Coping with Seven Disruptive Personality Types in the Classroom

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ConclusionFaculty members can expect to deal with increasing numbers of difficult students aseducational access widens and students who might not have attended college in decadespast now find their way to campus. This means that instructors will need to be betterinformed and prepared to respond to a wider array of challenges than they might have beenexpected to deal with previously.Clearly, the most important priorities in dealing with disruptive students have to bemaintaining safety and protecting the campus community from threats posed by potentiallydangerous, troubled students. These priorities require recognition of the warning signs oftrouble and preparedness to respond appropriately and decisively.Other priorities include maintaining a classroom atmosphere of respect and civility,avoiding being manipulated by students with unreasonable demands, respondingappropriately to unfounded allegations, and protecting oneself and one’s institution fromfrivolous lawsuits.By following due process, consulting with administrators, and delivering early warnings asindicated, instructors can guard against many of the hazards of dealing with the moredifficult students in the classroom.Understanding how the range of student misbehavior tends to cluster along certaindistinctive, recognizable styles is empowering and helpful to instructors. “Unusual”behaviors no longer seem random and unpredictable; instead, they are manifestations ofknown personality styles that exist not just in the college classroom but in the wider societyas well. As such, they become more manageable, familiar, and controllable.Many instructors report additional concerns or questions beyond the seven disruptivepersonality types already identified; these are addressed in the following section, “AdditionalIssues and Concerns.” This last section of this white paper deals with extenuatingcircumstances, nonverbal behaviors, and, perhaps most important, “red flags” that portendphysical risk when dealing with dangerous, threatening students.34
Appendix A: Additional Issues and ConcernsExtending special consideration to nontraditional students with jobs, families,and minimal support for attending collegeAs college instructors, we want to apply the same expectations to every student, butoccasionally exceptions are necessary. Nontraditional students sometimes require specialprovisions in college, whether these are people for whom English is a second language orwho may be struggling to try and enter the mainstream within the academy and withinsociety.Many schools offer a full array of special services to assist students with particular areas ofdifficulty, such as ESL services, counseling opportunities of various kinds, and tutoring.Students should be directed to these when applicable and expected to avail themselves ofthese support services as needed.Certainly, instructors and faculty members should continue to try to identify students whoare scared, lonely, or desperate in some ways. It is important to look for those students whomay be just on the verge of dropping out and reach out to them in whatever helpful ways arepossible.Instructors cannot do everything, however. When students in classes have psychologicalstruggles, faculty members are limited in the help they can provide. This is where referralsfor counseling come into play. Instructors do not have to delve into issues that are beyondtheir purview and expertise. This would be inappropriate.What instructors can do is meet with the students individually to try to identify what it isthat they need help with in their course, and to determine ways they can be assistedacademically.At the same time, instructors should provide additional help by affirming the students’ innerstrength—that is, by letting these students know that you see their potential to grow and tolearn. Think optimistically with these students about what the future may hold for them ifthey apply determination and perseverance as they proceed with their academic careers.35
Page 1 and 2: Coping withSeven DisruptivePersonal
Page 3 and 4: About This White PaperThis Magna Pu
Page 5 and 6: IntroductionThe typical college pro
Page 7 and 8: kThe Explosive StudentCharacteristi
Page 9 and 10: However, in situations in which the
Page 11 and 12: lThe Antisocial StudentCharacterist
Page 13 and 14: when detected and verified, have ad
Page 15 and 16: mThe Passive-Aggressive StudentChar
Page 17 and 18: • Keep records; mention in syllab
Page 19 and 20: play equally escapist video games.
Page 21 and 22: The issue here is that a great many
Page 23 and 24: nThe Narcissistic StudentCharacteri
Page 25 and 26: A short, straightforward comment to
Page 27 and 28: Without much ado, the consultant to
Page 29 and 30: pThe Litigious StudentCharacteristi
Page 31 and 32: qThe Compulsive StudentCharacterist
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Page 37 and 38: of it. That could result in you bei
Page 39 and 40: had seen him as a potential menace
Page 41 and 42: to say, “Well, we agree to disagr
Page 43 and 44: As we know, some college football p
Page 45 and 46: Imitation of murderers is another r
Page 47 and 48: #3: Passive-AggressiveStyleCharacte
Page 49: We Value Your FeedbackWe hope you

Coping with Seven Disruptive Personality Types in the Classroom

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