The Counseling Center

As a Teaching Assistant, you may have to work with a distressed or disruptive student. Not every distressed student is disruptive, and not every disruptive student is distressed. These two cases do sometimes overlap, however, and we have therefore chosen to deal with both in this section. Levels of both student stress and class disruption can appear in varying degrees of intensity: it is therefore important to exercise discernment regarding the appropriate response(s) to particular cases. One student who is slightly nervous about her mastery of a particular thematic area for a midterm may only require a pep talk and some additional tutoring. Another student who exhibits signs of rage in class may require a referral to the University of Pittsburgh Counseling Center, and it may also be necessary to contact the Student Conduct Officer in Student Affairs.

Of utmost concern is the issue of safety: safety of the student in question, safety of other students in the class, and your own safety. If a situation appears to compromise the immediate safety of any of these parties, call the campus police emergency number at (412) 624-2121 (off-campus) or 811 (on-campus).

Additionally, seriously distressed students should be referred to the University of Pittsburgh University Counseling Center at (412) 648-7930. If a student appears to be significantly distressed, do not attempt to diagnose or solve that student’s problems, yourself. The Counseling Center’s Faculty and Staff Guide for Helping Distressed Students is a very useful booklet for dealing with distressed students, including those with anxiety, thoughts of suicide, substance abuse problems, and anger issues. Because some significantly distressed students may hesitate to seek out help, you may offer to call the Counseling Center for them (for example, while they are in your office) or walk with them to the Counseling Center (334 William Pitt Union).

If a seriously disruptive student fails to respond to your requests to stop objectionable behavior, it may be necessary to contact the Student Conduct Officer, under the division of the University of Pittsburgh’s Student Affairs, which handles allegations of violations of the Student Code of Conduct. It is helpful for the Student Conduct Officer to know about a seriously disruptive student who does not respond to instructor intervention, because Student Affairs can use prior reports of student disruption to guide how best to respond to a chronic offender.

With this being said, it is much more common for TAs to encounter lesser degrees of student distress and disruption, which do not require referrals to outside support services. Some general principles apply.

For distressed students:

• Listen to the student. Listen to the student’s explanation of the issue, and ask questions. Sometimes, students will find simply talking about their problem helps.
• Avoid the temptation to prejudge a student’s situation. A student who misses two assignments in a row, rather than being lazy, may have felt anxious to approach you after missing the first assignment. A student who appears not to have taken a writing assignment seriously may have legitimate weaknesses in writing skills. Again, give the student an opportunity to talk to you before you judge the student.
• Recall that your task as a teacher is both to impart knowledge and to provide motivation to learn. A little pep talk—encouraging but realistic—can go a long way toward allaying student anxieties.

For disruptive students:

• Politely, firmly, and specifically identify the undesirable behavior and why it is disruptive. For example, if two students are continually talking to one another during a lecture, you might say, “Excuse me, when you talk to one another during the lecture, it is difficult for your classmates to concentrate on the material. Out of respect for them and me, please refrain from talking unless you have something to contribute to the class.”
• Avoid being apologetic. If, for example, a student consistently uses language which is derogatory toward women, you do not need to apologize for politely pointing out that this type of language undermines a respectful class environment conducive to participation of all students.
• Do not be afraid to excuse a student from class if the situation warrants it. If you have repeatedly (for example, two times or more) asked a student to stop texting in class, you are within your rights to simply ask the student to leave for the day.

In cases of distressed or disruptive students, it can be difficult to know the appropriate response. Remember to err on the side of safety, take the student in question and the situation seriously, and do not be afraid to seek outside assistance, including from a senior faculty member, the Counseling Center, or Student Affairs.