Difficult Behaviors in the Classroom

Source: Honolulu Community College, www.honolulu.hawaii.edu

BEHAVIOR: Rambling -- wandering around and off the subject. Using far-fetched examples or analogies.

POSSIBLE RESPONSES:

• Refocus attention by restating relevant point.

• Direct questions to group that is back on the subject

• Ask how topic relates to current topic being discussed.

• Use visual aids, begin to write on board, turn on overhead projector.Say: "Would you summarize your main point please?" or "Are you asking...?"

BEHAVIOR: Shyness or Silence -- lack of participation.

POSSIBLE RESPONSES:

• Change teaching strategies from group discussion to individual written exercises or a videotape

• Give strong positive reinforcement for any contribution.

• Involve by directly asking him/her a question.

• Make eye contact.

• Appoint to be small group leader.

BEHAVIOR: Talkativeness -- knowing everything, manipulation, chronic whining.

POSSIBLE RESPONSES:

• Acknowledge comments made.

• Give limited time to express viewpoint or feelings, and then move on.

• Make eye contact with another participant and move toward that person.

• Give the person individual attention during breaks.

• Say: "That's an interesting point. Now let's see what other other people think."

BEHAVIOR: Sharpshooting -- trying to shoot you down or trip you up.

POSSIBLE RESPONSES:

• Admit that you do not know the answer and redirect the question the group or the individual who asked it.

• Acknowledge that this is a joint learning experience.

• Ignore the behavior.

BEHAVIOR: Heckling/Arguing -- disagreeing with everything you say; making personal attacks.

POSSIBLE RESPONSES:

• Redirect question to group or supportive individuals.

• Recognize participant's feelings and move one.

• Acknowledge positive points.

• Say: "I appreciate your comments, but I'd like to hear from others," or "It looks like we disagree."

BEHAVIOR: Grandstanding -- getting caught up in one's own agenda or thoughts to the detriment of other learners.

POSSIBLE RESPONSES:

• Say: "You are entitled to your opinion, belief or feelings, but now it's time we moved on to the next subject," or "Can you restate that as a question?" or "We'd like to hear more about that if there is time after the presentation."

BEHAVIOR: Overt Hostility/Resistance -- angry, belligerent, combative behavior.

POSSIBLE RESPONSES:

• Hostility can be a mask for fear, reframe hostility as fear to depersonalize it.

• Respond to fear, not hostility.

• Remain calm and polite. Keep your temper in check.

• Don't disagree, but build on or around what has been said.

• Move closer to the hostile person, maintain eye contact.

• Always allow him or her a way to gracefully retreat from the confrontation.

• Say: "You seem really angry. Does anyone else feel this way?" Solicit peer pressure.

• Do not accept the premise or underlying assumption, if it is false or prejudicial, e.g., "If by "queer" you mean homosexual..."

• Allow individual to solve the problem being addressed. He or she may not be able to offer solutions and will sometimes undermine his or her own position.

• Ignore behavior.

• Talk to him or her privately during a break.