1. The Talkative (The Case of Know-it-All Nancy)
1.1. Use proximity and tell student directly that you want other students to get a chance to participate.
1.1.1. Reaffirm Nancy's answer, but once again, tell her that she will get another opportunity to share her thoughts later.
1.1.1.1. After class, pull Nancy aside and talk to her to see what's going on. It's possible that she may be going through other things or not feeling that she's being challenged enough in class.
1.1.1.1.1. During the conversation, get to an understanding about always answering in class and not letting other students participate. Ask Nancy what she would like to do more of (class activities, discussion, etc.)
2. The Chatterers
2.1. USE PROXIMITY --> walk over to their desks, tap the desks lightly, stand there and lecture
2.1.1. There may be some external news or drama that is going on. Ask the students to chat after class to see what's going on.
2.1.1.1. Separate the students if they continue to chat for the day. If the behavior continues, change the seating chart. Be transparent about the privilege to sit by their friends.
2.1.1.1.1. If my class is the first class that they are seeing each other for the day, possibly give the class 5 minutes to decompress and chat at the beginning or end of class. I am more likely to do this after a weekend/long weekend, after a long break, after a holiday, if my class is right after lunch, etc. This will depend on the class, but I would want to allow my students to get a few minutes to get other topics out of their systems.
3. The Barely Clothed
3.1. Again, use proximity. Walk over to the group of students laughing or close to the student's desk (barely clothed student).
3.1.1. Get students' attention (teacher eye contact, positioning in front of the classroom, verbal direction, etc.)
3.1.2. Redirect the students' attention to an activity or break them off into groups ("What does Ms. Rollison need to understand about student behavior?").
3.1.2.1. Let the student know about their pants situation individually after class.
3.2. Recall the dress code policy.
3.2.1. If the outfit breaks dress code, ask the student privately if she has a change of clothes. This is difficult because you need to follow the school rules, while trying to not draw more attention to her. It's possible that the administration would need to be involved if the situation escalates.
3.2.1.1. Otherwise, if dress code is being followed, redirect attention of the students.
4. The Inappropriately Clothed
4.1. Recall the school dress code policy.
4.1.1. If the shirt breaks the school policy, ask for the student to come up to your desk to have a private conversation.
4.1.1.1. It's okay to ask for help from the administration (call the administrative office and ask about protocol).
4.1.1.1.1. With both The Barely Clothed and The Inappropriately Clothed, a university setting will be very different than in a high school setting. There will policies about dress code in a high school, which will require different protocols and procedures. There will be a better and easier way to respond, depending on the expectations of the school.
5. The Smelly
5.1. Address the situation immediately, especially if drugs or alcohol is involved in a high school setting.
5.1.1. Send the student to the administration, if the smell of alcohol or marijuana are undeniable and pungent. This is not a case that can be dealt with lightly because illegal activities may be involved.
5.1.1.1. Depending on the situation ^, look to have a conversation about the student and ask them what's going on and how they are doing. Collect information and try to support student in the way they need. Offer resources for students (the counselor or nurse).
5.1.1.1.1. In terms of other student behavior, again redirect attention to a in-class activity. Move the students that are around the students to begin working. Move the smelly student to the front of the class. Location matters. Begin the lesson.
6. The Bullies
6.1. Have a conversation with Bill. As a new professor, it's better to experience conflict and learn how to discuss expectations. Talk to Bill about why he is taking the course and what he wants to get out of it. Ask Bill about his aspirations and goals for the class. Get to know Bill and why he needs the other students' notes.
6.1.1. Go from there and see what's going on.
6.1.1.1. Redirect his intimidation and ask students to turn in individual assignments during class. Evaluate in-class work.
6.2. For the Busy Bees, remind the students that it's your classroom and what the expectations are. Being in a group with your friends is a privilege and is only granted when expectations are met. In addition, frame the discussion about other peers about yourself. Take on the blame and make the conversation about what you think about their behavior and not what their peers think, especially because this type of framing is harder to argue with.
6.2.1. Ask the Busy Bees if there is an activity that they would like to lead that includes the whole class. Allow them to become the facilitators for an activity that interests them, so they can all be "giving" back to other students (Finley).
6.2.1.1. Assign groups again, reiterating that their group grade will affect their individual grades. Allow students to provide feedback for their group members through various assessments (during and after the project is finished).
7. The Entitled
7.1. For a college setting, send the student your syllabus, which states that missing 3 or more classes will result in automatic withdrawal from the course. Tell the student that you are unable to make accommodation for this situation in the case that she will be missing more than 3 classes. Offer the suggestion of taking the course when she will be able to attend all classes. Also, let her know how important class attendance is, especially for class discussion and participation. It is an integral part of the collaborative learning environment, and it is imperative that she attends class regularly.
7.1.1. If she continues to argue or continue asking for more accommodations, redirect her to the administration or the department head for special circumstances (follow the correct procedures for this).
7.2. For the second student, remind the student that your expectation is that he takes the test on the exam date. If he has an extenuating circumstance or knows that he will miss it for a university excuse, he may take the exam early, by appointment, during your office hours.
7.2.1. Remind the student that this is in their best interest and the exam date is in place to best match the learning and pacing of the semester.
7.3. In a high school setting, I would not be afraid of titles because they are students just like everyone else. They do not get special treatment because of their wealth and privilege. Special circumstances can be handled through the administration.
8. The Disrespecters
8.1. Be transparent, honest, and real. If you get something wrong or something goes wrong during the lesson plan, admit your faults.
8.1.1. Use their disrespect to frame things to your benefit. Example: "I'm not always going to be right and you may even know more about something than me. The point of the lecture and the classroom is to engage in a shared learning experience. We should be learning from each other. I welcome all of my students to collaborate with me to make lecture more interesting."
8.1.1.1. Remind the students that it pays to care about school and the class costs them money. If they choose to blow off the class or not to complete an assignment, they are wasting their own money and hurting they own grade.
8.1.1.1.1. Differentiate instruction and give more opportunities for discussion-based learning, breakout groups, etc.
9. The Thwarters
9.1. Remind the students why they are here in college: to learn new things and to familiarize themselves with other experiences and sides of the story.
9.1.1. Students choose to be in the class and can choose to drop the class. If they are not interested in reading specific class material, they can come to your office hours and talk about their situation and why they think they shouldn't have to read it. If they make a good case, they can pick a different reading that covers similar topics and messages. OR reiterate the importance or significance to reading the text. Try too reframe the way they are perceiving the text before even reading it.
9.1.1.1. Play devil's advocate and challenge students to speak up and deal with conflicting ideas. If the students are too afraid to engage, start the conversation and ask questions about why students think the way they do.
9.1.1.1.1. The best way to deal with Thwarters is to engage in dialogue with them and to understand where they are coming from. We must work to validate their opinions because they matter, even if they do not align with our own.
10. Sources
10.1. Finley, Todd. “19 Big and Small Classroom Management Strategies.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 6 June 2017, www.edutopia.org/blog/big-and-small-classroom-management-strategies-todd-finley.
10.2. Morin, Amanda. “Positive Behavior Strategies: What You Need to Know.” Positive Behavior Strategies in the Classroom, Understood, 13 Feb. 2020, www.understood.org/en/school-learning/for-educators/universal-design-for-learning/what-are-positive-behavior-strategies.
10.3. “What Does Ms. Rollison Need to Understand about Student Behavior?” IRIS Center, Vanderbilt University, 2020, iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/module/beh1/cresource/q1/p03/.
11. Reflections
11.1. Always give your students the benefit of the doubt. Don't assume things - ask questions.
11.1.1. It's better to be preventative than reactive. Set explicit expectations, rules, procedures, and routines at the beginning of the year.
11.1.1.1. Admit your own faults and recognize that you will not know everything.
11.1.1.1.1. It's okay to ask for help. Other teachers, counselors, and administrators are there if you need them.