Classroom Management

Consider the scenario below:

On Wednesday morning at 10:00, half of the PSY 101: Introductory Psychology students are in their seats. The instructor, an assistant professor in her early 30s, begins class on time. Fifteen students stagger into the lecture hall between 2 and 20 minutes late. One student sitting near the sidewall is sleeping. Several students in two different groups are discussing their weekend plans, despite the instructor’s impatient stares and pauses in the lecture. In the last 10 minutes of class, several students start packing their backpacks, while the instructor is still speaking. Then, noticing that their classmates have packed their belongings, the remaining students begin to do the same, creating quite a disruption as they noisily gather books, computers, and papers. The professor continues on raising their voice, eventually ending class.  

In this context, immature, thoughtless, or irritating behaviors are often referred to as “classroom incivilities.”

Student behaviors could include:

  • Arriving late to class or leaving early
  • Using technology 
  • Side conversations with peers
  • Not taking notes 
  • Sleeping  

 

Research suggests many factors that contribute to a climate of incivility​, including: student situations, technology, consumerism mentality, and faculty contributions. (Chávez & Longerbeam 2016, Nworie & Haughton ​2008, Nordstrom et al. ​2009, Clark 2008).

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What's at Stake

“We erroneously tend to ignore some of the low-level acts of classroom incivility in the hope that they will go away. However, failure to address these actions appears to condone them, sending a message to students that it is okay for that type of incivility to be repeated” (Feldmann 138).​

Incivility can have a real cost:

  • Distracts other students in the class ​

  • Makes other students (and the instructor) feel uncomfortable ​

  • Reduces student participation ​

  • Lowers student and instructor motivation in and outside of class ​

Strategies for Prevention or Mitigation

  • Develop a “code of conduct” with your students
  • Provide examples of what respect looks like
  • Use student names.
    • If you can't remember them, try name tents.
  • Engage 1-1 with your students
    • Arrive a few minutes early to class to ask a student how their classes are going
    • Email a student after class to thank them for their participation that day 
  • Utilize Office Hours 
    • Explain what office hours are (students may not be familiar with the practice)
    • Share what students can do during office hours (e.g. ask questions, get feedback on homework, check-in about the semester, etc)
  • Invite students to complete a "one minute paper." At the end of class give students one minute to anonymously write down a response to the day's class (something they learned, struggled with, etc). 
  • Request a Mid-Semester Interview about Teaching (MIT) with the FTLC! 

But what if student behavior is still a problem?

  • Avoid arguments with students during class ​
  • Tell them you value their contributions but point out how behavior negative affects you and others while teaching ​
  • Try not to become defensive ​
  • If you feel unsafe, or that your students are in danger, call 911

Additional Resources

Articles

Billson, J. (1986). The college classroom as a small group: Some implications for teaching and learning. Teaching Sociology, 14(3), 143-151. 

 

Boice, Bob. “Classroom Incivilities.” Research in Higher Education, vol. 37, no. 4, Aug. 1996, pp. 453–86. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01730110.​

 

Clark, Cynthia. (2009). "Faculty field guide for promoting student civility in the classroom". Nurse Educator, 34(5), 194-197.

 

Eddy, S. L., & Hogan, K. A. (2014). Getting under the hood: How and for whom does increasing course structure work? CBE—Life Sciences Education, 13, 453–468. 

 

Feldmann, Lloyd. “Classroom Civility Is Another of Our Instructor Responsibilities.” College Teaching, vol. 49, Nov. 2001, pp. 137–40. ResearchGate, https://doi.org/10.1080/87567555.2001.10844595.​

 

​Flaherty, Colleen. “How Not to Lose Control of a Class.” Inside Higher Ed, https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/05/26/seasoned-educators-weigh-not-losing-control-class.​

 

Knepp, Kristen A. Frey. “Understanding Student and Faculty Incivility in Higher Education.” The Journal of Effective Teaching, vol. 12, no. 1, 2012, pp. 33–46.​

 

Sorcinelli, Mary Deane. “Promoting Civility in Large Classes.” Engaging Large Classes: Strategies for College Faculty, edited by Christine A. Stanley and M. Erin Porter, Ankler, 2002, pp. 44–57. EBSCOhost, https://research.ebsco.com/c/6l5vh5/search/details/alds4fdmxz?q=Engaging%20large%20classes%3A%20Strategies%20and%20techniques%20for%20college%20faculty%20.​

Books

Bain, Ken. What the Best College Teachers Do. Harvard University Press, 2004, https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674013254.​

 

Chavez, Alicia Fedelina, and Susan Diana Longerbeam. Teaching across Cultural Strengths: A Guide to Balancing Integrated and Individuated Cultural Frameworks in College Teaching. First edition., Stylus, 2016. EBSCOhost, https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=a879f1fd-815d-37ee-990e-877275ed0c65.​​

 

Kowalski, Robin M. Complaining, Teasing, and Other Annoying Behaviors. Yale University Press, 2003. EBSCOhost, https://research.ebsco.com/c/6l5vh5/search/results?q=%20Complaining%2C%20teasing%2C%20and%20other%20annoying%20behaviors&autocorrect=y&limiters=FT1%3AY&resetPageNumber=true&searchSegment=all-results.​

 

Webpages

10 effective classroom management techniques every faculty member should know, Magna Faculty Focus Special Report

 

Making the most of “hot moments” in the classroom - University of Michigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching ​

 

Netiquette at GVSU: a resource document prepared by the Pew FTLC

 

Navigating Difficult Discussions - Faculty Focus article ​

 

Responding to Critical Incidents - Pew FTLC ​

 

​Setting Ground Rules - Carnegie Mellon University Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Educational Innovation

 

Problematic Student Behavior - Eberly Center - Carnegie Mellon University. https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/problemstudent.html. ​


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