1. Dealing with Challenging Student Behaviour
Accessible Learning Services, Counselling,
Student Rights and Responsibilities
Toby

2. agenda Introduction and scope of presentation
Why are we seeing more challenging behaviour?
Types of inappropriate behaviour
What is acceptable behaviour?
Rights and Responsibilities
Strategies
Next steps
Toby

3. Why Are we Seeing an Increase in Challenging behaviour?
Many students lack resiliency skills
Anger is the “go to” emotion when attempting to solve a problem
“Underdeveloped” emotional intelligence
Increase in the number of students with a disability diagnosis where challenging behaviour may be a manifestation of the diagnosis (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorder, Mental Health Disabilities, ADHD)
External pressure to succeed in post-secondary (e.g., family, society, peer group)
Greater focus on self-management of learning (Blended learning/Elearn)
Difficulty with transition from High School to College
When transitioning to College, many external regulators of behaviour are removed (e.g., parents, teachers, paraprofessionals such as EAs)
May experience failure for the first time
Find themselves in a more crowded environment with larger classes, labs, social environment
Your thoughts?
Toby and all

4. Types of inappropriate behaviour
Verbal aggression
Disruptive behavior
Non-verbal aggression-hitting desk, etc
Passive aggressive behavior (all or nothing thinking)
Self injurious behavior-disability related
Destruction of property
Smart phone use in class
Threatening s/social media/bullying behavior
Writing assignments that note harm to self or others
Racialized and aggressive comments
What are you seeing in your classrooms?
Janice

5. What is acceptable behaviour?
Student Behaviour Policy as a guide .pdf
What is acceptable in your classroom or work area?
Depends on tolerance level/own norms /values
Diane

6. Rights and Responsibilities
Student/professor rights and responsibilities
Professor has the right to manage her/his classroom
Students have the responsibility to adhere to the Student Behaviour Policy
No accommodation for inappropriate behaviour
Diane

7. strategies Professor expertise with classroom management
The empowered professor
Establishing classroom norms
Picking your battles/deflect power struggles
Name, Explain, Teach (NET Strategy)
Non-Violent Crisis Intervention (NVCI) strategies
Restorative Justice model
Strategies for professors-how to observe behaviour. Feeling comfortable with reporting
Taking objective data on student behaviour
Time of event
Date
Behavioural triggers
Heather

8. NET in ACtion NAMING EXPLAINING TEACHING
Yelling at your professor when you don’t agree with a topic being discussed.
The impact on me as your professor is that this causes a disruption in my class, and shifts the focus from the content being discussed to your outburst. It disrupts my thought process as well. For your peers, it disrupts their learning and makes for a difficult learning environment.
If you are angry or upset at content being taught, it would be helpful to leave the classroom temporarily while you manage your emotions, and/or speak with me after class about the issue. You can also me about your issue.
Heather

9. De-Escalation Strategies
FROM CPI training manual DO
Stay Calm
Validate
Listen
Be respectful
Provide options
Be consistent
Isolate situation
Enforce limits
Don’t
Say calm down
Overreact or underreact
Get defensive/need to manage your own reaction
Make compromises
Interrupt
Make false promises
Fake attention
Engage in a power struggle
Make judgements
Donna

10. Restorative Justice Model
Giving the “offender” a chance to learn
A second chance
Rebuilds trust
Diane

11. Intensive supports
May involve contacting Manager of Student Rights and Responsibilities
Behaviour policy
Restorative Justice
For students with disabilities, may involve additional accommodation support (e.g., peer supports, ALS)
May involve counselling support
Toby

12. Next Steps Continue the discussion Questions
What do you see as our next steps?
Toby

13. Resources
Braden, S. W., & Smith, D. N. (2006). Managing the College Classroom: Perspectives from an Introvert and an Extrovert. College Quarterly, 9(1) ,n1.
Harrell, I. L., & Hollins Jr, T. N. (2009). Working with Disruptive Students. Inquiry, 14(1),
Noonan‐Day, H. L., & Jennings, M. M. (2007). Disruptive students: A liability, policy, and ethical overview. Journal of Legal Studies Education, 24(2),