the tools to use: distinguishing and addressing uncomfortable vs. threatening behavior student...
TRANSCRIPT
The Tools to Use:Distinguishing and Addressing Uncomfortable vs. Threatening Behavior
Student Success ConferenceOctober 16, 2014
Presenters
Craig EnyeartAssistant Dean of Students
And Director
Kourtney Barrett
Associate Director
Consider the Student Population
• Demographics• First Generation students• Millennials • Only child• Home-schooled• Transitioning • Have to work to attend college• Have a pre-existing psychological condition• Be “creepy” “odd” “awkward”• Challenge authority/opinion of others• Experience culture shock
Students are Encouraged to:
• Engage and excel academically• Role model the Sycamore Standard• Make positive choices• Develop holistically• Appropriately challenge each other• Learn from their mistakes• Explore their beliefs and identities as
well as those of others
Students Should Not:• Be disrespectful or uncivil• Participate in academic misconduct• Prevent others from being able to learn• Fail to comply with college officials acting
within the scope of their authority• Pressure peers or feel pressured from
peers• Create unnecessary harm • Violate the Code of Student Conduct
Lets Start at the Very Beginning…
• Learn about your students• Engage with your students• Role model• Set expectations early and consequences– Avoid changing expectations “as needed”
• What is in the news? Will your content and audience collide?
• Know your own limits and authority• Recognize your biases, triggers, or miscalls
Triggers/Miscalls• The student behavior is not
disrupting the learning of the rest of the class
• Even though, the learning of that individual student may be disrupted
• Behavior is not disrupting the role responsibilities of the teacher (though it may be personally disruptive to the teacher)
Howard Seeman; Preventing Disruptive Behavior in Colleges
Triggers/Miscalls• Behaviors can be:– Side-stepped– Handled later– Not made into a big deal– Not focused on– Ignored
• Professor/Instructor can continue with class
Howard Seeman; Preventing Disruptive Behavior in Colleges
BEHAVIORS…
Uncomfortable, “Creepy” Vs. Disruptive, Threatening
Discomfort, “Creepy,” Annoying
• Staring• Not picking up on social
cues• Interrupting • Talking loudly • Asking a lot of questions• Challenging the
topic/discussion• Talking about unrelated to
class• Standing within personal
space Wanting to speak to your supervisor/chair
• Disrespectful/rude behavior
• Threatening to sue you• Monopolizing your time• Crying• Not listening • Not doing homework• Not engaging in class• Answering phone,
talking, texting, on computer in class
• Emailing incessantly
Disruptive Behavior and Cues
• Yelling or excessively loud• Excessive hygiene concerns• Under the influence• Refusing to leave or cooperate• Destroying Property• Not complying with instructions• Escalating low-level behaviors
Assess the Situation• Ambiguity and Conformity• Is there imminent danger or is violence a
likely outcome?– Problem or an Emergency
• Am I able to resolve this?– Can I manage it until support arrives?– Do I need to follow-up?
• Who, how, what needs reported?• Be prepared to feel uncomfortable• Is this a “teachable moment?”
Responding and Reacting
Responding to Students of Concern
Safety First: The welfare of the student and campus community is priority when a student displays threatening or potentially violent behavior. The most effective means of preventing self-harm and violence is providing professional help and follow-up care.
Listen Sensitively and Carefully: Approach the student respectfully and ask to speak in private when you both have time. Give the student your undivided attention, listen to the student’s thoughts and feelings in a sensitive, non-threatening way.
Keep A Record: Keeping a detailed record of interactions and observations of a student whom is perceived to be in crisis, will be extremely helpful in determining appropriate response measures. Keep these records in a safe space, where access is restrictive to others.
Provide Resources: Help the student by calling for assistance and reporting your concerns to University Police, Student Counseling Center, Student Conduct and Integrity, and/or the Dean of Students/Vice President for Student Affairs.
Consult and Inform: With respect to the student’s privacy, consult with the Dean/Department Chair of your respective area. Share your observations to determine whether other faculty have the same concerns. Be mindful of the student’s right to privacy. Do not share your concerns with other students. Help the student by calling for assistance and reporting your concerns to University Police, Student Counseling Center, Student Conduct and Integrity, and/or the Dean of Students/Vice President for Student Affairs
What Would You Do?
Florida Atlantic University Classroom Situation
Disclaimers:Strong, Potentially Offensive Language
You are Not Alone• Colleagues/Department Chairs• Student Conduct and Integrity• Behavior Intervention Team (BIT)• Student Counseling Center• Student Advocacy/ Student
Ombudsperson• University Police• Center for Student Success
Difficult Conversations• Focus on the behavior• Build a rapport, explain why you are talking
to him/her• Check your pulse• Determine best/safest environment• Provide an opportunity for the student to feel
heard• No judgment and avoid becoming defensive• Realize the student may not understand
their behavior was of concern/inappropriate
Time for Growth…• Discuss alternative methods of
communicating or displaying behavior…what does appropriate classroom behavior “look like”
• Move towards Success:– Connect to services– Offer suggestions and positive outcomes
Referrals• Document timeline and interactions– Remain objective, unbiased, keep to the details,
describe behavior, use exact phrases• Notify supervisors– Avoid “break-room chatter”
• Student Conduct & Integrity– Maxient Report
Questions?Student Conduct and Integrity
HMSU, Room 821812-237-3800
www.indstate.edu/sci