Navigating Disruptions in the Classroom
Navigating Disruptions in the Classroom
Disruptions in the classroom are challenging. Students look to instructors for how to respond, and instructors struggle with maintaining classroom order while correcting errant behavior. Most disruptions occur with little warning, so having some tactics available can help defuse difficult moments.
Start out Strong
Two things can help instructors prepare the ground for peaceful classroom relationships. The first is the most obvious. Do your students think of you as a kind, and fair teacher who wants the best for them? If so, they will be more likely to view your attempts to navigate all classroom situations positively.
The second is to work with students to develop ground rules for classroom behavior. It’s tempting to overlook this step early in the term when things are going smoothly but, like insurance, you won’t need it until you do. The Eberly Center from Carnegie Mellon University has a great method for establishing ground rules with your students so if a difficult situation should arise there’s an agreed upon set of community standards you can remind them of.
Note: If you believe the situation is an immediate threat to an individual’s life or safety, call University Police at 217-333-1216 or 911.
Manage Disruptions Effectively
For the most part, a disruption or difficult situation in class will not rise to the level of calling the police or initiating a coordinated response with several campus units. But you still need to think quickly and calmly to address the matter at hand.
If the disruption is mild, it’s tempting to just ignore it. But the disruptor and the rest of the class will be looking to you for direction, so make the effort to address the issue. Try a discreet response first. Approach the student after class for a short conversation or put students into groups to work and pull the errant student aside for a minute. Email the student outside of class. These low-key interventions are easier to manage if you have previously established ground rules so you can simply remind the disruptor of the rule they are breaking.
If a situation is seriously disrupting class, a discreet intervention is not going to work. It’s OK to call out the disruption but try to do it in a low-impact way. Instead of singling out a student by name, give a general reminder to the class of your behavioral expectations such as, “Please don’t talk while I’m presenting – either raise your hand or wait until we break up into groups,” or “Please don’t eat food during class – it violates the rules for classroom use and may be distracting to others.”
Sometimes you need to be direct. Maybe a student has said something offensive. Maybe the disruption is intended to challenge your authority. These situations require immediate attention but it’s important to stay calm and in control. The steps in this Open The Front Door (OTFD) framework can help you deal directly with a difficult situation:
O – Observe: Using only descriptive language, describe what just happened. Refer to specific evidence – what you saw and heard. Do not offer any inferences, interpretations, or evaluations at this point.
T – Think: With evidence in hand, now you can offer an interpretation of what you saw. Based on your observations, explain what you think is going on. Focus on the evidence you are basing your interpretation on.
F – Feel: Disruptions and difficulties generate emotions in students and teachers. Describe how the situation is making you and others feel in the moment. Some students may be unaware of the impact their behaviors have on others.
D – Desire: Tell your students what you would like to happen next. You will still have to decide how to proceed, but taking students through the preceding steps helps everyone understand their role in the process.
Note: If the problem is persistent, recurring, or resistant to other strategies, please review Responding to Disruptive or Threatening Student Behavior prepared by the Office of the Dean of Students which outlines three levels of severity and offers guidelines for each level.