| :: Dealing with Disruptive Students in the Classroom |
|
|
WHAT IS DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR?
Disruptive behavior prevents an instructor from teaching and/or prevents students from learning. Often, disruptive behavior is repeated or continuous but it may be a single disruptive event. They include:
- Monopolizing discussions
- Talking
- Changing subjects
- Late entrance/early leaving
- Sleeping
- Eating
- Passing notes
We recommend that faculty and staff deal with disruptive behavior as soon as possible. Please see Meeting with a Disruptive Student below for more information.
THREATS: Disruptive behavior as discussed here does not include threats against a faculty or staff member. Direct, indirect and implied threats should be reported to NAUPD (523-3000) and the Office of Student Life (523-5181) as soon as the faculty or staff member has removed himself/herself from the situation.
NOTE: If a student indicates to you that he or she has a disability, feel free to refer that student to Disability Support Services (523-8773). It may be that the disruptive behavior is related to a legitimate disability that requires some accommodation. Indications of a disability could include statements that he or she cannot keep up with you in class, that he or she can not comprehend the reading, that there are too many distractions in the room, and similar statements of misunderstanding or inability to comprehend the material.
PREVENTING DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR
SYLLABUS
1. Use the NAU approved syllabus format (word .doc) and add your own classroom management policies.
2. Remember that the syllabus is like a contract between you and your students.
3. You have the right to set forth what is acceptable and what is not within your classroom.
Examples are:
A. Cell phones and pagers must be turned off during class. If you have a special need, please speak to me before class.
B. Students will not be allowed to eat in class without prior instructor approval.
4. Having the students help establish an addendum of rules to the syllabus will create a sense of ownership for the class and will increase the chances that students will follow the rules. 5. Go over the syllabus in class with the students. Later, you can remind them that you discussed the policies and asked for questions.
OTHER STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION
1. Find out early what the students want out of the class. Ask for their expectations. You can ensure that you are all looking for the same things. Many disruptions occur because students do not feel they understand what the professor wants.
2. Get to know the students by name. Students are less likely to create disruptions if they know the professor knows who they are.
3. Role model the behavior you want from the students. For example, if you are sarcastic in class, then sarcasm will be seen as acceptable within the classroom.
4. Be careful about creating too much informality within the classroom environment.
5. Set the tone and classroom expectations early in the class. It is hard to impose new rules after the class is underway, but you can always ease up on rules that have already been established.
6. Request occasional feedback (anonymous) on how the class is going. This gives the students a sense of empowerment and allows you to discover if you are reaching the class.
HOW TO HANDLE A DISRUPTIVE STUDENT
(The following is derived from the Classroom Management Statement)
You will need to calmly put an end to the disruption. If you feel you are in danger, contact NAUPD at 523-3000. The following are known as de-escalation strategies:
A. Stand right next to offender (usually if a talking issue)
B. Stop and wait for the student(s) to settle down before proceeding with the lesson
C. Change your teaching style. If students are disrupting a lecture, move into group work for example
D. Be direct with the students and calmly ask them to stop
E. In serious situations, ask the student to leave the room and meet with you in your office during office hours
TIPS
1. It is rarely productive to try to handle the causes of the disruption in the classroom.
2. Likewise, disciplining a student in front of others is not likely to reduce future disruptions.
3. Be positive rather than negative (it seems we have two conversations going on, let’s try to focus on the topic at hand).
4. Request the student’s time after class.
5. If you feel you are in danger, contact NAUPD at 523-3000. Also contact NAUPD if any of the following occur:
* physical threats are made against you or another student
* there is a weapon in the room
* the student appears to be unstable
6. Stay calm and do not become defensive
7. Consult with your Department Chair or the Office of Student Life
8. Document everything
MEETING WITH A DISRUPTIVE STUDENT
The Meeting
When you meet with a student, you want to protect yourself from any potential danger or career-damaging allegations. Consider:
* using a conference room where others will witness the meeting without hearing the discussion
* having another person present with you in the room. This could be a department chair or a colleague who agrees to keep the meeting confidential.
NOTE: If a student indicates to you that he or she has a disability, feel free to refer that student to Disability Support Services (523-8773). It may be that the disruptive behavior is related to a legitimate disability that requires some accommodation.
After the Meeting
After the meeting, give the student a letter or a memorandum which contains:
A summary of meeting
The future expectations that you have for the student
A summary of the understandings and agreements you and the student made during the meeting
A discussion of future consequences or actions if the disruptive behavior persists
Send a copy of this writing to your Department Chair and the Office of Student Life.
Referring to the Office of Student Life If a situation is very serious, you may want to refer the student to the Office of Student Life.
The Student Code of Conduct covers many inappropriate classroom behaviors. See the Code of Conduct, Paragraph 5-308F.11 – Interfering with University Activities.
Our office will talk with you and with the student and make a determination if the student violated the Code. It may be that he or she receives a warning or other sanctions.
Basic Student Rights
When you decide to deal with a student in a formal manner (when you intend to forward the student to the Office of Student Life for conduct issues), the student has certain rights. Please note that many of these are not rights, but "best practices" during more casual interventions.
1. Students have the right to respectful interactions. Try to remove yourself from the incident. Remember that if you start a meeting with a condescending or confrontational tone, you are defeating your own purpose. (This should apply in all interactions with students.)
2. Students have rights of Due Process
a. Students have the right to written notification of the problem. This is helpful for you as well because it helps focus the conversation.
b. Students have the right to respond to any allegation and to share their perspective. Often just listening will eliminate or reduce the student’s disruptive behavior. (This should apply in all interactions with students.)
c. Students have the right to confidentiality. What goes on between you and the student in a conduct-related case should be confidential. You should not discuss the situation with other faculty unless you make reasonable efforts to conceal the identity of the student. A single conflict between you and a student should not label the student throughout his or her career. (This should apply in all interactions with students.)
You should tell the student that you may consult with your Department Chair or the Office of Student Life regarding your options and potential results.
d. Students have the right to have an advisor or support person with them when they meet with you. Please note that you have the right to speak with the student and not with the advisor.
e. Students have the right to be notified in writing of any decisions or sanctions that are imposed. The student does not need to know the final result when the student leaves your office. Fight the tendency for a quick and easy solution if it won’t be the right one. Take time to consult and think about the decision.
f. Students have the right to appeal certain sanctions. If your decision will be to administratively remove them from the class, or to give them a 0 or an F, you must notify them that they may have the right to appeal that decision to the Department Chair or the Dean. Each college has its own procedures for academic appeals and you should be familiar with them
|
