Most classroom-management problems are prevented in week one, not solved in week ten. State plainly how the class will run: how to participate, how to reach you, what respectful discussion looks like, and what students can expect from you in return. Putting expectations in the syllabus and saying them aloud removes the guesswork.

Where it fits, involve students in setting a few discussion norms; people follow rules they helped make. The aim is a predictable, respectful environment where students know what is expected and can focus on learning rather than decoding unwritten rules.