MANAGING DISRUPTIVE CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR PREVENTION STRATEGIES, EARLY INTERVENTION, AND EMERGENCY MEASURES Dr. Frank Babcock Dean of Student Services Dale Mabry Campus August 2004

CATEGORIES OF STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR REBELLIOUS EMOTIONAL INTIMIDATING OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR TOWARD THE PROFESSOR CLASSROOM BULLIES ABERRANT OR IMMATURE BEHAVIOR

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS ARRIVING LATE EATING OR DRINKING TALKING ON CELL PHONES BRINGING CHILDREN TO CLASS

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIORS CONDUCTING SIDE CONVERSATIONS OFFENSIVE COMMENTS TO INSTRUCTOR OR OTHER STUDENTS MAKING IMPUDENT REMARKS CONSISTENTLY DISAGREEING

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR INTIMIDATING OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS TOWARD THE PROFESSOR DEFIANT POSTURING OBSCENE GESTURES HOSTILE ARGUING CHALLENGING MENACING PHYSICAL POSTURING INTIMIDATING STATEMENTS TOWARD THE INSTRUCTOR

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR CLASSROOM BULLIES HIJACKING THE CLASS RUDE INSULTING UNCIVIL IRRITATING BEHAVIOR TOWARDS CLASSMATES INTERFERING WITH TEACHING AND LEARNING

STUDENT MISBEHAVIOR ABERRANT OR IMMATURE BEHAVIOR ACTING IN A BIZARRE MANNER ACTING SPACED OUT UNDER CHEMICAL INFLUENCE ENGAGING IN EXHIBITIONISM EMOTIONAL RESPONSES MAKING IRRATIONAL, INAPPROPRIATE, UNRELATED STATEMENTS

POSSIBLE CAUSES STUDENTS OFTEN ENTER COLLEGE WITH A “CONSUMER MENTALITY” PURCHASING A COMMODITY DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY DEMAND COURSES BE TAUGHT ON THEIR TERMS 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

POSSIBLE CAUSES 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 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 PROVIDE A CLEAR SET OF RULES PHONES AND BEEPERS OFF NO LEAVING CLASS FOR CALLS NO BATHROOM BREAKS NO SIDE CONVERSATIONS NO SLEEPING

PREVENTION STRATEGIES QUESTIONS TO BE DIRECTED TOWARD THE INSTRUCTOR NO READING UNRELATED MATERIALS TAKE ATTENDANCE AND LEARN STUDENT NAMES NO USE OF LAPTOPS EXCEPT FOR COURSE WORK PROVIDE 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

EARLY INTERVENTION INTERVENE EARLY FOCUS ON HOW BEHAVIORS AFFECT YOU AND OTHER STUDENTS PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS OR DIRECTIVES CONSIDER A DIFFERENT SEAT

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS RAMBLING 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?”

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION SHYNESS OR SILENCE CHANGE TEACHING STRATEGIES FROM GROUP DISCUSSIONS TO WRITTEN EXERCISES PROVIDE STRONG REINFORCEMENT FOR ANY CONTRIBUTION INVOLVE DIRECTLY BY ASKING A QUESTION MAKE EYE CONTACT

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION TALKATIVENESS ACKNOWLEDGE COMMENTS MADE GIVE LIMITED TIME TO EXPRESS VIEWPOINTS AND THEN MOVE ON MAKE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER PERSON PROVIDE ATTENTION AFTER CLASS OR DURING BREAKS “THAT’S AN INTERESTING POINT. LET’S SEE WHAT OTHERS THINK!”

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION SHARPSHOOTING 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

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION HECKLING/ARGUING REDIRECT QUESTION TO GROUP OR SUPPORTIVE INDVIDUALS RECOGNIZE PARTICIPANT’S FEELINGS AND MOVE ON ACKNOWLEDGE POSITIVE POINTS “IT LOOKS LIKE WE DISAGREE”

BEHAVIOR INTERVENTON OVERT HOSTILITY REMAIN CALM AND POLITE KEEP YOUR TEMPER IN CHECK DON’T DISAGREE, BUT BUILD ON OR AROUND WHAT IS SAID MOVE CLOSER TO THE PERSON, MAINTAINING EYE CONTACT TALK TO HIM/HER PRIVATELY IGNORE BEHAVIOR ASK HIM/HER TO LEAVE

Student Code of Conduct and Classroom Behavior

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT PROHIBITED CONDUCT CAUSING PHYSICAL OR PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM INTERFERING WITH NORMAL COLLEGE ACTIVITIES VERBAL OR PHYSICAL DISRUPTION OF TEACHING INTERFERING WITH THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT PROHIBITED 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

NEXT STEPS YOU MAY REDIRECT DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS TO THE DEAN OF STUDENTS’ OFFICE 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

CRISIS MANAGEMENT CALL SECURITY FOR ASSISTANCE 253-7911 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

QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ? ? ? ? ? ? QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ? ? ? ? ?