Transcript Working with the Troubled or Disruptive Student

Working with the Troubled
or Disruptive Student
A Faculty and Staff Development
Program
For information or questions about the program,
contact:
The Counseling and Wellness Center [392-1575]
The Dean of Students Office [392-1261]
Faculty and Staff as Resources
Campus personnel interact with students
in a variety of contexts:
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Teaching and Research Faculty
Graduate Teaching and Research Assistants
Instructors
Support Staff
Academic Advisors and Office of the Registrar
Student Affairs Personnel, e.g., Financial Aid,
Reitz Union, Career Resource Center, Dean of
Students, Counseling, Housing and Recreation
staffs
– Student Organization Advisors
Faculty and Staff as Resources
Faculty and Staff are:
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Knowledgeable of students and their particular
developmental stage
Aware of the stressors that students encounter
Representatives of the institutional ethic of care
Knowledgeable of the campus organization and
resources
Gatekeepers for intervention and referral to helping
resources
The Learning Environment:
Establishing Expectations
Explain the importance of a
classroom/learning culture
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Define expectations for the classroom in the course
syllabus; Discuss and clarify
Be consistent
Introduce expectations early and model the desired
behaviors
– Language
– Punctuality
– Respect
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Consult about the scope and application of
expectations
Self-Care for Faculty/Staff
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Be aware of your limitations and when you
may benefit from assistance and
consultation
Make use of campus and community
resources (See the Faculty 911 Guide)
Consult with others, e.g., faculty, staff,
administrators, counselors, public safety,
Dean of Students
Review your experience and make a follow
up plan with supervisor/consultant
Document interactions
Recognizing and Responding to
Troubled and Disruptive
Students
The Challenge of Change
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Over time persons experience periods of
increased stress when challenges related to
decisions, goals and relationships arise.
Often these experiences are accompanied
by thoughts and emotions which produce
sadness, anxiety, frustration, anger and
confusion
While stressful, with support and help these
periods of adjustment are often resolved
with renewed perspectives on life, study and
work
The Challenge of Change cont.
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A persistence of sadness, anger, confusion
and isolating behaviors may indicate a
deepening concern and need for
consultation
The goal of a supportive intervention is to
provide the assistance necessary to help the
student re-establish equilibrium
Tips for Recognizing the Troubled
Student
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Mildly troubled students
Behaviors do not necessarily disrupt others
but indicate that something is troubling
the student. There may be:
– A decrease in achievement and diminished
motivation
– Increased absences
– Difficulties with concentration and focus
– Marked changes in interaction patterns with
instructor and peers, e.g., avoidance,
dependency
Mildly Troubled Students cont:
– Altered mood states, sadness, anxiety,
irritability, lethargy
– Fatigue and sleeping in class
– Pre occupation
– Missed deadlines or incomplete work
– Diminished self-care including poor hygiene
– A reticence but will consider accepting and
acting on an offer of help
Tips cont.
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Moderately troubled students may:
– Exhibit more significant changes in mood and
behavior and often present themselves as
feeling helpless
– Make repeated requests for special consideration
or adjustment to academic requirements
– Express emotions more intensely, particularly
when related to requests for relaxation of
academic responsibilities or issues of fairness
– May behave in ways that are mildly disruptive to
the classroom culture, e.g., angry outbursts,
walking out, failing to collaborate, attacking the
opinions of others
– May be less receptive of an offer to help
Helping the Mildly or Moderately
Trouble Student
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Consult with others on how best to constructively
address your concerns and offer help
Work with the student on an individual level
Address specific behaviors that represent infractions
of the classroom learning culture –provide
corrective and formative feedback
Be clear about expectations and consequences
Refer the student to campus resources (e.g.,
Counseling and Wellness Center, Dean of Students,
Student Health Services, Academic Advisement)
Document your intervention and follow up to
encourage the student to utilize resources
Recognizing the Severely Troubled
and Disruptive Student
The Severely Troubled/Disruptive
Student may:
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Be less likely to accept help and may view efforts to
assist as intrusive and unwanted
Exhibit more intense expression of emotions with
little regard for classroom decorum or deference to
the role of instructor
Reflect poor self-care and demonstrate a lack of
empathy for others
Regularly fail to attend class, be tardy and
communicate a heightened sense of entitlement
Be verbally antagonistic to peers/instructor
The Severely Troubled and
Disruptive Student cont.
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Be unwilling to collaborate with team members and
resist assuming responsibility
Have difficulty communicating, slurred speech or
confused content
Exhibit a confused sense of reality or be highly
suspicious of others
Engage in stalking behaviors or inappropriate forms
of contact such as veiled or threatening e-mails
Be hyper-vigilant and reactive to other’s opinions
Make veiled or overt references to suicidal or
homicidal thoughts (May be in oral and written
formats)
Tips for Responding to the Severely
Troubled and Disruptive Student
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Attend to your personal need for safety
– Have someone meet the student with you
– Meet in an area where resources are available to
you
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Use consultation resources
– Supervisor/Dept. Chairperson
– Counseling and Wellness Center
– Dean of Students
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If you think the student may become
physically agitated, contact campus police at
(392-1111) and have them present
Tips for Responding to the Severely
Troubled and Disruptive Student
If the student is agitated and/or a threat
to harm themselves or others
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Keep a safe distance; Avoid touching the person
Attempt to maintain a calm demeanor
Avoid escalating your voice level and using
provocative language
Remove yourself by indicating you will find
someone else they can talk to … Get help and
contact the campus police for assistance (3921111)
Tips for Responding to the Severely
Troubled and Disruptive Student
If the student is able to discuss the problem
and does not pose an imminent threat:
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Respect and try to understand the student’s
perspectives and convey an attitude of sincerity
Avoid promising the student confidentiality
Focus on an aspect of the problem that can be
managed
Explore what has worked successfully in the past
Make constructive suggestions but avoid making
promises
Identify options and resources
Tips for Responding to the Severely
Troubled and Disruptive Student
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Encourage the student to use help and offer ways
to access the resources
If concerned, ask the student if s/he is considering
not wanting to live – Often the person is looking for
someone to notice their suffering. If yes, get help
Discuss your experience with your supervisor; Plan
for next steps
Contact the Dean of Students Office to
communicate your concern and utilize resources of
the Behavioral Consultation Team (352-392-1575)
Helping the Suicidal Person
If you think the student may be suicidal:
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Listen to the person; Allow time
Ask the question
– Are you thinking about killing yourself?
– Are you thinking about not wanting to live?
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Promote the idea of getting help
Refer to campus and community resources
– Counseling and Wellness Center (352-392-1575)
– After Hours: Alachua County Crisis Center (352-264-6789)
– If an emergency, call UFPD at 392-1111
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Consult with your supervisor, document your
interactions and efforts to help and plan for follow
up
Referring for Help
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The best referral involves taking the person
directly to someone who can help.
The next best referral is getting a commitment
from them to accept help, then making the
arrangements to get that help.
The third best referral is to give referral
information and try to get a good faith agreement
that student will seek assistance. Any willingness
to accept help at some time, even if in the future,
can be a positive outcome.
Follow Up
How to Get Help
A Decision Making Tree and Resource
Guide for Working with the Troubled
and Disruptive Student
Campus and Community Resources
University Resources
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Dean of Students Office
Counseling and Wellness Center
Student Health Services
University Police Department
Office of Victim Services
International Center
Housing and Residence Education
Division of Student Affairs
Employee Assistance Program
352-392-1261
352-392-1575
352-392-1161
352-392-1111
352-392-5648
352-392-5323
352-392-2171
352-392-1265
352-392-5787
Resources cont.
Community Resources
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Alachua County Crisis Center
Alachua County Sheriff
Gainesville Police Department
Alachua County Fire/Rescue
Gainesville Fire/Rescue
Information and Referral Services
Meridian/Crisis Stabilization Unit
Shands at Vista
352-264-6789
911
911
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911
352-332-4636
352-374-5600
352-265-5481
Case Study 1
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Phase 1: Several students have mentioned their concern for a
fellow member of the class, one of their friends. They note
that the student has been attending classes irregularly and
does not appear to be very motivated. Efforts on their part to
help have been met with the friend minimizing their concerns.
They want to know what they can do to be helpful.
Questions for discussion:
What concerns are present?
What suggestions can the faculty/staff member make to the
students?
Case Study 1
Phase 2: Several days later one of the students returns to let
you know that though the group again tried to assist, they
were rebuffed. The student informs you that she believes her
friend is worsening. He does not attend classes and sleeps a
lot during the day. She also notes that he has not come out of
his room very much. He writes e-mails that reflect his dark
mood and cynicism. She speculates that perhaps this has
something to do with her friend’s recent relationship
breakup.
Questions for discussion:
 What additional concerns are present?
 What suggestions can the faculty/staff member make to the
student?
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Case Study 1
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Phase 3: At your suggestion that male student comes in to
talk with you. His appearance is disheveled and his speech is
slow. He appears to be very tired or sad. Over the course of
your conversation with the student, he indicates that he is not
very interested in school anymore and is so far behind that he
doesn’t see the sense in trying to catch up. You discuss
several options for him including withdrawal. He says that he
cannot withdraw because he would not have anywhere to
live. When you ask what he plans to do, he says that it really
doesn’t matter; no one would miss him not being around.
Questions for discussion:
What concerns are present?
What actions might be taken to be helpful?
Case Study 1
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Phase 4: The student does not like the idea of talking with a
counselor, even though you offer to walk him over for help.
He gets up to leave and says that he wishes everyone would
just leave him alone. Whatever he does with his life, it is not
anyone’s business.
Questions for discussion:
What is helpful at this point?
What resources are available?
What follow-up would be suggested?
Case Study 2
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Phase 1: A student approaches an advisor and asks to talk
with him about something she has heard from another female
in one of her classes. She begins by requesting that what she
shares be kept confidential. She doesn’t want it getting back
to her friend that she broke her confidence. The student
proceeds to tell the advisor about a series of e-mails received
by her friend which describe another student’s attraction to
her. Her friend has told her that she if very uncomfortable
with the male who sits beside her in class and has made
overtures towards her. Though she has tried to ignore him, he
continues to try and get her attention. Recently he has tried
talking to her before and after class.
Case Study 2
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Questions for discussion:
What concerns are present at this point?
What additional information may be helpful?
What are the next steps to be taken by the advisor?
Case Study 2
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Phase 2: The faculty member in a class notices that one of
the students appears to be distressed and crying. She
approaches her and asks if she is okay. When the student
does not calm down, the faculty member asks that she join
her outside the classroom. There she is told by the student
that another member of the course confronted her before
class and told her that he was tired of being ignored by her.
She stated that he implied she would be changing her mind
soon and would enjoy being with him more than the other
guy she was with at the club Thursday night. She relates the
problems with increasing e-mails, phone messages and his
unwillingness to cooperate with her requests to leave her
alone.
Case Study 2
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Questions for discussion:
What concerns are present at this point?
What additional information may be helpful?
What are the next steps of the advisor and what resources
are available to help?
Case Study 2
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Phase 3: The male student comes into the advisor’s office the
next day and complains that he is being treated unfairly; that
he is being accused without people having heard his side of
the story. He wants to speak with the department chair. He
reports that this has happened before and that he is tired of
getting in trouble for other people’s problems. He tells the
advisor that he had better get this straightened out. He does
not want any problem with people lying about him with
graduation coming up next spring. In the course of the
conversation, the student angrily denies having any
responsibility for the e-mails or interaction with the woman in
his class. He blames her for coming on to him and states that
she should be the one getting in trouble.
Case Study 2
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Questions for discussion:
What are the priorities for the advisor?
What additional information may be helpful?
What are the next steps and what resources are available to
help?