How should teachers deal with disrespect in the classroom?

Confrontational or defiant students can cause teachers to lose face in the classroom and therefore affect the teachers' ability to help the other students learn. If a student is disrespectful, most experts agree that a teacher should not confront the student in front of other students (see the NEA article in the link below). Instead, a teacher should ask the confrontational student to stop by after class and speak with the student in a respectful and fair manner that emphasizes coaching the student to behave better. If a student is being highly disruptive, he or she should be asked to leave the classroom for some period of time. When the student returns--whether it's later that day or the next--the student should be allowed an opportunity to be reintegrated into the classroom to convey to the student and the other students that the teacher doesn't hold a grudge. For example, a teacher can ask that student a question or assign him or her a specific role, such as acting as a note-taker during a class discussion. 

Finally, the teacher should do his or her homework about this student by speaking with people in the school who know him or her, including previous teachers, psychologists, administrators, etc. If the teacher understands why the student is acting out (for example, the student might be facing personal issues or trouble at home), the teacher will be more likely to help integrate that student into the classroom in a productive way.