promoting civility in our classrooms
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Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Promoting Civility in our Classrooms
G.I.F.T.S. Conference
NHMCCD April 28, 2006
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Objectives
• Participants will define civility and incivility.• Participants will explore their perceptions of civility.• Participants will understand causes and reasons for
student incivility.• Participants will learn strategies to foster civility.
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Consider
Civil students …
Civil instructors …
Uncivil students …
Uncivil instructors…
Civility is the responsibility of …
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
What is incivility?
• Any action that interferes with a harmonious, cooperative learning atmosphere in the classroom
Feldmann, 2001
• Disruptive behavior is rebellious, emotional, escalating
Hernandez & Fister, 2001
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Origins of Incivility
Psychological factors
1. Need to express power over another
2. Need for verbal release due to frustra-tion over unresolved situation
3. Need to obtain something of valueFeldman, 2001
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Why Address Incivility?
1. Ethical duty
2. Personal protection
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Who is Responsible?
Classroom Climate
• Classroom = social environment
• Must be safe & coercion free
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Interaction & Learning
• Student peers influence classroom norms
• Supportive classroom - participation
• Student participation - intellectual skill development
• High incidences of incivilities affect student perception of own development
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Rapport & Incivility
Lowman’s typology
• Low rapport -> cold, distant, controlling
• Instructor -> little interest in students, sarcastic, disdainful
• Students -> low motivation to learn, significant anxiety, anger
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Disruption
• Student perception of their treatment by instructor and other students
• Sense of security
• Perception of classroom as comfort zone
• Quality of interpersonal rapport
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
What is Uncivil Behavior?
As perceived by…
• Students and instructors
• Instructors
• Students
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Students & Instructors
• Converse loudly enough to distract the class’ attention
• Make loud, sarcastic remarks or expressions of discontent
• Make unpredictable or emotional outbursts
Lloyd Feldmann, Purdue University
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Instructors
• Do not participate or express interest
• Come to class unprepared
• Demand extended deadlines, makeups
• Disruptively arrive late or leave early
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Students
• Present fast-paced lectures with little interaction
• Seem cold, distant, uncaring, make negative remarks
• Surprise them with unexpected test items and grades
• Arrive late, cancel class w/o warning• Allow students to taunt, belittle others
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Create a Positive Environment
1. Define expectations
2. Reduce student anonymity
3. Seek feedback from students
4. Encourage active learningSorcinelli, 1994
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Categories of Uncivil Behavior
1. Annoyances
2. Classroom terrorism
3. Intimidation
4. Physical threats
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Responding to Incivility
Category 1 - annoyances
• Ask student to stop
• Examine your lesson delivery– Boice study = instructors frequently were
initiators– Ask for observation– Videotape class
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Responding to Incivility
Category 2 - classroom terrorism
• Stay calm
• Ask student to stop
• Discuss action privately
• Ask student to leave
• Dismiss class
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Responding to Incivility
Category 3 - emotional blackmail
• Stay calm, analytical
• Discuss privately
• Discuss factors that generate action
• Do not allow escalation
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Responding to Incivility
Category 4 - violent threats or actions
• Stay calm, don’t show reaction
• Get away from situation, student
• Classroom - break, another instructor, police
• Office - another person, door open
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Strategies - Proactive
• Set the tone for mutual responsibility• Create a safe climate • Establish expectations• Express immediacy with prosocial
motivators• Use administrative measures • Do not allow unacceptable behavior,
comments to pass
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Document Incivility
• Document each instance
• Analytical, factual, free of judgment
• Write immediately after incident
• Make chair aware
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Checklist - handout
1. Describe problem clearly
2. Understanding the reasons for the behavior
3. Modifying instructor and student behavior
4. General characteristics
Christine Salmon Professional Support Center, Tomball College
Thank you
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