I’ve no doubt that the lecture situations and students you have are quite different from mine and others. And I’m sure you choose what you think is best.

I can only tell you that in every teaching situation I’ve had (10+ years), tolerating non-topical disruptions past a warning is a recipe for continued disruptions.

If you find that a different approach works well for you and your students, that’s great.

And it’s a lecture situation when they need to pay attention, rather than interact with each other.

You ask them once to stop. If they don’t, you ask them to leave. It’s that simple.

First year or not, if you establish a pattern of non-control, that’s what they expect. If it’s obvious they are not behaving properly, then it’s also obvious they need to leave if they can’t follow the rules.

I like my students to succeed too, but being a softy isn’t going to help them succeed. You can give them the tools to learn, but it’s up to them to use those tools (e.g., your lecture). And when they impinge upon other students experience, it’s time for them to take it outside.

Reason 1: Many of my students (especially in first-year composition) are first-generation college students. I want them to succeed. If I act more the role of the enforcer and less the role of the coach and mentor, they are much less likely to succeed.

Reason 2:Often, what looks to me like “disruptive behavior” is actually 2 students having a side conversation about the very topic the rest of the class is discussing. Is this the right way to behave? Obviously, not. But is telling the students to “take it outside” the best response? Well, everyone needs to decide for themselves, but for me the answer is “no.”