What Can Instructors Do to Prevent Student Behavioral Disruptions?
Instructors are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing and/or curtailing disruptive student behavior. A professor may adopt these preemptive steps to minimize the likelihood of such behavior:
- Including behavioral norms and expectations in the course syllabus/presentation. Discussing what constitutes disruptive classroom behavior at the first meeting of the class with periodic reminders as necessary.
- Establishing and maintaining an environment in which opposing views may be expressed in a civil and respectful manner.
- Exhibiting the type of behavior you expect from the students.
- Professors will attempt to deal with disruptive student behavior in a calm, courteous and direct fashion before it escalates or becomes an ongoing pattern. They may ask the disruptive student to meet after class or during office hours so that they may address the issue in private. The professor may ask a colleague to sit in on the meeting with the student. The professor may warn the student that further disruptions can result in disciplinary action. The professor may document this verbal warning for his or her own records, and will keep the Department Chair or supervisor informed of problematic interactions with students.
If the disruptive behavior continues after the instructor has had a private conversation with the student, then the faculty/staff member may consult with the Offices of the Dean of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Academic Advising, Undergraduate Dean of Students, or School of Education Office of Graduate Advising, as relevant, to discuss ways to resolve the situation informally. Issues of disruptive behavior or unprofessional dispositions on the part of graduate students in the School of Education must be reported to the Office of Graduate Advising in the School of Education.