Sometimes, the lack of respect given to TCC instructors by some of their students is amazing.

When an instructor cannot teach and has to lock the classroom door 15 minutes after class begins because students are constantly walking in late, there is a problem.

And when an instructor comments about it, only to have students respond by thudding their backpack to the ground, rattling the space around them and making an offhand, disrespectful remark, the problem worsens.

Recently, a student came strolling leisurely into class more than five minutes late. When a comment was made by the instructor, the above scenario began to play out. But when a nearby student raised his head, looked at the student and stated matter-of-factly that class had actually begun five minutes earlier, it was enough to cause the disruptive student to shut up, sit down and lose the attitude.

The right words spoken at the right time and in the right tone commanded that respect be given to his instructor. Guys, if you ever wanted to ride in on a white horse, this is a good way to do it.

It would seem that since we are adult age and in college, we would be grown-ups by now. Yet, we thud our backpacks, rattle our chairs, throw our papers on our desks with enough force to blow our hair back and beat the walls. Maybe we should throw ourselves on the floor and kick a little for good measure.

Or maybe college instructors should revert to grade-school-style reports and assign S’s and U’s in categories like timeliness and courtesy to others. After all, those fundamental grade school skills are still relevant in adulthood and contribute greatly to one’s success in life and on the job.

So, in the future, if certain career advances do not materialize as swiftly as desired, it could be a cue to take a closer look at attitude and/or behavior.

And in the meantime, it would be wise not to rattle and thud too much because those instructors, who deserve every inch of our respect, still hold those red pens.