ABSTRACT
Students challenge your authority when they are openly hostile to you over a position you take in class, over a grade you give, or in response to your effort to move the discussion. Some students automatically discount the authority of the teacher if the teacher is a woman, has an accent, is racially different from the majority of the class, has a non-assertive demeanor, or is physically small. This behavior can be covert as well as overt. The first indication you have that a student covertly undervalues your authority in the classroom is often the course evaluation. Several studies focus on the effect of stereotyping on course evaluations, notably conducted by untenured faculty (Anderson and Miller 1997, 216-19; Hendrix 1998, 738-63; Johnson 1994, 409-19). Bullies exist at all ages and include both genders. They can make the classroom an uncomfortable environment for both students and teachers. You must deal openly and directly with such hostility.
