URSULINE CENTER FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING: DISRUPTIONS IN THE CLASSROOM

Brescia University UCTL

Responding to Disruptions

When disruptive behavior takes place in the classroom, several Brescia University faculty members recommend addressing it immediately.

Their advice:

  • remain calm and assess the situation
  • listen to student concerns and provide a clear, firm response
  • responses should be consistent with those you’ve given other students. 

BEFORE THE SEMESTER BEGINS

Establishing expectations for behavior early in the course can support students’ willingness to engage in learning activities and prevent possible conflicts. Involving students in establishing those ground rules helps build relevant and meaningful guidelines with greater consensus.

  • Focus norms on observable conduct and behavior and plan to discuss them with the class.
  • For the syllabus and first day of class:
    • Discuss disciplinary assumptions & practices
    • The purpose of discussion as a course practice
    • The rules of engagement
  • Make a clear statement that in your classroom, discriminatory language or conduct is not tolerated. Include the statement in the syllabus, on the class LMS Moodle, and state it verbally in class.
  • State the course learning goals. Specify what you want students to learn and why. 

WHOLE BRAIN TEACHING: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

The longer we talk, the more students we lose. College instructor Chris Biffle demonstrates micro-lecturing, the crucial Whole Brain Teaching classroom management technique that not only breaks information into understandable chunks, but also has a built in check for student comprehension.

Whole Brain Teaching: College: Classroom Management

YOU ARE THE TEACHER

Whether you are aware of it or not, classroom management decisions are guided by your personal beliefs and knowledge about how people learn. 

How do you:

  • choose to assess student learning?
  • hold students accountable for coming to class prepared?
  • have students interact with material and each other?
  • establish a collegial classroom atmosphere?

Observe different perspectives on classroom management for:

  • Student accountability
  • Developing appropriate relationships with students
  • Facilitating interactions between students for optimal learning
  • Communicating expectations to students

TEACHING STRATEGIES

The following links, videos, and resources are from faculty across the states, working in colleges and universities.

Effective Classroom Management: Indiana University Bloomington

Holding Students Accountable: Indiana University Bloomington

Best Practices for Managing Disruptive Behavior University of Washington