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Let’s set the scene. You’ve reviewed the lesson plan for your course, and you’ve practiced with an experienced colleague. You’re comfortable with the virtual classroom platform and know how to troubleshoot technical issues. Feeling confident, you log into the platform and let the participants into the room. The class starts and, as you’re covering the material, you notice some distracting habits from one participant. You get a bit flustered, and the nerves kick in as you ponder what to do.
Here are some of my favorite tips for dealing with challenging situations:
Observe the Classroom
Take a deep breath! Before taking any action, observe the classroom. Who is the behavior affecting? If it’s not preventing the participants from gaining the skills they are being taught, it’s probably best not to act, regardless of how bothersome the behavior is to you. Remember, the participants are the ones you’re concerned with. If the behavior is affecting them, you’ll need to intervene.
Start Small
When we know the behavior is affecting the learning process for the participants, it’s time to act. The solution could be as simple as making sure all participants are muted so they don’t hear background noise. You might also consider changing up the activities to ensure more participants have a chance to share.
What about pairing the more experienced participants with less experienced participants? We know adult learners love sharing what they already know! In my experience, these subtle tweaks tend to do the trick and there is rarely a need to intervene further. However, if it’s needed, you can move on to the next step.
Reach Out Directly to the Participant
If the behavior continues, it’s time to be direct. You’ll need to reach out to the participant privately, as calling out the behavior in front of everyone can be embarrassing. The easiest way to communicate with the participant is to send a private chat, outlining what you’ve observed. You may even need to have a quick chat in a breakout room to discuss the behavior.
I love the “I statement” approach. Describe the behavior you’re seeing and how it’s affecting you and the rest of the group. Allow the learner to suggest a solution that works well for everyone. You’ll also want to outline what will happen if the behavior continues (consequences). The absolute last resort would be to ask your participant to leave or reschedule to another session.
What are some of your favorite tips for dealing with challenging situations in the virtual classroom? Please share below.
For more tips on dealing with difficult behaviors and handling unexpected issues in the virtual classroom, check out our course, The Virtual Trainer. I look forward to seeing you in cyberspace soon!
