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Show page 10 , Spring 2005 tional situation? After teaching a few classes, one realizes that very few problems are exceptional, and that the heartfelt excuse of "I am having a really difficult time ..." is just as banal as the freshmen 15 or "Let's just be friends." During my first semester, I was unprepared to handle the surge of pleas. Another problem I mismanaged that first semester was counteracting hostile student behavior. After my first quiz, one of my students made a complaint about the problems that I chose to include and the time constraint imposed. The comments were aggressive and rude and caught me off guard. I was bewildered by the student's words, because I spent a lot of time and care in choosing the questions on the quiz. The hostility of the student and his obvious challenge to my authority startled me, so I just ignored him and the situation. I thought that after he calmed down he would realize that the problems and the time allowed to finish them were not unreasonable, and he would recognize my efforts to make the class fun, interesting, and challenging. But his contentious behavior persisted during the semester and made me doubt my abilities and potential as a teacher. I often go back in my mind to find the origin of these problems, so that I might figure out what I could have done to avoid them. Here, I would like to share some of the strategies I have applied in my classroom to promote a positive learning environment, student integrity, and fairness. I recommend that first-time teachers think about what sort of problems students present and accept the inevitability of encountering them. A wide range of student misconduct occurs in the classroom, all of which negatively affects learning. It is essential to have a plan of action to handle them as they arise. Even the best teachers have problem situations with students; they are just prepared to use their authority effectively to manage them. Making a Behavioral Contract Both teachers and students enter the classroom with fears and expectations of one another. I recommend addressing these on the first day of class. An effective means to communicate expectations of each other is with a written contract, included in your syllabus and reviewed on the first day of class. A behavioral contract is a general term for a written agreement between instructor and student. The contract defines expected conduct for both the teacher and student while also describing the specific consequences for not upholding responsibilities. In this contract: 1) Involve students by including expectations that they may have of you. (Example: I will be prepared for lecture; I will be available for questions and help). Be honest and be committed to uphold the Teaching Tips With a Behavior Contract your students will: 1) Open communication between student and teacher regarding expectations and class rules. 2) Empower students by letting them know what to expect from you. 3) Provide a means for students to know you have their best interest in mind. 4) Allow the teacher to hold students accountable for their actions. 5) Help you be objective and consistent since consequences are predetermined. agreement. Express to the students that if they feel you have not lived up to your responsibilities they have a right to express this to you. 2) Explain the expectations you have of the students and the consequences of not meeting them with regards to attendance, preparation for class, late assignments, and missed exams (Example: You have the responsibility to turn assignments in on time. Lateness will result in a deduction of five percentage points for each day late). Avoid vagueness in your wording. Include specifics about what you expect and give exact repercussions. 3) Cover specific topics that commonly cause problems. Topics for your contract might include expectations and consequences regarding: plagiarism, cheating, attendance, missed due dates, missed exams or quizzes, handling student frustration, preparation for class, discussion participation, and classroom behavior. Putting these expectations on the table the first day is an effective strategy for managing students in several ways. First, it empowers students in that they know what to expect of you and can hold you accountable. It also allows the students to know that you have their best interest at heart and that you will strive to make their experiences positive. Including a contract with expectations also allows you to lay down the law, so students know exactly what the consequences are for certain behaviors. The key to the effectiveness of this method is that you follow through with your plan of action and remain consistent. This contract helps you remain objective since all cases of missed assignments and lateness, to name a few, are treated the same and with a predetermined consequence. It also places responsibility on the student, because they knew ahead of time the outcome of certain behavior. Although the contract between students and teachers must be well-defined and unambiguous about mutual expectations, it should allow for leniency in exceptional circumstances. Always remember that the goal of teaching is to impart knowledge and skills. |