A Short Guide to Preventing and Responding to Disruptive Student Behavior
The University classroom should be a site of meaningful engagement and debate, but sometimes students engage in ways that don’t meet our expectations. This can be particularly true when we students are discussing topics that are controversial or evoke strong emotions.
This short guide provides several concrete strategies for establishing a classroom environment that reduces the potential for disruption and for responding when students engage in disruptive behavior.
Establishing a classroom community
The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” very much applies when we think about disruptive behavior in the classroom. When we create a classroom environment that makes students feel welcomed, engaged, and respected, we greatly reduce the likelihood of disruption. Below are three strategies to establish a civil classroom from the first day of class.
Engage students in class.
Why is this important? Students who don’t believe there is any work for them to do in the class or, worse, that it simply isn’t possible for them to keep up with what is happening, will find ways to distract themselves (and sometimes others). Pausing class regularly to have students engage in a learning activity, respond to a question, ask questions, review and recap their notes, or engage in a discussion can make a big difference in their perception of your willingness to help them learn.
How can you do this? One easy-to-implement strategy for engaging students is called think-pair-share: you pose a question and ask students to write down their answer, ask students to share their ideas in pairs, and then ask some of the pairs to share their thinking with the whole class. Pausing for one or two think-pair-share activities during a class period encourages civility by engaging students.
Be mindful of tone in interactions with students.
Why is this important? Students are attuned to their environment, and the tone of instructors’ interactions with them is an important part of that environment. When instructors find themselves responding to the same questions over and over or listening to a student sharing ill-formed (or sometimes offensive) opinions, it can be easy to show frustration in a curt or sarcastic response. However, sarcasm can be perceived as disrespectful, damaging the instructor’s relationship with not only the student involved in the exchange, but also with the class witnessing the interaction.
How can you do this? If you find yourself facing frustration with what students are asking or saying, it’s important to pause, take a breath, and consider what might be behind the student’s question or ideas. Sometimes a student is struggling to make sense of new concepts or ideas that challenge their current ways of thinking, and they may also be feeling frustrated in that moment. Pausing creates an opportunity to defuse the situation and offer students a thoughtful and respectful reply.
Personalize the classroom.
Why is this important? When students feel anonymous or disconnected from their instructor and their peers, they are more likely to engage in disruptive behaviors. A classroom where students believe their presence and their contributions matter is much more likely to inspire civility, even when there are disagreements.
How can you do this? There are some small steps you can take to reduce feelings of anonymity and create a sense of community in your classes. One strategy is to learn students’ names and address them by name whenever possible. In larger classes where you can’t learn all names, have students state their name any time they ask a question or contributing to a discussion. Another basic instructor behavior that can create a sense of community is arriving early to class and having informal conversations with students. Finally, giving students the opportunity to build community with their peers by working together can help them feel more connected to each other and the work of the class.
Responding to Disruptive Behavior
When our best-laid plans go wrong—or when external factors are at play—students may still engage in disruptive behaviors. Here are three strategies to help you respond in the moment and de-escalate potentially challenging situations.
Take a breath and reflect on what is happening.
Why is this important? When instructors witness any kind of behavior that they feel is disruptive, they may feel frustrated or even angry because they feel that students’ behavior is disrespectful. However, what we perceive as a lack of respect may be the result of students feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Slowing down and reflecting on what is happening gives us an opportunity to move beyond our initial emotional responses and respond in a more productive way.
How can you do this? It's ok in these moments to pause and give yourself—and your students—a break to regroup. For example, if a small group of students is engaging in behavior that is disrupting others, that can be a sign that they are feeling disengaged or frustrated. It’s ok to say something like, “I know we have already done a lot of work today, and I think we could all use a little breather! Let’s take a 3-minute break to move around, and then we can refocus our attention.”
Honor strong emotional responses.
Why is this important? If students are discussing controversial topics—or if controversy emerges unexpectedly in the classroom—many of them will have strong emotional responses. It’s important to recognize that these responses are normal, especially when students believe they may be misunderstood or judged by others. While these responses may make instructors feel uncomfortable, we must acknowledge students’ emotions before we can help them use the tools of disciplinary thinking to engage with controversy more productively. Giving students time to slow down and reflect can help de-escalate potential conflicts more effectively than trying to shut down or ignore their emotions.
How can you do this? One effective strategy is to ask students to reflect (in writing) on their emotional response to an idea or question that has been raised. For example, you can pause and ask students to write for three minutes in response to a prompt like one of these:
- What is difficult for you about the discussion we have been having?
- What do you feel that you can’t say out loud right now?
You can make these papers anonymous if you feel that will allow students to write more productively and freely.
Encourage examination and explanation of positions.
Why is this important? Students who have strong opinions or beliefs may not have examined those beliefs very carefully. By the same token, they may not have examined others’ ideas very carefully. Thinking analytically about the positions we hold is a habit of mind that must be cultivated, and students need opportunities to practice this habit in the absence of strong emotion. If we want students to use disciplinary frameworks to engage in controversial discussions, they need practice in using these frameworks regularly, before controversy arises.
How can I do this? One strategy for encouraging this kind of examination is the five-minute rule. This strategy gives students a way to respectfully consider an unpopular, invisible, or marginalized perspective for a short period of time.
Here’s how this rule works in practice. Anyone who feels that a particular point of view is not being taken seriously has a right to point this out and call for this exercise to be used. For example, a student (or the instructor) can say acknowledge that a perspective isn’t being considered seriously and invoke the five-minute rule. When the rule is called, the class agrees to take five minutes to consider the merits of this perspective, refrain from criticizing it, and make every effort to believe it. Only those who can speak in support of it are allowed to speak, using the questions below as prompts. All critics must remain silent. You might include prompts like these during the discussion:
- “What’s interesting or helpful about this position?”
- “What are some intriguing features that others might not have noticed?”
- “What would be different if you held this position, if you accepted it as true?”
- “In what sense and under what conditions might this idea be true?”
Seek help in exceptional or extreme cases.
Most of the behaviors you encounter can be resolved by using the strategies described above. However, if a pattern of disruptive or problematic behavior emerges or you have reason to believe that a student needs further intervention, there are many resources at the University to help you. A good starting point is a conversation with your department chair to seek their advice on how to proceed. If a student displays behavior that concerns you, you can make a report to Student CARE Services by emailing [email protected] or calling 518-442-5501. That office can coordinate support and advise you on how best to work with the student. You can also consult with the Office of Community Standards if you believe that a students’ behavior violates the student code of conduct.
Note: The ideas in this guide are taken from two articles in the Teaching Resources page on the CATLOE website: How can I ensure a civil classroom environment? and Controversy in the Classroom. We encourage you to consult these articles for a more thorough consideration of research-based teaching strategies that support civil and effective classroom environments.