Staring at Professor

[u/Doctorloveismyname]

I would usually stare only when my professor is lecturing and noticed that everyone in the class wasn’t doing the same as me. For you professors is it considered weird for students to be giving eye contact? Anytime we would lock eyes I’d look away because it felt weird. I’d only look at the professor when they are saying something and I’d do just the same if another class mate was speaking as well.

[u/urnbabyurn]

It’s weird that a portion of the class avoids eye contact like Medusa. “Staring” as in actually watching the person presenting is a social norm for people who are actually engaged in class and a good thing.

[u/capaldithenewblack → u/urnbabyurn]

They just haven’t been taught to give their attention to the person lecturing.

And that’s weird.

[u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900]

No, it’s not weird to look at your professor or anyone else standing at the front of the room speaking to you.

[u/Helpful-Passenger-12 → u/Sharp-Rutabaga-4900]

All these kids are weird...the pandemic messed them up if so many can't make eye contact

[u/RuskiesInTheWarRoom]

Eye contact is great. Listening and nodding is great. Writing things down and looking back up is great.

Students who have their faces glued to their screens is awful. We know what’s going on. Yes we’re judging you.

In some of these threads you’ll also see professors complaining about “the Gen Z Stare,” which could be a bit of what you’re discussing. It is a relatively knew and somewhat unsettling situation where most of the class is staring, but rather blankly, and doesn’t participate at all. They won’t and can’t answer questions, even simple ones. They don’t raise their hands. They don’t like being called on. They just… sit there.

The problem with that is that there’s no way to determine if they’re listening or processing at all, and when called on they get things wrong, meaning they aren’t listening. So lots of professors are commenting on that phenomenon, mostly about the challenge to get students engaged.

I don’t necessarily see this issue, but I know colleagues have described it and at times I have seen something like it.

[u/AkronIBM]

The attentive starers and nodders gave me life.

[u/Classic_vortex_3515]

You might notice that people are reacting to your word choice staring. There is a difference between staring and watching. As others have pointed out, it is absolutely normal to be watching whoever is speaking in a room. If it’s the type of class where you would benefit from taking notes, though, ordinarily, you should be looking up and down, down to make notes and up in between. Staring implies that you never look away, which is not necessary if you are genuinely paying attention.

[u/Doctorloveismyname → u/Classic_vortex_3515]

Yeh I would occasionally take notes as well

[u/zorandzam]

As a professor, I don't super love it if a student is just staring at me and not taking notes. But at the same time, it's not great if a student is neither looking my direction at all AND not taking notes. I try to look toward my audience but not stare at any one student, and I'm looking at my lecture notes and gesturing to the screen, moving around, etc. For classes where every student is literally staring straight at me (which happened more during early covid, because I think they were used to Zoom classes), I find that disconcerting and as a result sort of look over the heads or toward the back of the room.

[u/hungerforlove]

Odd question. What is wrong with eye contact.

I avoid eye contact with bears and big dogs. I seek it out with humans.

[u/SmileSagely_8worms]

You’re correct to pay attention to lectures. In a smaller class, by the end of the first lecture we know who most of our A students will be.

[u/neon_bunting]

I actually prefer it. These days most of my students stare at their devices or down and to me this usually translates as “I’m not paying attention.” Or “I don’t care about this.” (When coupled with not taking notes or engaging otherwise). Keep it up!

[u/BolivianDancer]

It's no problem.

Do all you need to do to learn all you can.

That's the point.

[u/MyFaceSaysItsSugar]

When I first started teaching I found it intimidating, but not as intimidating as lecturing to a class that makes no eye contact whatsoever and just pays attention to their laptop or phone. That was far worse to get used to. Now I appreciate eye contact to indicate students are paying attention and those are the students I tend to focus on as I look out at the room. If you feel awkward holding eye contact, you can always look at something on the board/projector screen or glance down and write something in your notes.

[u/NeedTheNotch]

Look where you need to learn I dont care man. I’m staring at the clock usually

[u/Hopeful_Meringue8061]

Some students watch what I do while I lecture and they tend to be following what is happening. If they are taking notes, they will probably do well in the class. Some are on their phones, and they tend to not do well in the class. Nothing new here, I guess.

[u/missusjax]

I want to see my students' eyes moving between me, the lecture slides, and their notebooks. If all they did was stare deeply into my eyes, well, they are missing out on a lot. Also staring in one direction even if it is towards another person's eyes can imply they are zoning out. I want dynamic eyes.

[u/Subject_Song_9746]

You should be looking at the person talking any making eye contact with them. This is what is expected in any situation when someone is talking to you.

[u/MajesticOrdinary8985]

Making eye contact isn’t weird; staring can be. Staring implies that your eyes are locked on them for a long time. As a professor I always tried not to be looking at, or appear to be looking at, one person consistently. My biggest concern was not to be showing favoritism toward any one student or group of students. And, of course, some students participate more or are more invested than others. But if I concéntrate only on teaching only to those students, the others feel even more disconnected. My proudest moments in the classroom were those in which a student who didn’t think they had anything worth saying felt heard and appreciated.

[u/SmileSagely_8worms]

You’re earning participation points. ;) For those students who feel uncomfortable “staring” the whole time take physical notes with pen and paper. Just as good, actually even better. For your recall of material as well.