I have an extensive background in teaching inner city middle school so I had to hone my Managing Student Behavior skills very quickly. I became very good at being approachable and friendly but still maintaining authority as the teacher/instructor in the room. I worked very hard to make sure that students enjoyed my company and genuinely respected me without giving up command for friendship. Even now that I'm teaching adults, I use the same tactics. I listen. I offer to help when I can. I keep in mind that a student being angry, disruptive or disengaged might not have anything to do with me or my teaching. However, if students know that I'm on their side and will do my best to have their back, they're less likely to vent frustrations at me during class and more likely to come to me privately if there's an issue.
I love offering a challenging student the steps and opportunity to escalate a challenge....Listening is important, but encouraging them to make an appointment with you in order for you to set aside time to listen to their complaints is effective for both parties. It allows the student to ask themselves, how serious are my complaints? and gives the instructor the time to listen and document student concerns.
Managing students who are cheating, shy, angry, there are several strategies to accomplish this and assist the student in remaining in the class with progress and success. As an educator we should definitely focus strategies to help the student, have students sit a distance apart before the exam, give various types of exams, short answer, case studies instead of mainly T/F and multiple choice exams. Do note taking with the angry student, third party person to be present while disciplining the student or merely speaking with the student. Allow the student to express and explain himself and actually what is the problem.
Through learning about student monitoring and behavior, I’ve come to realize how important it is to look beyond surface-level actions and understand what my high school Health Science students may be experiencing internally. Monitoring students goes beyond keeping track of attendance or behavior—it involves observing patterns, emotional shifts, and engagement levels. I’ve learned that understanding student behavior means being aware that silence, anger, or even cheating often signals a deeper issue. Silent students, for example, may not be disengaged but may need safer, low-pressure ways to participate, such as writing or small group discussions. Thinking breaks will be a regular part of my routine, offering students a chance to process, reset, and refocus. When students express anger, I’ve learned not to react defensively but instead to listen and provide a calm space for them to decompress. Cheating, while disappointing, often reflects fear or a lack of confidence, and I’ll address it by reinforcing trust, offering support, and focusing on growth over perfection. I’ve also realized that teaching sometimes requires making difficult decisions, whether it’s enforcing consequences or intervening when something feels off. These “hard calls” are necessary to maintain a fair and supportive environment. With these insights, I feel more prepared to create a classroom where my Health Science students feel seen, supported, and capable of both academic and personal growth.
That while confronting a problem head on, you still need to be an attentive listener to the student and why these issues keep happening.
I've learn that it can be challenging to deal with some of these type of students in your class, but also not to give up on them, knowing when enough is enough, so your other students don't suffer.
Paying attention to student behaviors and addressing them head on can save time and energy later on.
Thankfully your school has set up the criteria that can take care of cheating and will back you up when needed.
Follow policy and procedure and be professional at all times.
The situation that I have ran into is that most of my disruptive students do not want to be in the class. They did not sign up for the class and are shoved in here regardless. I just try to work with them and find out what their interest are so maybe I can find an area in my subject that aligns with their interest.
Will follow the policies of the institution if there are issues of cheating or classroom disruption.
Learning how to work with disruptive students is a must, an instructor needs to be compassionate and an outside of the box thinker when remedying the issue.
The steps to take to keep all students engaged in learning was very informative.
Keeping track of a disruptive student is key when it comes time to reprimand them. Proof is always needed. I recommend a sit down with the student. Where the issue is written up and they have to sign it after discussing what happened, how to better handle the situation, and possible outcomes if nothing changes.
I do a pretty good job of moving around the classroom and engaging with students, but I do tend to focus on specific students like the loud ones, disruptive ones, and the ones who are doing really well in the class. I struggle to get to the quiet students as often. Improving that might help me to identify some of those students that are falling behind or inattentive before they start failing the class. Check-ins with those students would help me give them the support they need.
Cheating has been a challenge, especially when students find the content difficult or come unprepared. I've used online monitoring tools and site blockers to reduce this. Maintaining strong rapport, staying flexible, and using proactive classroom management—like keeping students engaged with activities—has helped a lot.
It is good that our tests are computer based and we can track it. But some students are getting crafty and it can be hard to catch. I stand at the rear of the class so I can see computer screens which seems to help curb some of it.
Comment on Brittany Behel's post: I agree with your response.
The cheating happens and that is honestly my biggest issue. I have a great rapport with my students but the content is harder than they are used to and often they are unprepared. I have used online monitoring services and blocking sites to help lower some of my repeat offenders.
It's best to listen and keep your ego in check. Keeping proactive classroom management helps student engagement by keeping them busy with activities/projects.
