Transcript Classroom Management Strategies Ken Griffith and Troy Lescher

Conquering Incivility in the College
Classroom: No Caution Tape Required
TOADN Spring Convention – February 6, 2014
Video 1
Objectives
 Examine the impact of classroom incivility
 Analyze two classroom management-based situations
 Choose strategies for conquering incivility in the
college classroom
Explore the ways in which instructors might contribute
to student incivility
What is Incivility?
“…any action that interferes with a harmonious and
cooperative learning atmosphere” (Feldman, 2001)
What is Student Incivility?
“The intentional behavior of students to disrupt or
interfere with the teaching and learning process of
others.” (Morrissette, 2001)
What are some types of
student incivility?
1 – Text <#######>
2 – Type <######>
3 – Type <Your Response>
Have you encountered a situation of
student incivility? If so, what happened?
Why do you believe it occurred?
What potentially causes
student incivility?
 Diversity in the student body
Size of classes/Large campus
Students’ personal problems – emotional
issues/stress/pressure
 Instructors
Video 2 & Discussion
Video 3 & Discussion
Tips for Classroom Management
Pre-semester Inventory:
Self-assessment – How do you typically
deal with conflict?
“Dodger”
“Welcomer”
“Collaborator”
“Accommodator”
“Compromiser”
Tips for Classroom Management
Pre-semester Inventory:
Class-Assessment – What specific
aspects of your class may lead to student
incivility?
• Teaching controversial/sensitive material
• Unclear/unrealistic expectations
• Policies (Grading, Classroom, Homework etc.)
Tips for Classroom Management
Pre-semester Inventory:
Planning – How will you handle these
situations when they occur?
•
•
•
•
A student who dominates class discussions
A student who always shows up 20 minutes late
A student who dresses inappropriately
A student who becomes angry when receiving a
grade
Tips for Classroom Management
Week One:
Build rapport with your students
Set a positive tone for the course
Discussion on policies and procedures
Model proper behavior and communication skills
Tips for Classroom Management
When incivility occurs:
Don’t ignore it – choose your battles wisely
Stay “calm, analytical, and unemotional”
(Feldman, 2001)
Take action that will avoid poisoning the
learning environment
Document situations/Make colleagues aware
of particularly difficult situations
Video 4
How might you contribute
to incivility in the classroom?
Instructors’ Bothersome Behaviors
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Missing office hours
Ignoring students’ emails
Being late to class
Lack of preparation/Lack of organization
Poor time management
Lack of classroom control
Disrespecting students/Treating them as unintelligent
Not adhering to the syllabus
Giving “busy” assignments
Giving non-graded assignments
Lack of familiarity with the students
Lack of explanation on challenging concepts
Poor presentation habits (e.g. too fast-paced, inadequate
voice projection, poor handwriting, blocking the board)
(Johnston, 2011)
References
Anderson, J. A. (1999). Faculty responsibility for promoting conflict-free college classrooms. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 77, 6976.
Classroom civility. (n.d.). University of California-Santa Cruz Center for Teaching and Learning. Retrieved June 21, 2012, from
http://teaching.ucsc.edu/tips/tips-civility.html
Feldman, L.J. (2001). Classroom civility is another of our instructor responsibilities. College Teaching, 49 (4), 137-140.
Five styles of conflict resolution. (n.d.). University of Notre Dame. Retrieved June 21, 2012, from http://www.notredameonline.com/conflictresolution-styles/
Hara, B. (2011, January 17). Disruptive student behavior: the professor edition. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved January 20, 2011, from
http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/disruptive-student-behavior-the-professor-edition/29972
Johnston, K.M. (2011). MSU Teaching Thoughts. Michigan State University Teaching Assistant Programs. Retrieved August 8, 2012, from
http://tap.msu.edu/teachingthoughts/docs/TT2011.pdf
Lescher, T. (2011). How do I navigate and curb conflict in my classroom? Texas Tech University Teaching, Learning and Professional
Development Center. Retrieved June 28, 2012 from
http://www.tlpd.ttu.edu/teach/TLTC%20Teaching%20Resources/HowDoINavigateAndCurbConflictInMyClassroom.asp
Managing classroom conflict. (2004). Center for Faculty Excellence at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Retrieved June 28, 2012, from
http://cfe.unc.edu/pdfs/FYC22.pdf
Morrissette, P.J. (2001). Reducing incivility in the university/college classroom. International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning, 5(4).
Retrieved from http://iejll.synergiesprairies.ca/iejll/index.php/ijll/article/view/497/159
Seven tips on handling classroom distractions. (n.d.). University of South Carolina Center for Teaching Excellence. Retrieved June 21, 2012, from
http://www.sc.edu/cte/guide/classdistractions/index.shtml
Sorcinelli, M.D. (n.d.). Dealing with troublesome behaviors in the classroom. State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota. Retrieved August 9,
2012, from http://scf.edu/content/PDF/Library/DealingTroublesomeBehaviors.pdf