Safety in the Classroom

Emergencies on campus are very rare, but it is wise to be prepared.

Before the Semester Begins

In your first couple of tutorials, considering using this slide or handout to familiarize students with procedures in case of any emergency during your class.

McMaster has a campus safety app that you should download and install on your phone. This app is an easy way to summon Campus Security in case of an emergency. It also sends emergency notifications to your device. For those who like to be thoroughly prepared, you might want to read portions of the Campus Emergency Guidebook.

Illness

The likeliest risk you will encounter in your classes is exposure to Covid or other contagious illness. Masks are not required on campus but you and your students are encouraged to mask, especially if you or they are feeling unwell. If you have a fever or a cough, do not come to campus. Instead, notify the instructor and arrange for one of your fellow TAs to lead your tutorial.

Fire

The first time you go to the classroom where your tutorial is located, make sure you know where the nearest exits are. If the fire alarm sounds, leave the building by the nearest safe exit, and advise your students to do the same. Wait outside the building until the fire crew gives the all clear. If there’s still time in the hour, you may resume your tutorial. Either way, notify your supervisor so they can make up any missed material with the students.

Medical Emergency

If one of your students has a medical emergency, summon Campus Security using the Safety App or one of the phone numbers listed above. Ask if anyone in the class knows First Aid and if they do, allow them to treat the student. For privacy, you may want to ask the other students to step out of the classroom. Once the student in distress is in the care of security or paramedics, you may resume tutorial if the students can handle it. Either way, notify the instructor so they can make up any missed material with the students and follow up with the student who had the emergency.

Harassment or Aggressive Behaviour

If a student is acting aggressive or confrontational, you might be able to de-escalate the situation. We will practice some de-escalation techniques in our training workshop. There’s also very useful advice in the Teaching Contentious Topics module in your Humanities TA Training course.

You might be hoping to use various tech tools in your tutorial to gather responses from students, such as Mentimeter or Kahoot. Discuss these tools with your instructor before planning to use them in class. Any tool that allows anonymous users poses a risk that someone might use it to display hateful messages. Your supervisor might ask you to use only tools that require a MacID login.

If a student’s behaviour makes you uncomfortable, bring it to the instructor’s attention, even if you feel like it might not be a big deal. It’s very possible that other students were uncomfortable as well. You are the leader in your tutorial. If someone is being abusive towards you or your students, you have the right to ask them to leave. And if you feel unsafe, you have the right to end class and dismiss all students. If someone seems to be lingering more than warranted, or trying to follow you, walk to the student centre or somewhere else that is well lit and has lots of people around. Of course you’ll notify the instructor right away in any of these situations.

Physical Violence

In the event of gunshots, firearms, or other violent attack, get out of the building as quickly as you can and urge your students to do the same. Notify Campus Security by using the Safety App or calling 911 once you’re safely away from the danger.

If it’s not possible to get away from the violence, try to hide. Lock or barricade the door, turn off the lights and shut the blinds, and silence all devices. Summon Campus Security with the app or with 911.  Stay in place until emergency personnel tell you that it’s safe to leave.