Though the professor feared a rowdy incoming class, he found that his new students were docile [ˈdɑsaɪl] and eager to learn.

docile [ˈdɑsaɪl]
adj
Docile is used to describe those who are easily taught, led, or managed.

Today calling students "docile" indicates that they aren't trouble-makers, but there's more than just good behavior connecting docility to teachability. Docile comes from the Latin verb docēre, which means "to teach."

English