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How do you respond to a teacher's focus?

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neurodiverse
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04 Dec 2018, 11:05 am

Hello,
Can someone please tell me how you respond to a lecturer/teacher's constant focus on you while he/she is explaining a topic to the class?
I had given a couple of lectures myself and I can understand how difficult it is for a lecturer to constantly move around his/her gaze while explaining a certain topic. And when he/she keeps his/her focus on one student for a long time then it feels weird to that student.
Since the power dynamic between a teacher and a student is not that is between equals any momentarily glance elsewhere by the student can be taken as a sign of disrespect when the teacher is looking at the student while lecturing.
And since it is a lecture and not a conversation you don't have much option but to keep your visual focus on the lecturer while listening to his/her explanation of the topic.
I often start a blank stare while listening when the lecturer is focused on me for a long time or I just blink and nod at certain intervals. Both of which seems unintended-ly weird or funny.
Also, I'm not autistic so I don't have the liberty that label offers in social situations.
I just wanted to know how you guys handle such situation.
It doesn't matter if you're neurotypical/neuroatypical. Any creative and practical suggestion appreciated.


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'I don't see,' said the Caterpillar.
'I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly,' Alice replied very politely, 'for I can't understand it myself to begin with; and being so many different sizes in a day is very confusing.'
'It isn't,' said the Caterpillar.
'Well, perhaps you haven't found it so yet,' said Alice; 'but when you have to turn into a chrysalis —you will some day, you know — and then after that into a butterfly, I should think you'll feel it a little queer, won't you?'
'Not a bit,' said the Caterpillar.
'Well, perhaps your feelings may be different,' said Alice; 'all I know is, it would feel very queer to me.'
'You!' said the Caterpillar contemptuously. 'Who are you?'


shortfatbalduglyman
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04 Dec 2018, 5:56 pm

Sit in the back of the room



neurodiverse
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05 Dec 2018, 12:04 pm

shortfatbalduglyman wrote:
Sit in the back of the room

I used to do that in school and college. It works for me.
Unfortunately, the presentation board/tv is too small to be seen from the back. So there is no point sitting in the back of the room unless I can bring and use binoculars in the class during the lecture. Which again is neither allowed nor is as practical as sitting near the front.


_________________
'I don't see,' said the Caterpillar.
'I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly,' Alice replied very politely, 'for I can't understand it myself to begin with; and being so many different sizes in a day is very confusing.'
'It isn't,' said the Caterpillar.
'Well, perhaps you haven't found it so yet,' said Alice; 'but when you have to turn into a chrysalis —you will some day, you know — and then after that into a butterfly, I should think you'll feel it a little queer, won't you?'
'Not a bit,' said the Caterpillar.
'Well, perhaps your feelings may be different,' said Alice; 'all I know is, it would feel very queer to me.'
'You!' said the Caterpillar contemptuously. 'Who are you?'


Trueno
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05 Dec 2018, 12:27 pm

Have a notepad on your knee... every time you feel uncomfortable just look down and make some notes. It will look like you're being serious and attentive.


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Jake6238
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05 Dec 2018, 12:45 pm

Trueno wrote:
Have a notepad on your knee... every time you feel uncomfortable just look down and make some notes. It will look like you're being serious and attentive.


I do this almost instinctively now. As I unconsciously stare at the lecture while I'm listening quite frequently I get stares back. Also works if the notepad is on the desk. They almost always look away if you start writing notes.


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Probably off challenging as many social norms in as little time as possible


neurodiverse
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06 Dec 2018, 9:43 am

Trueno wrote:
Have a notepad on your knee... every time you feel uncomfortable just look down and make some notes. It will look like you're being serious and attentive.

There isn't much note taking. It is all practical stuff in the lecture. If I sit at the very back the font and the elements on the screen become incomprehensible. Anyways I don't feel much uncomfortable by long stares of a lecturer it's just that I don't want the lecturer to feel uncomfortable looking at my face when he is.


_________________
'I don't see,' said the Caterpillar.
'I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly,' Alice replied very politely, 'for I can't understand it myself to begin with; and being so many different sizes in a day is very confusing.'
'It isn't,' said the Caterpillar.
'Well, perhaps you haven't found it so yet,' said Alice; 'but when you have to turn into a chrysalis —you will some day, you know — and then after that into a butterfly, I should think you'll feel it a little queer, won't you?'
'Not a bit,' said the Caterpillar.
'Well, perhaps your feelings may be different,' said Alice; 'all I know is, it would feel very queer to me.'
'You!' said the Caterpillar contemptuously. 'Who are you?'


cron