MANAGING DISRUPTIVE CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR

PREVENTION STRATEGIES, EARLY INTERVENTION, AND

EMERGENCY MEASURES

Dr. Frank BabcockDean of Student Services

Dale Mabry CampusAugust 2004

CATEGORIES OF STUDENT

MISBEHAVIOR

• ABERRANT OR IMMATURE BEHAVIOR

REBELLIOUS EMOTIONAL

• INTIMIDATING OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD THE PROFESSOR

• CLASSROOM BULLIES

• DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

ARRIVING LATE

EATING OR DRINKING

TALKING ON CELL PHONES

BRINGING CHILDREN TO CLASS

• DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS

• DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

CONDUCTING SIDE CONVERSATIONS

OFFENSIVE COMMENTS TO INSTRUCTOR OR OTHER STUDENTS

MAKING IMPUDENT REMARKS

CONSISTENTLY DISAGREEING

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

DEFIANT POSTURINGOBSCENE GESTURESHOSTILE ARGUINGCHALLENGINGMENACING PHYSICAL POSTURING INTIMIDATING STATEMENTS TOWARD THE

INSTRUCTOR

• INTIMIDATING OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS TOWARD THE PROFESSOR

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

HIJACKING THE CLASSRUDE INSULTING UNCIVIL IRRITATING BEHAVIOR TOWARDS

CLASSMATES INTERFERING WITH TEACHING AND

LEARNING

• CLASSROOM BULLIES

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR

ACTING IN A BIZARRE MANNERACTING SPACED OUTUNDER CHEMICAL INFLUENCEENGAGING IN EXHIBITIONISMEMOTIONAL RESPONSESMAKING IRRATIONAL, INAPPROPRIATE,

UNRELATED STATEMENTS

• ABERRANT OR IMMATURE BEHAVIOR

POSSIBLE CAUSES

PURCHASING A COMMODITYDEMAND ACCOUNTABILITYDEMAND COURSES BE TAUGHT ON THEIR TERMS

• STUDENTS OFTEN ENTER COLLEGE WITH A “CONSUMER MENTALITY”

• STUDENTS BELIEVE THAT THEIR BEHAVIOR HAS NO BEARING ON THEIR FUTURE SUCCESS

POSSIBLE CAUSES

• STUDENTS BRING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL BEHAVIOR TO COLLEGE

• STUDENTS HAVE NEVER BEEN CONFRONTED BY THEIR INSTRUCTORS FOR INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR

• STUDENTS RESORT TO INTIMIDATION TO RELIEVE STRESS

• UNDERPREPARED STUDENTS

• STUDENTS HAVE BLURRED PERCEPTIONS OF BOUNDARIES BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND COLLEGE FACULTY/STAFF

• MANY FACULTY AVOID EXPLICIT RULES TO AVOID LOOKING TOO RIGID

POSSIBLE CAUSES

POSSIBLE CAUSES

• COLLEGE EDUCATION HAS BECOME A MEANS TO AN END IN IT SELF

• HIGH TECH WORLD MAY RESULT IN STUDENTS WITH MORE LIMITED SOCIAL SKILLS

THE MILLENNIAL FACTOR

• STUDENTS ENTER COLLEGE WITH MORE EXPOSURE TO ADULT WORLD THAN PREVIOUS GENERATION

• STUDENTS RECEIVE EXPOSURE TO VAST LEVEL OF INFORMATIONAL ACTIVITY

• STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY

• MORE STUDENTS ARE WORKING PART TIME

THE MILLENNIAL FACTOR

• STUDENTS ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY PROFICIENCY

• STUDENTS HAVE AMBITIOUS CAREER ASPIRATIONS BUT UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS

• STUDENTS AWARE OF THE RULES BUT SEEK TO FIND WAYS AROUND THEM “CHEATING IS OK IF YOU DO NOT GET CAUGHT”

PREVENTION STRATEGIES

PHONES AND BEEPERS OFF

NO LEAVING CLASS FOR CALLS

NO BATHROOM BREAKS

NO SIDE CONVERSATIONS

NO SLEEPING

• PROVIDE A CLEAR SET OF RULES

PREVENTION STRATEGIES

QUESTIONS TO BE DIRECTED TOWARD THE INSTRUCTOR

NO READING UNRELATED MATERIALSTAKE ATTENDANCE AND LEARN STUDENT

NAMESNO USE OF LAPTOPS EXCEPT FOR COURSE

WORKPROVIDE RULES BOTH VERBALLY AND IN

WRITING

PREVENTION STRATEGIES

• SERVE AS A ROLE MODEL FOR THE CONDUCT YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR STUDENTS

• START CLASS ON TIME

• END CLASS ON TIME

EARLY INTERVENTION

• DO NOT DEAL WITH STUDENTS WHEN YOU ARE EMOTIONAL

• DO NOT DEAL WITH STUDENTS WHEN THEY ARE EMOTIONAL

EARLY INTERVENTION

• INTERVENE EARLY

PRACTICE GOOD COMMUNICATION

SPEAK WITH STUDENT IN PRIVATE AFTER CLASS TO DISCONTINUE DISRUPTIONS

BE SPECIFIC ABOUT CONCERNS

FOCUS ON HOW BEHAVIORS AFFECT YOU AND OTHER STUDENTS

PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS OR DIRECTIVES

CONSIDER A DIFFERENT SEAT

EARLY INTERVENTION

• INTERVENE EARLY

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS

REFOCUS ATTENTION BY RESTATING RELEVANT POINTS

RE-DIRECT QUESTIONS TO THE CLASS

ASK HOW TOPIC RELATES TO THE CURRENT TOPIC

“Would you summarize your main point please?”

• RAMBLING

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION

CHANGE TEACHING STRATEGIES FROM GROUP DISCUSSIONS TO WRITTEN EXERCISES

PROVIDE STRONG REINFORCEMENT FOR ANY CONTRIBUTION

INVOLVE DIRECTLY BY ASKING A QUESTIONMAKE EYE CONTACT

• SHYNESS OR SILENCE

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION

ACKNOWLEDGE COMMENTS MADEGIVE LIMITED TIME TO EXPRESS

VIEWPOINTS AND THEN MOVE ONMAKE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER PERSONPROVIDE ATTENTION AFTER CLASS OR

DURING BREAKS “THAT’S AN INTERESTING POINT. LET’S SEE

WHAT OTHERS THINK!”

• TALKATIVENESS

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION

ADMIT THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER AND REDIRECT THE QUESTION TO THE GROUP OR THE PERSON ASKING

ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A JOINT LEARNING EXPERIENCE

IGNORE THE BEHAVIOR

• SHARPSHOOTING

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION

REDIRECT QUESTION TO GROUP OR SUPPORTIVE INDVIDUALS

RECOGNIZE PARTICIPANT’S FEELINGS AND MOVE ON

ACKNOWLEDGE POSITIVE POINTS

“IT LOOKS LIKE WE DISAGREE”

• HECKLING/ARGUING

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTON

REMAIN CALM AND POLITEKEEP YOUR TEMPER IN CHECKDON’T DISAGREE, BUT BUILD ON OR

AROUND WHAT IS SAIDMOVE CLOSER TO THE PERSON,

MAINTAINING EYE CONTACTTALK TO HIM/HER PRIVATELY IGNORE BEHAVIORASK HIM/HER TO LEAVE

• OVERT HOSTILITY

Student Code of Conduct and Classroom Behavior

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

CAUSING PHYSICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM

INTERFERING WITH NORMAL COLLEGE ACTIVITIES

VERBAL OR PHYSICAL DISRUPTION OF TEACHING

INTERFERING WITH THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

• PROHIBITED CONDUCT

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT

FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE DIRECTION OF COLLEGE OFFICALS

ALL FORMS OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

LEWD, INDECENT, OR OBSCENE CONDUCT, FACE TO FACE USE OF FIGHTING

WORDS, AND/OR PROFANE EXPRESSIONS

• PROHIBITED CONDUCT

NEXT STEPS

INFORM STUDENT HE/SHE CANNOT RETURN TO CLASS WITHOUT A LETTER FROM

THE DEAN

PROMPTLY INFORM THE DEAN OF THE ISSUES, SO THAT DEAN IS PREPARED TO SPEAK WITH STUDENT

• YOU MAY REDIRECT DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS TO THE DEAN OF STUDENTS’ OFFICE

CRISIS MANAGEMENT

SECURITY WILL COME TO ESCORT STUDENT FROM CLASS

STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS BROUGHT TO THE DEAN OF STUDENTS’ OFFICE

COMMUNICATE WITH DEAN OF STUDENT SERVICES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED

DEAN OF STUDENT SERVICES WILL COMMUNICATE WITH THE FACULTY

REGARDING RETURN TO CLASS

• CALL SECURITY FOR ASSISTANCE253-7911

QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS

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