What Do I Do When a Student Challenges my Authority?
Students can challenge your authority in all sorts of ways.
- Some are overt....is he actually snoring?!
- Some are not...that gentle pitter-pat you hear is most likely not rain on the roof … it’s texting.
Regardless of the method, such challenges can be detrimental to your classroom environment, to your ability to teach, and to other students’ ability to learn.
So they must be handled.
But how?
Led by classroom veteran Ike Shibley, Ph.D., of Penn State Berks, this content-rich Magna 20 Minute Mentor examines effective and appropriate responses when students cross the line.
In this professional development program on CD you’ll learn:
- What can cause challenges to occur.
- How you can assess their seriousness.
- Your best options for private, one-on-one responses.
- A four-step method for addressing incivility publicly, in class.
- Appropriate repercussions for bad behavior.
- When and how to establish expectations for your classroom.
You’ll get the tools and techniques you need to deliver appropriate, measured responses to challenges.

Meet Your Mentor:
![]() | Ike Shibley, Ph.D. |
- PDF Transcript
- Supplemental Materials
- PowerPoint Handouts
Make this program available for ongoing training
Order the Campus Access License and load the CD content onto your institution’s internal web site for unlimited, convenient, on-demand access for all members of your campus community.





