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[camera]

I posted previously about my students' behavior and received wonderful advice. However, I am wondering if it would be appropriate to email students and (politely) inform them that their behavior (talking, texting, etc) is not appropriate and distracting.  This would allow me to avoid the dreaded direct confrontation. I know another colleague who does this, but what are the general thoughts of the forumites about email discipline vs. singling students out in class or face-to-face discipline?

[schoolmarm]

I've done this before.  It does help.  You can make it kind of light-hearted when you outline your expectations. 

[zharkov]

Classroom Management 101:  Confront misbehavior as soon as it occurs.

If a student is texting, you say, "Would you put that away?" or "I'd like you do put that away, please."  If students are chatting, you say, "Please be quiet, you are distracting other students."  Sometimes, all it takes is "the look," someone accompanied by "cut it out."

For habitual misbehavior, ask the student(s) to stay after class and talk to them face-to-face.

[anthroid]

Why the fear of confrontation?  It's your classroom.  Don't wimp out.  You can do exactly as Zharkov has said without it becoming some gigantic fight.  You'd be modeling appropriate grown-up behavior to people who clearly don't know how to act right.  It really is your responsibility to take care of it as it happens rather than waiting to do via email--and emails can ALWAYS be completely misinterpreted.  Don't do it via email.  Say it.

[yemaya]

Yes.  And the more you let it go on, the harder it will be to stop it later on.  You will also risk losing the respect of the good students.

[mccfan]

I would much prefer to confront the miscreants after class than hide behind e-mail.  You (and the behaving students) are the offended party here.  Something along the lines of "this behavior is unacceptable" seems to be in order.

[larryc]

Don't be a wimp.

[teeban]

The e-mail is good for follow-up and record keeping. The request for change of behavior needs to happen face-to-face, though.

[red_queen]

Agreed. This must be handled in person in the first instance.

[mended_drum]

I agree that face to face is better, partly because it can't be forwarded anywhere, and mostly because many students have difficulty interpreting tone in written text.

[minidonut]

Sending an email rather than speaking with (not confronting) them face-to-face sends the tacit message that you are, indeed, in some way afraid of them.  And that is often part of the problem.

It's like standing up to bullies.  Kind of.

[schoolmarm]

I should have clarified my previous post.  Yes, I have emailed whole classes (and sometimes my whole group of majors) about behaviors/academic rigor, etc.  This is after if have told them face to face. 

It does serve as a record.

I. E. when I wrote that the state convention would be a no-alcohol trip, I have a record that all students got the message.  Etc.

Best defense:  take charge in your classroom!

[king_ghidorah]

If you really don't want a face-to-face individual confrontation, you could talk to the entire class.  Just start out the next class with, "I have noticed that some of you are doing non class related activities such as texting or talking during class. Please be aware that it is very obvious when you are doing this. I don't want to embarrass anyone during class, so please stop."  Or something a little more articulate (I just woke up).

I always start each semester by demonstrating to the students what it looks like when someone falls asleep, texts messages on a laptop, doodles, etc. from the front of the classroom.  I tell them, "If you can see me doing this, I can see you."  Then I tell the story of a geology professor I once had who had a complete eruption during class at a couple of students talking.  I ask them, "Have you ever seen a professor flip a gizmo?  It's not good for anyone."

It's good for a chuckle and still gets the point across.