Academic Integrity and Classroom Management: Dealing with Difficult Students

Difficult students may present a challenge to even the most experienced instructor. The links below describe problematic students and offer prevention strategies and suggestions for dealing effectively with them.

“Classroom Management,” Lisa Rodriguez, Ph.D.
This article discusses a wide range of student classroom behaviors from the annoying to the disruptive and suggests “preventive strategies and practical solutions.”
Link: http://www.4faculty.org/includes/108r2.jsp

Scenes from a Classroom: Managing Conflict (University of Minnesota, Center for Teaching and Learning Services).
An online video workshop with ten scenarios of difficult moments between student and instructor followed by advice from teaching consultants for ways each situation might be handled.
Link: http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/teachlearn/tutorials/conflict/

Managing Classroom Conflict (University of North Carolina, Center for Teaching and Learning).
Discusses student behaviors that create conflict between student and teacher, such as a student’s negative or controversial comments, and provides strategies for prevention and conflict management.
Link: http://ctl.unc.edu/fyc22.html

Dealing with Difficult Students and Students with Difficulties (University of Toledo, Office of Accessibility).
Suggestions for managing disruptive classroom behaviors and dealing with students who have psychological or physical problems.
Link: http://student-services2.utoledo.edu/accessibility/docs/difficult_t.html

Difficult Behaviors in the Classroom (Honolulu Community College, Faculty Development Website).
Describes problematic student behaviors and possible responses for each.
Link: http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/behavior.htm

“Dealing with Difficulties in the Classroom,” James McNinch (University of Regina, Teaching Development Centre).
Discussion of why things go wrong in the classroom and prevention strategies.
Link: http://www.uregina.ca/tdc/difficult students.htm

“Helping Different Types of Distressed Students,” Chapter 6, TAs as Teachers (University of California at Santa Barbara, Office of Instructional Consultation).
Dos and don’ts for dealing with several types of difficult student behaviors such as the verbally aggressive student, the suicidal student, the substance abusing student.
Link: http://www.oic.id.ucsb.edu//ta/hdbk/ta6-3.html

“Dealing with Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom,” Kathleen McKinney (Illinois State University, Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology).
Strategies to prevent and address disruptive student behaviors.
Link: http://www.cat.ilstu.edu/additional/tips/disBehav.php

See also on this website
Learners and Learning--Dealing with Students in Crisis
Academic Integrity and Classroom Management—Civility/Incivility in the College Classroom
Classroom Management and Managing Controversy