Student-driven approach to addressing classroom disturbances suggested.
To the Editor: It is without saying that classroom disturbances are annoying to students and faculty. Disturbances such as holding side conversations in class, ringing cell phones, and propping feet up on the backs of chairs during lectures alter the learning environment, making it difficult for faculty members to teach and students to learn. 
 
For as long as there have been classroom disturbances, there have been a number of methods used by faculty members to address them. Some methods used include simply ignoring the behavior, asking students to quiet down, pausing during lecturing until the disruptive behavior ceases, meeting with the students outside of class to discuss the behavior, and even asking students to leave the classroom. Each of these methods has varying levels of success, and although they range from minimally to significantly disruptive in the manner of execution, they all share a common thread, which is that they are faculty driven and include little or no input from the student. Additionally, in each of these methods, the success or failure of the method in actually quelling classroom disturbances lies solely on the faculty member. Since students play little or no role in the development or enforcement of the method, there is no desire for them to take ownership and hold each other accountable for minimizing or eliminating classroom disruptions. 
 
I propose that we as faculty members consider another way of addressing the problem of classroom disturbance. I propose that we use a student-driven approach to handle this problem. In a student-driven approach, the responsibility of developing a method for how to handle student disturbances would primarily lie with the student body. The student body could determine what they consider appropriate behavior in the classroom as well as what they consider appropriate consequences for those exhibiting disruptive behavior in the classroom. The faculty members should be involved in the facilitation of the method's development, advising the students on whether or not their recommendations are feasible and adhere to university policies. 
 
Allowing the student body to develop a plan for handling classroom disturbances would be an excellent exercise in leadership and professional development. The benefits of this type of approach would be that it could make students more responsible for what happens in the classroom and hold them accountable to each other. It will teach problem solving and leadership skills that will help them in their career. Last, a student-driven approach will help students realize that they have a voice in what happens in the classroom. 
 
This approach is not without its limitations, however. A considerable amount of time may be necessary to implement this plan, and it may need to be revised periodically as the student body changes. In addition, some students may feel like it is not their responsibility to handle classroom disturbances or they may feel uncomfortable enforcing the plan due to peer pressure. Some faculty members may feel that a student-driven plan would take away some of their control in the classroom. However, if one considers the potential value of a plan such as this and the effects on student professional development and leadership, I would venture that the benefits outweigh the limitations for this approach. 
 
So, how can one do this? Class officers or similar class representatives could serve as the liaison between the class body and the faculty. The officers could be given the task of meeting with the student body and developing the plan. The officers could then meet with faculty members to discuss the plan and receive faculty input. This process could continue until an agreement is made on how to handle disturbances. If they choose to, the officers could then begin the process of getting the plan adopted as a college or school policy. Once implemented, both the faculty and the students would be responsible for implementing and upholding the plan in the classroom. 
 
Classroom disturbances have been an ever-increasing problem in our classrooms. Perhaps it's time to reevaluate our approach to handling this issue. As we examine the multitudes of ways to handle classroom disturbances, I would encourage faculty to consider using a student-driven approach to handling this problem. 
 
 
 
 
Yolanda Hardy, PharmD 
 
 
 
School of Pharmacy, Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University Boston