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

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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

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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

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What is Uncivil Behavior?

As perceived by…

• Students and instructors

• Instructors

• Students

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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

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Checklist - handout

1. Describe problem clearly

2. Understanding the reasons for the behavior

3. Modifying instructor and student behavior

4. General characteristics

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Thank you

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