Faculty Resource Forum Highlights Teamwork

Collegiality and conversation were the buzzwords for the day as several dozen CCRI faculty, staff and administration members gathered in the distance learning rooms on the Warwick and Lincoln campuses to share classroom management strategies. This discussion was one of a series of Faculty Resource Forums being held to encourage interaction among all college employees, especially to discuss key student issues.

These forums, started in 2001 by a Faculty Development Committee for Adjunct Faculty, have grown and evolved into a series of discussions aided by distance learning technology.

Professor Deborah Notarianni-Girard facilitated the recent discussion, titled, “Classroom Management: Dealing with Difficult Situations.” Attendees included faculty members from departments ranging from music to English to criminal justice, with teaching experience ranging from two years to more than 30. They were joined by staff members from student services and administrators from both academic and student service departments.

The interaction was fluid and candid. Faculty members readily shared their stories of unacceptable classroom behavior and strategies for dealing with it. Several emphasized the need to involve the student(s) in the process, and to make clear in writing what the parameters of “acceptable” were.
One recurring theme was dealing with documented behavioral disorders – where to draw the line between accommodations and disruptions. Input from student services staff with expertise in the area was helpful in clarifying the issue, highlighting the importance of involving those from all aspects of the college’s education delivery system.

“I was delighted to be invited to be a part of this discussion,” says Tracey Karasinski, director of student access, support and disability services. “Student Services is eager to assist in any way possible to improve the learning environment for all students. It’s important that faculty members are able to regard Disability Services as a resource for themselves as well as for their students.”

Notarianni-Girard was pleased with the turnout at the forum. “It’s nice to be able to get together and talk over important pedagogical and student issues,” she says. “We’re all working toward the same goal – of helping students learn – and it’s encouraging to discuss with others the best way to go about that.”