Center for Teaching and Learning

A Guide for Difficult Interactions

Introduction + Aim

To provide faculty, instructors, and TA/CA/IAs guidance for supporting productive student interactions while setting healthy / appropriate boundaries.

Classroom Expectations

When developing a syllabus, it’s important to incorporate information regarding norms and expectations for classroom engagement. This is valuable as students may come from different educational backgrounds and learning communities; a common standard may not be known to every student in your class.

Additionally, this can be a useful opportunity to reflect on behaviors that you have seen in the past or what you would expect from students. A few examples could include:

Desired behavior

• Raise hand to speak
• Quiet when others are talking
• On time / if you’re late, enter quietly
• Only engaging with electronics for class related purposes

Tolerable behavior

• Zoning out
• Choosing not to engage in group discussions, even if it negatively impacts their grade

Unacceptable behavior (teacher/classmates doesn’t feel safe or heard)

• Yelling at others
• Threats
• Stalking
• Harassing (anonymous) feedback
• Creating an environment that hinders others from engaging in the educational space

Suggested Pro Tips

When a student disrupts class, be compassionate, acknowledge the student’s concerns, and try to avoid making assumptions about the student as you redirect the class back on track.

• Compassion and Empathy
  1. If a student shares a vulnerability, you could say “I’m sorry to hear that, I hope you’re ok”
  2. Connect the student (and the rest of the class) to relevant University resources (either in real time or in an email after class)

• Acknowledge the student’s concerns
  1. Assure the student that you hear and understand their concerns. There may not be time during class to adequately address their question (or perhaps it should be addressed privately), in which case offer to meet with the student later as you redirect the class back on topic.
  2. Offer to meet with the student after class, during office hours, or some other time outside of class time.
  3. If a student doesn’t allow the class to get back on track and they continue to be disruptive, ask the student to leave:
  4. “I’m sorry, I understand your concern, but we need to move on to the next topic/return to our prior conversation. You’re welcome to stay, but you may want to leave if you need some time.”
• Meeting with the student after the fact
  1. When meeting with the student, approach them with curiosity and empathy to learn more about who they are, how they experienced that moment, how they felt about it, and how they feel about it now.
  2. Avoid making assumptions about the student, and try to learn from them instead. We’re all unique and we rarely know if a student has been navigating difficult personal or familial things or if they are dealing with some other trauma that may have led to this moment.
  3. Try to offer the student as much flexibility as possible given the constraints of your class.

Scenarios & Options of How to Redirect

• Faculty receives an email from a frustrated student, who articulates irritation for how the classroom policies and assignment expectations are having a negative impact on their academic experience. The student demands that an exception be made with an outcome to their liking.
  1. I can see from your email that you’re very frustrated with the experiences you’ve had this semester. I want you to excel in my classroom, and am willing to support you in a variety of ways (list ways ex: meet in office hours, discuss via email questions the student has, connect them with the TA/CA/IA). I’m not able to change the course policy on assignment submission deadlines outside of the reasons detailed in the course syllabi.
  2. I can tell by the tone of your email you are experiencing frustration. I think an in person conversation may be more productive to help me better understand what you are finding challenging and how you can navigate through this.
  3. In your communication, you articulated your concern as a demand, which I do not respond well to. I see that you are hoping an exception can be made. Please come during office hours so that we can discuss this further.
• A student comes to your office hours to discuss a frustration they have with the way an assignment was graded. You re-review your grading process for the assignment, rubric, etc. and how these relate to the grade received. The student is extremely frustrated and continues to repeat why they feel they should have received a better grade. At some point, you feel there is no more to discuss on the topic, as you have reviewed all related information and you need to end the current conversation.
  1. I hear your frustration and that you believe you should have received a better grade. I have shared with you my rationale and grading process for this assignment. I have given you the grade I believe is most appropriate. Further discussion right now will not result in an alteration of the grade. I continue to be committed to supporting you in this course and am happy to clarify grading procedures in the future should there be questions.
  2. I appreciate you sharing your perspectives with me. At this point, the current grade will stand. If you have additional concerns with the grading of the assignment, you are welcome to contact the department chair [insert name].
  3. At this point we have discussed the components related to your concerns and the grading. I think we should pause this conversation. I will take time to consider the information you have shared and will provide you with a written response in the next [insert amount of time].
• A student repeatedly interrupts class lecture/discussion to seek clarification on a topic that is being discussed. As the professor, you re-explain the material twice and the student continues to reiterate that they do not understand the content. It happens that you need to move forward with the planned content so that the class will have all they need to complete the upcoming homework assignment.
  1. Pause to hear the student out. Provide context that you hear that they’re seeking more information on XYZ topic and that you can dig into that particular subject in more detail with them during office hours or after class. Express that you need to move forward with the topics for this particular class session - but that their understanding of the topic is still a priority to you.
  2. Thank you for being so committed to understanding the subject matter. I’m going to need to table that topic for now, but really want to come back to it with you individually to ensure your questions are answered.
  3. I am unable to take any further time from the class as there is other content to cover. Please come to office hours so we can discuss this further after you have had the opportunity to review today’s content and course materials.

• A student raises a concern related to some aspect of your course they find displeasing. While making their case during class, they indicate that they’ve talked with classmates who are also in agreement. Following this, two additional students chime in to agree with the concerns being raised and the resulting perceived negative impact.
  1. There seems to be a number of you who feel strongly about this topic. That’s important for us to be able to talk about further. Let’s agree to move forward with the scheduled course work for today, and we can touch base after class to schedule a conversation about what you’ve raised.
  2. I am glad you have put considerable thought into this and want things to work well in this class. Please send me an email after class detailing a bit more about your concerns and we can work to schedule a time to speak in more detail.
  3. Thank you for sharing your perspective about the concern related to [XYZ topic]. This decision was determined … [provide rationale & how this is tied to learning objectives, sequencing of other class assignments, etc]. From this, an alteration is not possible at this time.
• A student in your course has been disruptive during your class on more than one occasion. You have redirected their behavior, reminded them of expectations in the classroom, and had an individual conversation with them during office hours. Their behavior has escalated from asking repeated questions during a class to now cutting off other students when they are speaking, repeatedly cursing at other students, and slamming their hands on their desk. You’ve also experienced repeated emails from the student with a progressively more assertive / aggressive tone.
  • Ask to meet with the student outside of class time.
    1. When we met on [insert date] we discussed classroom expectations and examples of disruptions that needed to stop. It was my understanding that we left that meeting with a clear understanding. At this point, you are continuing to disrupt class by [provide examples of behavior]. Given your behavior, I am concerned about how you are doing broader than just the classroom. Are you comfortable sharing what supports you have in place? Can I connect you with anyone?
    2. When we met on [insert date] we discussed classroom expectations and examples of disruptions that needed to stop. It was my understanding that we left that meeting with a clear understanding. At this point, you are continuing to disrupt class by [provide examples of behavior]. If these behaviors continue, I will need to file a report with Student Rights and Community Standards as they may violate University policies.
       • Note: for both options above, you’re encouraged to follow up the conversation with a written overview of what was discussed in regards to behavioral expectations and possible next steps.
       • If you are not comfortable having a 1 on 1 conversation, consider who would be appropriate to join the conversation or if a written communication without the in-person conversation would be a positive next step.
• Faculty member receives work from a student and suspects that the work is not their own. The two meet to discuss at which time the student states that it is their work, however the writing style and quality does not align with earlier assignments submitted. The professor notifies the Department of Student Rights and Community Standards, who in turn contacts the student to begin the Student Conduct Process. The student expresses frustration that the faculty member submitted an academic integrity report about them.
  1. I understand that this is an upsetting situation and that it creates uncertainty about your academic standing in my course and potential findings from the conduct process. Every member of the university is charged with maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity. From this, professors are responsible for reporting possible violations of Student Rights and Community Standards (Section 4: Maintenance of Academic Integrity). You will have the opportunity to respond and have the circumstances considered by a neutral third party during the process. In the meantime, I encourage you to continue actively engaging in the class.
  2. Please know that the decision to file an academic integrity report is not a decision that I arrived at lightly. I shared my expectations around academic integrity at the start of this course and noted the concerns we discussed. Although I did file a report, I remain committed to supporting you in this course.
  3. To maintain Brandeis’ reputation as well as the meaning of conferred degrees, I am obligated to report acts or possible acts of academic dishonesty. Given that we have already discussed the assignment and my concerns, I ask that you direct additional questions and conversations on the matter to Student Rights and Community Standards during the process. I hope that you will remain invested in the course as we move forward in the term.
• Student wants to be able to ask questions of the faculty member after class, but the faculty needs to leave for another meeting.
  1. You’ve asked a number of questions.I have five minutes before I need to leave, which question would you like to focus on?
  2. I understand you are hoping to receive a more in depth response right now, but unfortunately I’m not able to remain this afternoon. The moodle page has my office hours posted and I’m happy to respond to your inquiry at a time when we are both available.
• A student in a class states that they will go to Public Safety to report the faculty member if the student feels harassed by them in class.
  1. Public Safety is a resource to the university community and may be able to provide input on these types of situations. I welcome feedback and guidance for how we can move forward.
  2. I certainly don’t want you to feel harassed. Public Safety is a resource available to you as a community member. I can provide you with their contact information if that would be helpful to you.
  3. Student’s safety is a priority to me. I encourage you to utilize resources available to you to help ensure your safety and wellbeing.
• During a class-wide discussion that became a disagreement, a student swears at the instructor. While some classmates are unfazed, others are shocked by the student engaging in a rude manner.
  • In the moment:
    1. I am going to pause the conversation at this point. Given that the conversation has shifted to utilizing profane language and this does not align with expectations we spoke about at the beginning of the term, we can either move forward with the conversation and agree to professionally engage or we can end the current discussion.
    2. I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone about classroom and communication expectations. While disagreements may arise during discussions, it is essential that everyone follows the norms and expectations of an academic and professional environment. If this is not possible, they are welcome to step out of the classroom to gather themselves before returning.
    3. I’m going to end the current topic of discussion given how it has progressed to include profane language not aligning with our classroom expectations. I will consider after class how we might engage in future conversations on the matter.
  • Following class via email to the student who cursed at the professor:
    1. As follow up to today’s class, I’m resharing information from the syllabus regarding classroom expectations / how to engage with one another. While I hope that this does not occur again, if it does you will be asked to leave the classroom and to meet with me 1:1 during office hours.
    2. I’m writing to follow up after our exchange this afternoon. In the course of the discussion, you began to use profane language towards me. This does not align with our discussed classroom expectations of how we will engage with one another [include information from syllabus]. Moving forward, it is my expectation that this does not take place again, as it hinders classroom engagement and is offensive to me. Should this repeat, additional steps may need to be taken, including you being required to step out of class or required to meet with other University staff.

Resources for Support

An overview of all university supports can be found on the Support at Brandeis page. Below, we’ve identified some resources that can be supportive for faculty navigating the above scenarios.

• Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) : Here at Brandeis, the Center for Teaching and Learning is dedicated to supporting instructors with their teaching and learning needs. Full list of CTL services can be found here on their Program Services page.
• Care Team / ICare Form: Promotes the safety and health of all Brandeis students, evaluates and addresses student behavior that is concerning, and coordinates the resources of the university to intervene and provide necessary supports. This can include personal safety, personal/emotional distress, academic distress, and/or risk to the well-being of self or others.
• Student Accessibility Support (SAS): Brandeis’ diverse community includes students with a wide range of physical, sensory, psychological, medical, and learning disabilities. Students may be eligible for accommodations related to the academic environment, housing, medical dietary needs, and/or parking/accessible transportation. While appreciating the strengths and needs of all students, SAS seeks to promote the growth of undergraduate and graduate students through individual connections, campus-wide initiatives and collaboration with others in the Brandeis community.
• Undergraduate Academic Advising: Academic advisors support undergraduate students throughout their degree programs by providing assistance related to exploring majors/minors, planning sequence of courses, creating academic plans, and supporting student academic growth throughout enrollment.
• Dean of Students Office (DOSO): Serves as a centralized resource to advocate for and connect students to both university and community programs, offices, and individuals. The Dean of Students Office and its affiliates (Student Rights and Community Standards, Care Team, Student Engagement, Food Pantry) focus on cultivating a community of care where students feel a sense of belonging, think critically, embrace social justice, and encourage participation in constructive dialogues as global citizens.
• Student Rights and Community Standards (SRCS): Supports the development of ethical and engaged community members by educating students on their Rights & Responsibilities, addressing inappropriate behavior in a fair and responsive manner, and offering various opportunities for personal growth. This is accomplished through a variety of means including the Student Conduct Process, support meetings, faculty/ staff training, leadership opportunities, and ongoing community education.
• Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO): The Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) is responsible for addressing all issues of discrimination, harassment and sexual violence within the Brandeis community.
• Senior Associate Provost of Faculty Affairs: Joel Christensen
• Division of Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging (DDEIB): The Division of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DDEIB) is committed to providing accessible resources, education, and support to foster a campus environment where all members of our community feel valued, respected, and included. Areas include; Gender and Sexuality Center, Intercultural Center, Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Education and Learning Initiatives, and University Ombuds.
• Public Safety: Emergency Line: 781-736-3333, Non-Emergency Line: 781-736-5000