{"71495":{"#nid":"71495","#data":{"type":"news","title":"What Does Tech Think: How do You Handle an Aggressive Student?","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Situation:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA student who is upset over failing a course is meeting with you to discuss her options. All of a sudden, she slams her fist down on your desk and starts to yell. What would you do?\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EThe Response:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe must recognize that students are often under a great deal of pressure and sometimes just need to release pent up energy,\u201d said Gail Potts, director of Graduate Studies. \u201cIs throwing a temper tantrum the correct thing to do? No, but it is the reality of human nature.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPotts would allow the student to vent, and would try to resume the conversation. She added that trying to argue with the student would only add to the problem. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EReta Pikowsky, registrar, or her staff members would ask the student to calm down so that they could resume the discussion. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cRegardless of whether we could get through that initial conversation, her actions indicate a bigger problem,\u201d Pikowsky said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EPikowsky would encourage her to meet with the dean of students and members of the Counseling Center for assistance. If she didn\u2019t calm down, the student would be asked to leave and the dean of students and\/or the GT Police would be contacted. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEither way, Pikowsky would contact the student\u2019s school and let her academic advisor know about the interaction and would also follow up with the Office of the Dean of Students, in case she chose not to do so.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMack Bowers, associate director of the Counseling Center, would advise the faculty or staff member not to raise his or her voice or reciprocate. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cCalmly and firmly inform the student that you are aware she is upset, and you would like to help, but the two of you need to work together to resolve the situation in a way that is satisfactory,\u201d he added. \u201cMove into reasoning with her on ways this could happen; don\u2019t allow the emotion to be the focus.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETrying to connect with the part of the student that is upset or afraid would likely make it easier for the employee to contain his or her own defensive response, Bowers said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cHelping the student understand what is appropriate is a conversation that still needs to be had \u2014 but perhaps after the heightened emotions of the moment are past,\u201d he said.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EFaculty and staff share their thoughts on how they would handle an aggressive student.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Faculty and staff share their thoughts on how they would handle an aggressive student."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2011-10-17 15:25:52","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:30","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-10-17T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-10-17T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"14764","name":"aggressive student"},{"id":"167058","name":"Student"},{"id":"14073","name":"What Does Tech Think?"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.pavlik@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Pavlik\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications \u0026amp; Marketing\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-385-4142\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}