Transcript Dealing with Disruptive Behvaior In & Out of the Classroom

DEALING WITH DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR
IN & OUT OF THE CLASSROOM
Dr. Brian Van Brunt
Laura Bennett, M.Ed
Director of Counseling WKU
Student Conduct Officer at Harper
[email protected]
[email protected]
Introduction
Setting Expectations & Mindset
Solution Focused
Difficult Conversations
Making a Plan
Documentation
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Introduction
• Welcome to the second of a three part series
addressing student behavior in and out of the
classroom:
(1) Dangerous
Annoying
(2) Disruptive
(3) Distracting/Annoying
• Through a series of case
scenarios and practical advice,
we will share with you useful
tools needed to identify,
intervene and manage disruptive
student behaviors.
Dangerous
Disruptive
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Introduction
Disruptive Physical Behaviors:
• Student misuse of technology in the classroom, such as
watching loud videos on a laptop or cell phone ringing
repeatedly
• Body odor or passing gas that significantly affects the
learning environment
• Use of alcohol or other substances
• Getting up frequently or kicking others’ desks
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Introduction
Disruptive Communications:
• Frequent interruption of professor while talking and
asking of non-relevant, off-topic questions, after told
directly to stop
• Repeated crosstalk or carrying on side conversations
while the professor is speaking
• Yelling at classmates or instructor
• Emotional outbursts or other extreme communications
in the waiting room of a campus office that significantly
affects others
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Introduction
Dangerous Behavior Examples
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Physical assault such as pushing, shoving or punching
Throwing objects or slamming doors
Storming out of the classroom or office when upset
Direct communicated threat to professor, staff or another
student such as: “I am going to kick your ass” or “If you say that
again, I will end you.”
Distracting/Annoying Behavior Examples
• Student has a grating personality
• Student is not prepared or motivated for class
• Student tells odd or strange jokes much below his
developmental age
• Monopolization of staff time, lack of empathy or respect for
others
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Setting Expectations & Mindset
Kris
• During class, Kris kicks the desk of the student in front
of him. He also gets up frequently and leaves class for
10-15 minutes at a time, and when he returns he
often has a candy bar or other snack which he
unwraps noisily.
• The student who sat in front of Kris approached the
instructor, and the instructor suggests that he sit
elsewhere. When he sits across the classroom, the
instructor noticed that Kris also moved and sat behind
him.
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Setting Expectations & Mindset
As the instructor--what bothers you most?
1. Overall rude behavior
2. The fact that your suggestion didn’t work and Kris
repeated the behavior
3. The fact that Kris is disrupting class through small
means
4. That you can’t just kick Kris out of class
5. That the student didn’t talk to Kris himself
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Setting Expectations & Mindset
Proactive Steps
• Set expectations for the classroom or office.
• Publish and discuss expectations.
• Include a discussion about what happens if
someone violates the expectations.
• A conversation in private
• Being called out on obvious behaviors
• Discuss how students will interact with each
other as well as the instructor/staff.
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Setting Expectations & Mindset
• Explain your reason behind the
rules.
• Remind students throughout the
early weeks of the semester,
because they WILL push the
boundaries.
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Setting Expectations & Mindset
Be at your Best
• We know when responding to a crisis it is essential to control
biology as well as our thoughts.
• John Byrne’s Aggression Management system describes the
biological changes (rapid heart rate, increased breathing,
adrenaline, increase blood pressure) that accompany the
escalation phase.
• If we control our biology through cycle breathing, we can regain
our ability to calmly be more creative and in control of our
thoughts.
www.aggressionmanagement.com
Breathe in slowly to the count of
1…2…3…4…
Hold your breath to the count of 1…2…
Breathe out slowly to the count
of 1…2…3…4…
Hold your breath to the count of
1…2…
www.aggressionmanagement.com
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Solution Focused
Sally
• Sally is a sophomore student government leader who
seemed a little off during the first meeting. As the
advisor, you talked with her and she said she was just
feeling under the weather.
• The next day, she comes into the Student Activities
Office in between classes. She smells like marijuana
but appears to be fine.
• A week later, Sally comes to meet with you to discuss
an upcoming program. She trips on her way into your
office, and a small bottle of vodka falls out of her
purse.
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Solution Focused
As the staff member, what bothers you most?
1. The fact that Sally would meet with you after she
was drinking
2. That talking to students about their drug/alcohol
issues isn’t in your job description
3. That Sally smokes pot
4. That Sally is a student leader and is making bad
decisions
5. That you are worried about Sally, since she told
you there is a history of alcoholism in her family
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Solution Focused
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Talk to the student alone (if safe)
Talk should be free of time pressure
Seek to understand, not to judge
Listen to his/her point of view
Discuss with neutral tone; no sarcasm
Build connection; working together
Find ‘teachable moments’ with students
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Solution Focused
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Acknowledge frustration
Use humor
Be friendly, yet direct
Be efficiency-oriented
Offer a pathway for action
Empathize and offer alternatives
Be future-oriented
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7 Habits of Highly
Effective People
(Stephen Covey)
Be Proactive
(create environment, choose response before problems start)
Begin with the End in Mind
(create cognitive mindset, what is the vision, what is the habit)
Put First Things First
(application of mindset, habit in action, short-term goals)
Stephen Covey: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Think Win-Win
(achievements depend on cooperation, working together)
Understand then be Understood
(diagnosis first, then prescribe)
Synergize
(the whole is greater than the sum of its parts)
Sharpen the Saw:
(maintain and renew)
Difficult Conversations
Mark
• Mark has excessive body odor, and this has been
reported to you by an instructor and a computer lab
staff member.
• The instructor notes that two students had to leave
class due to the smell, and the lab staff report that
Mark hangs out in the computer lab most afternoons
during the peak times, but no one can sit near him
due to the smell.
• Both individuals want you to keep Mark out of the
classroom and the lab.
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Difficult Conversations
As the conduct officer, what bothers you most?
1. The annoyance that faculty and staff want you to
solve the problem
2. The discomfort of having to deal with body odor
issues
3. Not knowing why Mark has body odor
4. The lack of support for the student
5. The idea that you are sensitive to body odor
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Difficult Conversations
Do this:
• Have a calm, cool & collected mindset
• Share concerns without judgment & assumptions;
neutral, ‘just the facts’
• Listen to student, show respect
• Align with the student toward success
• Avoid sarcasm
• Stay solution focused (what next?)
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Difficult Conversations
Eight Steps
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Describe the behavior & its impacts
Listen to the their perspective & response
Discuss appropriate behavior
Discuss resources to promote success
Reiterate or set parameters for future behaviors
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Difficult Conversations
Eight Steps
• Share consequences for non-compliance
• Summarize the conversation
• Inform of any follow up:
• Document the conversation & plan
• Decide who you will inform
• Check in with the student, etc.
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Making a Plan
Jack
• Jack raised his voice in class a couple of times last
week. When you noticed some female students
seemed uncomfortable, you reminded everyone about
the class guidelines and that seemed to work.
• Today, Jack’s phone went off and the song “Pimpin’ All
Over the World” played loudly during a quiz. He let it
play for over a minute rather than turning it off.
• After class, it was reported to you that Jack told the
two women in his small group that he thought women
shouldn’t go into business and instead should get
MRS. Degrees.
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Making a Plan
What bothers you most?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Jack’s sexist attitude
Jack’s phone disrupting class
Having to talk about sexual content with students
That Jack’s parents didn’t raise him better
That Jack didn’t get the hint the first time from
your general class announcements
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Making a Plan
• William Glasser, founder of reality therapy, talks
about the importance of creating plans and goals to
ensure success.
• He offers a system based on the Wants, Direction
and Doing, Evaluation, Planning (WDEP).
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Making a Plan
• W = explore the student’s wants & needs: Look for
the desires & direction the student wants to head in.
• D = direction & doing: Faculty assess what the
student is doing & the direction these behaviors are
taking them.
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Making a Plan
• E = evaluation: Evaluate the student’s behavior. Is it
taking them closer to their wants & needs?
• P = planning & commitment: Help student formulate
realistic plans & make a commitment to carry them
out.
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Making a Plan
• Simple: broken into small, easy pieces
• Attainable: realistic & accomplished
• Measurable: assessed & evaluated
• Immediate: short-term goals
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Making a Plan
• Controlled by the planner: ensure buy-in
• Consistently practiced: repeat = habit
• Committed to: buy-in & investment
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Making a Plan
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Ensure clear expectations
Ensure a definition of success
Develop a follow-up process
Address both the specific behaviors, as well as the
overall theme
• Plan may involve a conduct referral and a
management strategy
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Documentation
Jack (Part 2)
• Jack was referred to student conduct and received
sanctions for his behavior, but was allowed to
remain in class. This seems to have worked.
• After receiving his first midterm back and getting a
D, Jack wants to argue his grade with you during
class. You offer to meet with him after class, but he
storms off.
• The next day, Jack comes to your department office
and yells/curses at the assistant, calling her a
“f*%@$ing b$@%*” and saying that you ruined his
life and he plans to sue you.
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Documentation
What bothers you most?
1. The escalation in behavior
2. That the conduct process apparently didn’t teach
him a lesson
3. That he is yelling at a staff member and now your
dean/chair may think you can’t handle your
students
4. That he wants to sue you
5. That Jack yelled in front of other students
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Documentation
When situations escalate…
• Keep healthy perspective about low-level disruption
that you can manage and significant disruption that
warrants interim action and/or conduct referrals.
• Talk to deans/supervisors ahead of time to know the
extent of your authority.
• Disruption is still disruption – even the second time.
• Adequate documentation helps to ensure the process
can address the disruption.
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Documentation
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Create record of behavior & intervention
Provides clarity to you and the student
Allows you to maintain perspective
Keeps you in an objective mindset
Gives closure
Prevents the issue from going on all semester and
frustrating you
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Documentation
• Objective, fact based
• Write as if the student will read it
• FERPA – protected
• You don’t want a student to feel SOLD out. Stay
away from:
• Speculation & Stereotypes
• Opinions & Labels
• Diagnoses
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Documentation
About the Person
• Name
• School ID Number (if available)
• Relationship (current student, former student,
parent, etc)
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Documentation
Behavior
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Observable
Actions
Words
Tone of Voice
Body Language
Frequency
Duration
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Documentation
Context
• When
• Where
• Describe unique factors of the situation
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Documentation
Details
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Witnesses
Times of incidents
Prior interactions with the student
Anything else objective that is related
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Documentation
Effect
• Impact to the environment
• Measure of disruption
• Impact to your ability to do your job
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Documentation
Follow Up/Response
• How did you or others intervene?
• How did the student respond?
• Who else has been notified?
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Tips for Faculty
• Know what constitutions significant disruption.
• Use the syllabus and have a discussion to clarify what you expect.
• Use students’ names. Develop a relationship.
• Do not assume the A student is not dangerous, and the failing
student won’t comply.
• Talk to your chair and your dean.
• Call student affairs staff to consult on behavioral issues.
• Don’t assume the problem will go away or the student will
withdraw.
• Don’t let situations build. Address the lowest level issue before it
escalates.
Tips for Staff
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Know what constitutes significant disruption.
Post office expectations.
Discuss “what if” situations and have plans in place.
Provide phone scripts and suggested responses, especially
to student employees.
Learn how to balance providing good customer service
while not being yelled at.
Utilize your office’s strengths, and don’t be afraid to tag
team difficult issues.
Ask your BIT for training or guidance about referrals.
Create ways to track and store information.
Summary
Things to do when working with disruptive students
– Listen and align yourself with the individual.
– Don’t take it personally.
– Address and approach issues individually as well as
systemically.
– Be futuristic and solution oriented.
– Address the behavior, maintain a relationship with
the person.
– Know the campus conduct process.
– Document incidents to maintain adequate records.
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Questions?
Brian Van Brunt
[email protected]
Laura Bennett
[email protected]