Dealing With Disruptive and Emotional College Students: A Systems Model

Abstract

Disruptive behaviors confound faculty. staff, and administrators. This article proposes a systemic model for handling disruptive behaviors.The model, in which college counselors have a leading role, uses faculty liaisons, a faculty and staff handbook faculty and staff training. and policy development t o address the problem.isruptive, disrespectful, and disorderly students have begun to stymie many faculty members and administrators in community col-D leges, colleges, and universities. It is often expected that by the time students reach college they will know how to behave in a classroom. However, some very promising students have even committed murder a t institutions such as Harvard (Thernstrom, 1996), Simon's Rock College of Bard, and the University of Iowa (Matthews, 1993). Murder is the most dramatic of all the disruptive behaviors faced by college counselors and faculty. Fortunately, few counselors or faculty members will have the experience.Unfortunately, college instructors often experience, on a daily basis, students who are chronically late, who talk to friends during class, who eat or sleep in class, and who engage in arguments with instructors or other students (Amada, 1994). Amada (1994) also reported stalking and inappropriate erotic or romantic attachments that alarm college faculty. Instructors, using only the authority of their position, are no longer able to maintain decorum in their classrooms or a sense of personal safety.Disruptive behaviors can be characterized as rebellious or emotional in nature. Rebellious disruptive behaviors seem to be intentional, defiant, annoying, and disrespectful. The student who antagonistically questions the expertise and authority of the instructor or the student who continuously chatters in class even after having been disciplined can be characterized as exhibiting rebellious behavior. Although emotionally disruptive behaviors may also have annoying or disrespecthl qualities, these behaviors seem to be unintended and to be precipitated by underlying emotional distress. Such emotional distress can be exhibited by changes in academic performance, outbursts of anger, changes in personal hygiene, excessive absences, essays or creative works that display themes of despair or rage, and clear homicidal or suicidal threats. These students may also express their distress through unintentional outbursts or corollary behaviors, such as running out of the classroom to avoid being seen when crying. Some students exhibit both types of behaviors. These behaviors can be referred to as "escalating behaviors." For example, students who express a high degree of neediness and who escalate their actions to threatening or aggressive gestures can be characterized as having emotional as well as behavioral concerns.Each type of disruptive behavior requires a different set of treatment actions by the college or university and the counselor. Rebellious and escalating disruptions need to be addressed behaviorally through disciplinary action, whereas disruptive behavior precipitated by em...

A Study of the Relationship between English Teachers’ Approaches to Teaching and Students’ Incivilities

“…Although college students misbehavior is not a new notion and a plethora of researches about this topic have been conducted (Barbetta, Norona & Bicard 2005;Seidman, 2005;Meyers, 2003;Young, 2003;Hernandez & Fister, 2001), there is a growing belief among both teachers and administrators that the number of students' incivilities is increasing in colleges (Feldman, 2001;Harris, 1996;Morrissette, 2001;Richardson, 1999;Boice, 1996). Teachers have reported of students assaulting them, stalking them, challenging them to fights, and sending hateful e-mails (Hernandez & Fister, 2001).…”

“…Teachers have reported of students assaulting them, stalking them, challenging them to fights, and sending hateful e-mails (Hernandez & Fister, 2001). These extreme examples clearly indicate a power struggle between students and instructors.…”

“…Getting education for the purpose of broadening one's intellectual capacity is no longer the reason for students' attending universities, rather there has been a conscious paradigm shift from this notion to the idea that a college education paves the way to high paying job (Hernandez & Fister, 2001). Furthermore, many students view their education as a product they are paying for (Oblinger, 2003).…”

“…This kind of perspective has unintended consequences. These students (who regard themselves as consumers) often make unrealistic demands on teachers and administrators (Hernandez & Fister, 2001;Young, 2003). The literature revealed many college students also see professors as gatekeepers (rather than intellectual leaders) who impede the students' progress, and do not let them complete their college education and get their desired better job.…”

“…Regardless of the type of student incivility, teachers often feel frustrated, distressed, and even fearful in their own classrooms (Barbetta, Norona & Bicard, 2005;Ennis, 1996;Hernandez & Fister, 2001;Meyers, 2003;Seidman, 2005;Young, 2003). An instructor may even reach the point of dreading teaching a class.…”