Faculty and staff
Classroom management statement
The classroom environment is a vital part of learning, whether you’re teaching in-person or online. Each person in the class will bring a different perspective and background, which we all hope will provide an environment that supports all students. Students, staff, and faculty bring their lives into the academic spaces and there are times that what’s going on outside of the classroom will have an impact inside the classroom.
While each situation is different, we want to ensure that you know about and have access to resources to help you succeed. The Student Conduct and Community Support Coordinators are here to support you and can be consulted to work through a current situation and to explore strategies and resources that might be helpful tools for you and your students.
Tips
- Use the first class session to cover expectations: Be as clear as possible about what is expected in class and how students will earn their grade.
- Help manage expectations: Be clear about what you can and cannot provide. Include syllabus statements included on this page and consider adding our website link on your syllabus.
- Address behavior concerns promptly: Contact your Student Conduct and Community Support Coordinators for support and fill out a report online. A behavior clarification plan can often be a helpful step for students to understand what you’ve noticed and how they can improve their behaviors in class.
- Follow up with students (in person or through email): When possible, it is best practice to follow-up in writing around expectations so that both you and the student are clear about what is expected moving forward. This will help you both have a better term! Consider contacting your Student Conduct and Community Support Coordinators for support with this if you aren’t sure how to best write this email.
- We all have a different lens we view the world through. Helping to see where your student is at – academically, socially, environmentally – will help you to support this student and provide an environment where all of your students have equitable access to education.
Resource
Mandatory reporting syllabus statement
As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment, thus I also have a mandatory reporting responsibility. It is my goal that you feel able to share information related to your life experiences in classroom discussions, in your assignments, and in any individual meetings with me. It is always my goal to keep information you share private, but in cases of certain disclosures I am required by law to share that information with the appropriate reporting entities. I must report all allegations of dating violence or domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, abuse of vulnerable populations, and/or credible threats of harm to yourself or others. Based on your disclosure to me, I may need to report this information to our Office of Equity and Inclusion. Someone will contact you to offer support and connection to resources on and off-campus. If you wish to make a disclosure that could remain confidential, there are staff at PCC who are deemed confidential.
See the mandatory syllabus statement: Syllabus Standards for Credit Courses.