Disruptive Behavior
When I come across disruptive behavior, I will utilize some of the methods discussed in this course. I will share these with my fellow instructors that seem to struggle with students that seek to disrupt the class. Putting these into practice in a training session for instructors will benefit all.
I have found the best resource in learning how to deal with unacceptable behavior is from other instructors. There are instructors I work with that have been here for 20 plus years. They have seen just about everything. I lean on them when I have a problem reaching a student.
Ricky, please come back into this discussion after you have implemented some of your ideas. I am sure the group would be very interested in your observations. Thanks for anything you can share.
James Jackson
John, great statement and demonstrates your own wisdom and attention to detail. Too often I see younger or less experienced instructors fail to take full advantage of the resources around them. I am not sure if it is ego, pride, or introverted tendencies but we all can benefit from talking to our peers and those with skills we want to develop further. I myself have been teaching for more then 20 years and there are many things I learn each year from other instructors. We tell our students learning is life long, why do so many instructors fail to follow this simple understanding? Thanks for sharing.
James Jackson
I do this to! I find since I am relatively new that I really need to get someone else's perspective to find the right response
I rarely see disruptive behavior in my classroom, but will utilize the methods discussed if faced with this.
Julie, good to hear. Do you attribute the lack of disruptive behavior to anything you do early with each new group of students? Anything related to the institution? Or, do you just have the benefit of students that are not naturally disruptive? Thanks for anything you can share.
James Jackson
When I encounter disruptive behavior I deal with that student right away. I will take him or her to the Dean or Program director. I don't let them control my classroom.
Sharing best practices with fellow instructors is an excellent way of building a unified culture of appropriate behavior on campus. One way that my colleagues and I utilize this is to bring an outside instructor into any disciplinary conversations with students to act as a witness and as a potential moderator should the conversation turn difficult. Students seem to understand the reasoning and appreciate the practice on two levels: Having a witness benefits them should their own instructor take an inappropriate approach, and gives the conversation the appropriate air of seriousness without involving the school administration directly.
I am sometimes saddened by students' lack of common courtesy in the classroom. To a certain extent it seems selfish of that person. Occassionally I have found that a one on one conversation has handled the situation; however other times, it has required a sit down discussion with my supervisor and the offending student. I find it important to hold the students accountable for their behavior and (lack of) professionalism.
Thank you.
Scott, nothing wrong with holding students to a standard. Just be mindful that for some students the concept of "common courtesy" is not relative to their life situation. You can better understand how your students view the world by having conversations and getting to know their root motivations. Always be firm but fair and always be mindful that not everyone had the same path to adulthood as yourself.
James Jackson
I think that an understanding of cultural diversity is also vital. Assumptions about acceptable classroom behavior can vary a great deal.
Sandra, cultural diversity is a very important factor. Not to say you allow different groups to get away with more than others but by knowing what to expect you can be better prepared to discuss proper behavior with your students. Set the stage on the first day of class and let students know what will be expected of them. Regardless of coming from different cultures your role as the instructor is to set the stage and teach them proper behaviors so they are best prepared for the work place.
James Jackson
I find that on the first day of class it is always important to share with the students expectations for class conduct and to get their feedback.
I too share expectations and standards on the first day of class. Because these are adults I find it is also beneficial to let everyone know that courtesy is a requirement not an option for class.
