1. Civility in the Classroom:
Changing a Culture
Barbara A. Frey, D.Ed.
Penn State Schuylkill
August 18, 2010

2. Classroom Incivility
Common courtesy is
anything
but common.

3. Incivility in Congress
• Name calling
• Vulgarity
• Hyperbole
• Lying

4. Classroom Incivility

5. Academic Preparedness
Trading Schools

6. Classroom Incivility
Step Forward – Step Back
• Take one step forward if there were more
than 50 books in your house.
• Take one step back in you were raised by
someone other than one of your parents.
• Take one step forward …

7. Classroom Incivility
Shouldn’t students
learn appropriate
classroom behavior
in their home,
school, or
community?

8. Consumerism

9. Most Frequent Disruptive
Behaviors at IUP
1. Arriving late and leaving early
2. Talking to others at inappropriate
times
3. Text messaging
4. Packing or unpacking backpack
5. Eating
6. Letting phone ring
7. Sleeping
8. Using laptops for unrelated tasks

10. Disruptive Student Behavior
Relationship
Frequency Seriousness

11. Disruptive Student Behavior
Relationship
Amount of
Training
Frequency of
Behaviors

12. Classroom Incivility
1. Know the literature
2. Know your students
3. Know yourself and your institution

13. Who has more problems with
disruptive students?
• Men or Women?
• Adjunct or Assistant Professors?
• Minority or Caucasian Professors?
• Professors who teach Electives or
Required courses?
• Professors who teach primarily
freshman/sophomores or juniors/seniors?

14. Syllabus Policies

15. Classroom Disruptions
“I can’t
think when
you are
talking!”

16. Out of the mouths of
students…..

17. Teacher Behaviors
• Learn names
• Treat students with
respect
• Move around the
room
• Use appropriate
humor
• Use enthusiastic
delivery style
• Use positive body
language
• Answer questions
• Use visuals, stories,
and examples
• Stay after class
• Invite guest
speakers

18. Know Your Students
Highlands School District

19. Know Your Students
Fresno School District

20. Classroom Incivility
Lessons Learned
1. Know your students
2. Move around the classroom
3. Plan a structure lesson
4. Use the resources available to you

21. Know Yourself
Rate My Professor

22. Reflect on Your Experiences
• What?
• When?
• Why?
• How?

23. Classroom Incivility
Have a Plan
1. Don’t yell
2. Don’t lose control
3. Don’t touch
4. Don’t make sarcastic remarks

24. Keep your standards high!
You’re all in this together!

25. Know Your Institution
Penn State Principles
1. I will respect the dignity of all individuals
within the Penn State community.
2. I will practice academic integrity.
3. I will demonstrate social and personal
responsibility.
4. I will be responsible for my own academic
progress and agree to comply with all
University policies.

26. Changing a Culture

27. Classroom Incivility
Conclusion
“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I
am the decisive element in the classroom.
It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. I
can be a tool of torture or an instrument of
inspiration….. In all situations, it is my
response that decides whether a crisis will be
escalated or de-escalated.”
-- Haim Ginott
Psychologist and teacher

28. Classroom incivility is
too damaging to ignore
and too important to
give up.

29. Thank you!