good in academics and/or class behaviours and 2) those with bad class behaviours.  The average students will usually be forgotten after some time.
I am making this reference for lectures and tutorial classes with at least 30 students.  Anything less than 30 students would be too easy for the lecturers to remember all your names.  Trust me, it's too easy and very possible after seeing you after two to three weeks.

Here's some recommended methods to avoid being called out or remembered by your lecturers and tutors:

For students who are good in academics and/or class behaviours
  1. Ask less questions in class.  The more questions you ask, the more you will be remembered.
  2. Do not ask for feedback after asssignments are being handed out. 
  3. Sit in the centre of the lecture theatre or classroom, rather than the front or side where you are in the direct view of the lecturer.  Being in the centre may cause the lecturer to confuse your face with another students.
  4. Try staring at the lecturer blankly during the lecture.  Lecturers tend to look for familiar students whom they know are listening to the lecture as a form of validation towards the lecturers' own self-confidence during the lecture.  Blank faces means less validation and less chances of being looked at in the future.
  5. Miss a couple of lectures or tutorials, but not that much that it gets you debarred from exams.  This might change the lecturer's positive opinions of you and reduce you to a "mere" average student from a good student.
For students who have bad class behaviours, such as known for not listening in class, often absent, and often going a "bo-chap" attitude regarding that module/subject
  1. Ask a smart question (about the assignments/module) once every 3 to 4 weeks.  You don't want to give the impression that you are working too hard or not working at all.
  2. Sit in the centre of the lecture theatre or classroom, like the advice above for good students.  Don't sit in the back.  Sitting at the back does not give a good impression to the lecturers.  
  3. Always pretend that you are listening attentively in the lecture but do not answer any questions (or say "I don't know") that are asked.  You want the lecturer to think that you are listening but do not want the impression that you know everything.  If you get picked out individually to answer any questions, chances are high that it will happen again, hence the best action would be not to answer any questions (or answer them wrongly).
  4. Be like the average student and do everything nicely and appropriately in tutorials or lab classes as asked by the tutors.  This will reduce the chances that the tutor come to you.
  5. Be on time for classes and remain quiet during lectures and tutorials.  Your "special" deviant behaviour might bring more attention to the lecturers and tutors than you want.
Regardless of which methods you are going to try out, probably you can ask yourself why you do not wish to be remembered and why you are often picked out or noticed by the lecturer.  Disclaimer:  Not every one of the abovementioned methods might work for all lecturers.  You have to try them and see which one works best for you.  

Comments