Dealing with Difficult Student Behavior
by Dr. Cynthia Haynes
There are a number of common behavior problems that teachers will confront both in and out of class. Thus, we will divide these tips according to in-class problems and outside-of-class problems.
In-class behavior problems
Students who are chronically late to class can cause anything from mild distraction to complete disruption of classroom activities. Always explain your attendance policy, and include rules about tardiness. If a student arrives late to class consistently, do not cause attention to them by saying anything to them after they arrive. Reserve your comments to the student until after class or during a break. Be specific about the penalty for lateness. If you call attention to the student as they arrive late, it can embarrass them and further disrupts whatever activity you have going. Embarrassing the student may cause temporary elimination of the problem, but it can also backfire and create animosity in the student that becomes a secondary problem with which you have to contend.
Students who dominate classroom discussion can lead to unbalanced discussion, and other students may feel intimidated and refuse to contribute to the discussion. Gentle hints may be used in the beginning ("You don't have to answer every question."), but should become more pointed if the problem persists. You might also need to take the student aside and speak privately to them about it.
Students who are belligerent in class, whether it is directed at the teacher or another student, should be dealt with immediately and decisively. Ignoring them can erode your authority as teacher and can lead to toxic group dynamics in the classroom. If a student openly complains about an assignment, or says something offensive, or refuses to participate in classroom activities, you must act with a balance of firm authority and non-reactionary responses. Often times the student just wants attention, even if it takes the form of negative attention. Thus, it is not productive to become angry with the student in front of other students unless it is an extreme case.
Any student found abusing the computers or other classroom equipment should be disciplined immediately. Contact the Rhetoric program director or assistant director to report the incident and receive advice about punishment.
If any of the problems listed above occur while meeting in an online learning
environment (such as Lingua MOO), the same rules should apply. Be sure to explain
to students that even if they are not using their real names while online, they
are not anonymous and are accountable for their actions in this space just as
they are in the physical classroom space.
Keep in mind that if the situation is serious, it is a good idea to document
it by writing notes about what happened to provide in the event it is necessary
for the director or department to take more serious action.
Out-of-class behavior problems
Students who cause problems with their teacher or another student outside of class should also be warned and disciplined.
If a student is difficult in your presence during an office visit or if they send you an offensive email, you should treat the situation with firm authority. If you wish to involve the program director or assistant director, that is your decision. And if you do, we will advise you and/or intervene depending on the circumstances. Be sure to alert the director to the situation and thereafter ‘blind copy’ them on any email correspondence you send to the student. Also document the situation by keeping copies of any correspondence you receive from the student and that you send to the student related to the offense. Writing up your observations of the incident is also a good idea in the event the university has to take action.
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