Classroom Etiquette
Classroom Etiquette
Classroom Expectations/Etiquette
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the professional responsibility to treat all students with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which they and their students express opinions. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender variance, and nationalities.
Guidelines for Engagement
- We commit to creating a functional group dynamic over the course of the semester. In making this commitment, we understand that our regular presence is crucial to this dynamic, and that our unexplained absence may impair it.
- We value each member's experiences and the presence of multiple viewpoints in pursuit of productivity, personal goals, dignity and self-respect.
- We respect people’s ideas and positions even when we disagree with them.
- We will critique ideas, but not the person who expresses them.
- We hold space in our conversations for times of privacy and stillness.
- We commit to asking questions about and working through a group process that may, at times, seem difficult to us. We commit to remaining active in the group through difficult moments and consulting the instructor when we can’t work through something by ourselves or in the class.
- We have compassion for each and meet each other as best we can.
- This means, we respect each other’s opinions and agree to disagree respectfully.
- We consider some of our conversations as confidential. Our classroom is safe space and information from the discussion should not be used elsewhere.
- We add to the discussion and not just repeat what has already been said. We refer to concrete examples from readings, experiences, and media.
- We are aware when we are taking too much or too little space in the conversation and adjust accordingly.
- We explore new ideas, take risks, are constructive, flexible, and open.