Navigating Difficult Situations in the Classroom - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Navigating Difficult Situations in the Classroom

Jessica

Collett

, Amy

Jonason

,

and Melissa

Pirkey

Department of Sociology

Notre DameSlide2

Classroom Incivilities:

disrespectful infractions that may be committed by students or instructors.

Don’t only happen in the classroom!!Slide3

Prevention

Make a good first impression.

Set clear expectations.

Don’t worry about whether students like you.

Be tough, but flexible and generous when warranted.

Keep yourself to yourself.

Don’t try to convert students.

Keep class interesting.

Find ways to combat environmental factors that might cause problems.Slide4

Incivility in ActionSlide5

What are other problems that instructors or teaching assistants might encounter with students (or worry about encountering)?Slide6

Role Playing

Get

into groups of

3-4.

Choose three of the tricky situations up on the board to act out.

Take

turns serving as

the student

,

TA

, and

observer(s). Slide7

Interventions

Convert the beginnings of incivility into “occasions for explanations, fresh starts, and good humor.”

Address uncivil behavior.

Admit mistakes and address them constructively

Use reflective listening (“so you are telling me that my syllabus has the papers due on a day when the university is closed?”)

Resist making decisions under pressure.

Anticipate and address issues of stress.

Teach the language of respectful disagreement.Slide8

Discussion