Reducing Classroom Disputes between Faculty and Students

Prior classroom management training makes a big difference in faculty's ability to handle disputes with students. This type of training should be included in faculty orientation activities. The research presented in this article indicates that success in dealing with behaviorally challenging students is possible if the likely areas of dispute are prepared for in advance. This article will highlight some of the likely areas of dispute and strategies for addressing them, particularly in the following three key areas: 1) Academic reasons why disputes occur between faculty and their students; 2) Non-academic reasons why disputes occur between faculty and their students; and 3) Strategies for engaging students and reducing volatile incidences.