by Robert Cole, Program Director, Reinert Center
Some members of the SLU community have experienced abrupt disruptions in their classrooms. Some students are being confrontational, filming the confrontation or parts of class, or otherwise taking time away from the learning of other students and the teaching in which we were engaged. The Reinert Center has a new resource that offers some ideas regarding how you might react if this happens in your classroom.
From keeping your voice low and slow to your stance and body language, the Addressing Acute Disruptions in the Classroom resource guide has a few ideas should this happen in your classroom. Active listening, empathy, boundary setting, and validating feelings are all part of a process that may help you, the student and the rest of the students in your classroom to move past the situation.
These kinds of interactions rarely leave any of the parties involved feeling great. The actions provided in the resource guide are ways to move as quickly as the situation allows, back to the intended learning. This is the first of multiple resources around this topic coming from the Center in the near future. Of course, if you would prefer to talk with someone from the Reinert Center please request a consultation.
The Notebook 