Managing Disruptive
Classroom Behavior
Angela Provitera McGlynn
Biography
 Professor Emeritus of Psychology, MCCC
 Author of several books and numerous
articles; regular contributor to The Hispanic
Outlook in Higher Education
 Latest books: see slide towards end of
presentation
 National Consultant on Teaching and
Learning Issues; Trainer for Transformation
Associates, LLC
 Web site:
www.mccc.edu/~amcglynn/index.html
 E-mail address: amcglynn5@verizon.net
Objectives
 Create a positive tone at the start of the
semester
 Prevent disruptive behavior from occurring in
the first place
 Handle side conversations
 Manage technology-related disruptive
behaviors such as cell phones
 Prevent violations of academic integrity
 Deal with incivilities should they occur
Question
 What is the number one classroom behavior
issue that you hope to manage more
effectively?
Create a positive tone at the start of the
semester
 The task of the first day is to begin to create a
climate in which all students feel welcome
 The most important goal for the first day is to have
students leave with a desire to come back
Create a positive tone at the start of the
semester even in large classes
Create a positive tone at the start of the
semester
Getting students to want to return to the next
class involves students feeling
 that the teacher is approachable
 the beginning of a sense of community with
their classmates, and
 students believing that the course is worthwhile
and that they can succeed in it
Managing Disruptive Behavior by
Creating a Positive Tone
 Research shows that disruptive behavior is
more likely to occur in authoritarian
classroom settings
 It is important from Day 1 to create a warm,
inclusive classroom atmosphere
 The first day of class is the most important
day of the semester
Managing Disruptive Behavior by
Creating a Positive Tone
 Some time should be devoted to learning
students’ names and getting students to meet
one another
 Introducing yourself in a way that makes you
seem approachable is crucial
Creating a Positive Tone – Introducing
Yourself
Warming the Classroom Environment
 Build rapport with students by:
 greeting them before each class begins
 use students’ names to boost their self-
esteem
 invite students to visit your office
 show your caring and interest in students’
lives and in their learning
 use humor where appropriate to create
informality
Warming the Classroom Environment
Preventing Disruptive Behavior
 Distribute a handout about appropriate
classroom behavior on the first day of class
(or include a statement in the syllabus).
Either tell students you would like their input,
or have the students create the guidelines
sheet

(See “The Classroom as a Learning Community”
guidelines sheet)
Preventing Disruptive Behavior
 The handout needs to be non-authoritarian
but very clear regarding your attendance
policy, lateness to class policy, respecting
everyone’s opinions in class and respecting
one another, cell phone policy, no-talking
while someone else is talking, etc.
Preventing Disruptive Behavior
 Word the statement in a positive way rather
than telling students what “not” to do
 Clearly state the norms for class discussion,
as for example, respecting each other’s
opinions
Preventing Disruptive Behavior
 Create an atmosphere in which it is
acceptable to disagree, always respectfully
 If a student makes a potentially hurtful
remark, intervene by “depersonalizing” the
remark and processing the issue so that all
students feel protected
What To Do With Side Conversations
 Establish eye contact with the talkers
 Move close to where the talkers are speaking
 Remind students that only one person speaks
at a time in the classroom
What To Do With Side Conversations
 Speak to the talkers privately after class
explaining that you understand it is difficult to
stay quiet for a long period of time but that
you and their classmates are distracted by
their talking
 Ask students to write something down related
to the course
Tips to Prevent Classroom Incivility
 Use your referent and expert power by
knowing the content, modeling appropriate
behavior, defining “appropriate” behavior, and
by being available and approachable to
students
 Use the classroom dynamics to empower
students and ensure that they all feel valued
Tips to Prevent Classroom Incivility
 Develop a student behavior policy
 Provide a syllabus that makes expectations and
student evaluation policies clear
 In the syllabus, emphasize what students should do
or how they should behave rather than what not to do
and explain how this relates to student success.
Have disclaimers such as “This syllabus is subject to
change.”
SUMMARY OF SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE VIDEO SATELLITE
BROADCAST
“Coping with classroom incivilities: Nanny 9-1-1 for the professor”
Presenters: Stacie R. Chismark, Lara Duvall, Mia Alexander-Snow,
Moderator: Bob Ray Sanders
Tips to Prevent Classroom Incivility
 Develop student contracts and have students
sign them
 Students can participate in the development
of the behavior policy
SUMMARY OF SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE VIDEO SATELLITE
BROADCAST
“Coping with classroom incivilities: Nanny 9-1-1 for the professor”
Presenters: Stacie R. Chismark, Lara Duvall, Mia Alexander-Snow,
Moderator: Bob Ray Sanders
More Tips for Preventing Incivility
 Restrain talkers and stalkers:
Set boundaries from the beginning and
respect those boundaries at all times
 Don’t let students be rude to each other
“We’re here to discuss everyone’s ideas.”

More Tips for Preventing Incivility

Gracefully get the class monopolizers to
stop talking by complimenting them:




“You’re ahead of me”
“I can tell you have given this some thought”
Does anyone else have some thoughts on
this?”
“Very interesting point – we can come back to
it, but have to move on now”
More Tips for Preventing Incivility
 Cultural perceptions shaped by stereotypes
and social power are reflected in social
interaction and may influence classroom
incivility
 Students and faculty assess each other in
terms of cultural perceptions. Be sensitive to
how you perceive your students and how they
might perceive you based on gender,
race/ethnicity, age, class, etc.
Scenario for Discussion
 A student in your class makes a remark that
you interpret as racist or reflecting ethnic
prejudice, or a remark that is sexist, classist,
ageist, or homophobic.


How can you use the remark as a springboard
to enlighten the class?
In other words, what strategies can you offer
that could turn the remark into a “teachable
moment?”
Academic Integrity Issues
Preventing and Responding to
Violations of Academic Integrity
 Explain academic integrity in your course
syllabus and in your first or second class of
the semester; discuss the college policy and
your expectations
 Give examples of violations
 Be clear as to the consequences of violations
both in writing and verbally in class

See “50 Classroom Activity Ideas” in Promoting
Academic Integrity in the Classroom, U. of South
Carolina
Preventing and Responding to
Violations of Academic Integrity
 Remind students periodically about academic
integrity, particularly before exams and when
papers are due
 Create assignments that preclude the
possibility of “cheating”
 Divide research papers into smaller steps or
assign shorter papers
• Know ahead of time what your limits/policies
are going to be with regards to cheating and
apply them equitably
Preventing and Responding to
Violations of Academic Integrity
 Have students write about material directly
related to the course content and offer
required source materials
 Use their writing/research in course
discussions and on tests
 Meet with students to discuss their research
 Have students submit packets of their source
materials
 Sterngold, A. (2004)
Strategies For Dealing With
Incivilities After They Occur:
 Address incivilities when they occur: warning
forms, documentation, reflective listening
 Do not become angry or defensive and give
students a chance to express themselves as
long as they are doing so respectfully,
acknowledge the students’ feelings, be willing
to apologize (I am sorry that you are
struggling with so much on your plate)
Strategies For Dealing With
Incivilities After They Occur:
 Body language is important: maintain eye
contact and an open posture
 Empathy is important for positive outcomes.
Let the students know that you are on their
side and tell them that you want them to
succeed
Strategies For Dealing With
Incivilities After They Occur:
 Ask students exactly what it is that they are
upset about and ask them to suggest a
solution to the problem that is fair to everyone
involved (including the other students in the
class)
 Remind students of policies and
accommodations that you or the college
make that may make their situation better
Dealing With the “New” Students’
Misbehaviors
 Cell Phones
 Text Messaging
 Using Laptops for communicating with others
or for playing games
 Misusing the Professor’s E-mail or telephone
availability
 Teaching E-mail Etiquette
The “old” and the “new”
 New challenges
 The old days…
Responses To Overt Incivilities:
 Using reflective listening techniques



Do not become defensive
Reflect back on your understanding of the
problem, restating it for the students to let
them know that you are trying to understand
the problem
It is never appropriate to respond to
disrespectful behavior with disrespectful
behavior. Be calm.
Responses To Overt Incivilities:
Talk with the student privately but not in an
isolated place
 If the incident occurs in the classroom,
reassure the rest of the class that you will
not allow their learning environment to be
compromised (after the student has left the
room)

Responses To Overt Incivilities:
You are not perfect. If you behaved badly,
apologize, and assure students that it will
not happen again
 Along with the faculty, the institution has a
responsibility to diminish the occurrences
of incivilities

Adding Tools to Your Trade/Art
 Think about a time when you had a
problematic situation in class. How would
you handle it now based on what you have
learned?
Angela’s most recent books by Atwood Publishing,
888 242-7101, www.atwoodpublishing.com
References
 Coping with classroom incivilities: Nanny 9-1-
1 for the professor” a satellite video
broadcast, (Oct. 20, 2005) Presenters: Stacie
R. Chismark, Lara Duvall, Mia AlexanderSnow, Moderator: Bob Ray Sanders,
STARLINK Web Seminar
 Manning, T., Everett, B. & Roberts, C.
(2006).The Millennial Generation: The Next
Generation in College Enrollment, Starlink
Presentation (New Standards for the New
Student)
 McGlynn, A.P. (2007). Teaching Today’s
College Students: Widening the Circle of
Success, Atwood Publishing.
References
 McGlynn, A.P. (2001) Successful Beginnings
for College Teaching: Engaging your students
from the first day, Atwood Publishing.
 Oblinger, D.G., & Oblinger, J.L. (2005).
Educating the net generation (On-line)
www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen
 Oblinger, D.G. (2003) Boomers, Gen Xers,
Millennials: Understanding the new students.
Educause Review, 38, 37-47.
References
 Sterngold, A. (2004). Confronting plagiarism: How
conventional thinking invites cyber-cheating, Change,
May/June, 16-21.
 Top 10 Tips for Addressing Sensitive Topics and
Maintaining Civility in the Classroom, Faculty Focus,
June 24, 2009. By the Center for Teaching and
Faculty Development at San Francisco State
University
 University of South Carolina: Office of Academic
Integrity, “Promoting Academic Integrity in the
Classroom,” available at:
http://www.housing.sc.edu/academicintegrity/teach/html
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