Managing Disruptive Behavior

• Set ground rules for student behavior on the first day of class and in the syllabus. Frame your limits in positive, learning community language. Seek buy-in from students by having them help create the rules. Refer back to the rules when issues arise. Model respectful behavior.
• UMBC faculty suggest managing disruptive students with the Vortex of Failure. Published research shows that when one student indulges in laptop multitasking in class, it impacts the surrounding students, even reducing their test scores. Warn students by putting the Vortex of Failure in your syllabus and explain how it works: one student can pull surrounding classmates into the vortex. When a student breaks the rule, use humor to call them out, “It feels like a vortex of failure is forming here!” The surrounding students may also contribute to keeping everyone focused, since they have a clear motivation to avoid the vortex.
• To discourage cell phone use in class, UMBC faculty suggest requiring students to stand up and sing the alma mater. Of course, this means you, too, must sing if your cell phone rings during class. (Practice with our Alma Mater.)
• Schultz (2008) says to address naive disruptions immediately, for example, ask the student to stop, or point out that he/she is being disruptive. Document the behavior and your response.
• Deering (2011) recommends that you use the broken record technique to redirect students who argue with your limits. Start by saying no, then give a brief reason. (Be brief, offer just one reason.) Use a calm, ordinary tone and repeat the brief reason each time the student argues back.
• To handle problematic nonverbal behaviors, Deering (2011) suggests doing a perception check with the student in private after class:
  1. Describe the behavior in neutral terms (I noticed you were rolling your eyes during my presentation today.)
  2. Give two different interpretations, one should be benign. (Perhaps you objected to what I was saying or maybe you were thinking of something else.)
  3. Ask for feedback. (Could you tell me what was happening?)
• Nilson (2010) encourages instructors to remain calm, breathe deeply, even count to ten to avoid losing your temper in response to student incivility (p. 79). Staying composed helps the other students view the situation sympathetically, and they might even use social pressure to support you (p. 79). Below, we capture Nilson’s suggestions for a range of naïve disruptions:
  • Talking in class: pause, let their voices fill the silence, stare at them with a smile; walk over to them; refer to ground rules.
  • Packing up early: reserve an important point or activity for the end of class; have students turn in papers at the end.
  • Arriving late/leaving early: state your policies and enforce them; talk to chronic offenders outside of class.
  • Using a computer but not taking notes: set a policy in the syllabus, control activities in classroom using group work and short time periods.
  • Cutting classes: set a policy in the syllabus, take attendance and base part of the grade on participation; have frequent in-class graded activities.
  • Missing deadlines/asking for extensions: set a policy in the syllabus for late work, but assess each instance on a case-by-case basis; meet with students who make this a habit.
  • Being disrespectful: talk to the student privately; refer repeat offenders to counseling or ask them to leave class; seek help from security if needed.

• Schultz (2008) says give students a clear directive with consequences for the behavior, document the incident, and hold an after-class conference in a place where colleagues are nearby.
• Deering (2011) suggests responding non-defensively to criticism by agreeing with any element of the student’s comment that contains the truth. This can disarm the student and stop the argument.
• To manage monopolizers, Deering (2011) recommends assessing the situation first—does the rest of the class perceive this student as a monopolizer? Interrupt the student, then offer a “face saving statement” combined with an invitation for others to talk. For example, “You are making a good point, Linda, and I wonder what others think about this issue.” If this doesn’t work, try meeting with the student after class to devise a plan for acceptable behavior.
• Nilson (2010) offers suggestions for a range of intentional disruptions:
  • Dominating discussion: interrupt and invite the rest of the class to comment.
  • Asking questions already covered: answer quickly, noting that you already covered it, or ask the student to see you after class.
  • Asking wheedling questions: try to engage the rest of the class in responding; ask questions that lead students to think through the question and develop an answer.
  • Asking argumentative questions: acknowledge the input and move on; talk to student outside of class if it continues.
  • Asking loaded questions: try to turn it back to the student with a question.
  • Demanding a grade change: set a policy in your syllabus; schedule a meeting, but not immediately; begin discussion with a positive empathetic statement and offer to review the work; give the student the chance to back away from the demand. Do not be intimidated into changing the grade. Seek assistance as needed.

• Schultz (2008) says to give clear instructions to stop the behavior and remind the student of the consequences. Call for backup when the “challenge changes from the topic to you.” You might need a dean/counselor/advisor to set up a behavioral agreement for the student (Schultz, 2008).
• UMBC faculty, staff, and administrators advise faculty to be aware of UMBC policies and where you can seek assistance. Keep the UMBC Guide to Helping Faculty and Staff Deal with Disruptive Student Behavior handy and ask for help. You can also turn to colleagues and supervisors for help, for example, ask a colleague to observe your class and offer suggestions for handling student behavior. If necessary, you can take this further by bringing in an outside disrupter—someone with perceived authority who can impact the class dynamics.
• Deering (2011) recommends that you defuse power struggles with naysayers by turning the argument back to the students with a question, i.e., “What do you think about this issue?”
• Spalding (2014) suggests creating a pressure valve for students, for example, encouraging students to offer constructive criticism in journaling exercises.

• Initiate a class break, go to the student and tell him/her to leave class, and that he/she cannot return until he/she meets with you and the dean (or other colleague).
• Plan to seek assistance from outside support and refer to the UMBC Guide to Helping Faculty and Staff Deal with Disruptive Student Behavior for details.

• Move away from the student immediately, ask another faculty or staff person to escort you to safety, and notify campus police. Plan ahead, so you know emergency numbers and resources close to your classroom.
• Plan to seek assistance from outside support and refer to the UMBC Guide to Helping Faculty and Staff Deal with Disruptive Student Behavior for details.

These resources offer insights into how to manage disruptive classroom behavior:

• Managing disruptive behaviour in the classroom. Deering, C. (2011). College Quarterly. (14)3: Deering shares the broken record and perception check techniques discussed in the companion text.
• Laptop multitasking hinders classroom learning for both users and nearby peers. Faria S., Weston, T., & Cepeda, N.J. (2013). Computers & Education, 62 (March 2013), 24-31: The authors demonstrate that when people multitask on a laptop during a lecture, they score lower on a test compared to those who did not multitask. People in direct view of their multitasking peer also scored lower on a test compared to those who were not.
• Student incivility, intimidation, and entitlement in academia. Holdcroft, B. (2014, May-June). Academe: Holdcroft defines incivility, intimidation, bullying, and entitlement; explores examples and possible origins of the behaviors; then offers potential responses.
• Contrapower harassment on campus: Incidence, consequences, implications. In K. Landis (Ed.). Lampman, C. (2008). Start talking: A handbook for engaging difficult dialogues in higher education. (pp. 18-20). Anchorage: University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University: Contrapower harassment “occurs when a person of lesser power within an institution harasses someone with greater power.” Lampman surveyed faculty at University of Alaska Anchorage to ascertain the scope of the problem—most have experienced contrapower harassment, few report it, and negative consequences are more likely for female faculty than for their male colleagues.
• Langford-Von Glahn, S. J., Zakrajsek, T., & Pletcher-Rood, S. (2008). Teaching students with Asperger syndrome (and other disabilities) in the college classroom: Creating an inclusive learning environment. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 19(2-3), 107-133: This article defines Asperger Syndrome and discusses ways to create an inclusive classroom for all students. Additionally, it offers a series of charts that outline ways to support students with cognitive disabilities in classroom activities like collaborative learning projects and testing.
• Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors. (3rd ed.) Nilson, L. B. (2010).  San Francisco: Jossey Bass. (pages 71-82): Many of Nilson’s suggestions appear in the companion text, but we suggest you consult this chapter for additional examples and details about each of her ideas.
• Recognizing and responding to disruptive students. In K. Landis (Ed.). Schultz, B. (2008). Start talking: A handbook for engaging difficult dialogues in higher education. (pp. 22-25). Anchorage: University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Pacific University: Schultz defines disruptions by level—from naïve to threatening—and offers suggestions for responding and seeking additional help.
• 10 in the moment responses for student incivility & other “uh oh/sigh/say what now” classroom moments. Pittman, C. (2016): Pittman offers 10 responses for sticky classroom situations to help faculty prepare manage disruptions.
• How to deal with difficult students. Tomorrow’s Professor e-Newsletter. Spalding, D. (2014).  Stanford University Center for Teaching and Learning. In How to Teach Adults: Plan Your Class. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass: Spalding offers several ideas for helping students to focus their disruptive energies more productively.