Classroom Etiquette

Classroom etiquette is obvious to most people, but once in a while there are some students who may need a little refresher. Here it is!

• Timeliness
  
  
• Be on time for classes. Tardy students walking into a lecture hall or classroom is rude and distracting for both the instructor and other students.
• If you arrive late, take the first available seat rather than cutting across the front of the classroom to find a good seat. Be respectful to the instructor and his or her space.
  
  
• Talking
  
  
• When the instructor is ready to begin, students should wrap up conversations and quiet down.
• If you need to ask your neighbor a question, be brief and quiet. Do not carry on a full-blown conversation, as that is rude and distracting for nearby students and the instructor.
  
  
• Be courteous to your classmates
  
  
• Be patient when someone asks a question or makes a statement on a topic you are familiar with.
• Profanities are extremely inappropriate in a classroom
• Do not interrupt others.
• Do not show off your knowledge by interrupting the instructor’s answer to a student’s question
  
  
• Cellular phones, pagers, electronic devices
  
  
• Turn cell phones and pagers off or switch to vibrate mode during class.
• Do not answer the phone during class.
• Do not play games on handheld electronic devices during class.
  
  
• Reading materials not related to class
  
  
• Make an effort to be discrete if you are reading materials not related to class, such as The Tech. It is very rude to “flaunt one’s boredom” by doing so.
  
  
• Sleeping
  
  
• Try not to fall asleep in class. If you think you might fall asleep, do not sit directly in front of the instructor as that conveys the message of boredom. Falling asleep in class happens, so try to be as discrete as possible. Have your classmate next to you wake you up if you start to snore.
  
  
• Do not walk out and leave halfway through the class.
  
  
• This is disturbing to the instructor and students and gives a feeling that you do not respect the instructor and fellow classmates.
  
  
• End of class
  
  
• Do not hurry to gather your belongings toward the end of the class if the instructor hasn’t finished. Other students are trying to pay attention to the last bit of the lecture. Instructors usually know how much time they have for class. If an instructor is consistently ending the class later than scheduled and is causing inconvenience to students who must travel to classes further away, approach the instructor and let him/her know.
  
  
• Leaving early from class
  
  
• Inform the instructor in advance if you will be leaving from class early, so that he/she will not be distracted when you leave.
• Sit close to the door to minimize disturbance when you leave.