Preparation and Opening
A confrontation is not an easy process. Both you and the student are under stress, frustrated, and/or angry. The steps you learn and practice in this course will help pull you through.
The first two steps are preparing for and opening the meeting with the student. The goal is to set the student at ease and create an environment for problem solving.
Before meeting with the student:
- Meet as soon after the infraction as possible
- Be sure the meeting is private. If your room is in an open area, arrange for the use of a closed room.
- Schedule an uninterrupted time (allow for 20 uninterrupted minutes). Do not take phone calls or see visitors during the meeting.
- If you feel a need for a witness, arrange for one ahead of time.
- Write, rehearse, and memorize a Three-Part Confrontation Message (explained in Topic B).
Opening the meeting with the student:
- Get to the point quickly. Be brief and professional. Tell that student this is a meeting about a problem behavior and that your goal is to resolve the problem and to avoid further consequences.
- Avoid understatements, such as “I have got a little bit of a problem to discuss,” and overstatements, such as “There’s something going on that’s got to stop right now!”
- Deliver a Three-Part Confrontation message (explained in Topic B).
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