Re: How to handle gum in class

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On 10/08/11, Daniel Hanson wrote:
> New to high school,
>
> I applaud your energy and wanting to make sure your
> classroom management/discipline is clear and consistent.
> However, like some of the other teachers on this chatboard
> have said, you have to pick your own battles. And not every
> consequence has to end up being a major punishment. Trust
> me. I used to panick about stuff like this during my first
> years of teaching.
>
> With regards to chewing gum in class, I let my kids do it.
> Personally, I don't buy or really chew gum. Never developed
> a habit for it. I don't mind if my students chew it in
> class, provided that they are mature about it, meaning,
> they can't chew gum as if they were a cow and they can just
> place gum wherever they feel like putting it. If they are
> making bad choices with the gum, I tell them to spit it
> out. My classes have liked that I'm not strict about the
> gum issue. I know there are teachers who are very strict
> about gum. I respect their decision and I'm sure their kids
> can survive with not being able to chew gum in their class.
>
> If you want to be strict about the issue of gum in your
> classroom, which is totally up to each individual, here is
> some advice for you: Do gradual consequences with it.
>
> First time, have the student spit it out.
>
> Next time, have them spit it out and hold them after class
> and tell them that next time, they will have a 15 minute
> detention.
>
> If they continue to do it, give them an half hour detention
> and, with administrator and parent approval, have them pick
> off gum from underneath desks for that 1/2 hour. I bet that
> will make them think twice about chewing gum and why
> teachers don't like it when they chew gum in class.
>
> The last step will depend on how supportive the
> administration and the parents will be.
>
> My mom's friend as well as my mom have stated that the
> consequences should fit the behavior and should be a
> deterrent from that behavior. For some kids, slapping them
> with detention does not do anything for them. I know
> administrators at my school and my mom's friend, who was
> the principal of an elementary school and who is now a
> principal of a middle school likes it when teachers think
> outside the box and have consequences that go with the
> behavior and really act as a deterrent. Another example:
> This principal's grandson is notorious for spitwads. She
> noticed there were spitwards around her clock in her
> office. So, she had a little heart-to-heart with her
> grandson and made him clean all of the spitwads off. He
> didn't like that consequence, I tell you. There's another
> teacher who found that giving lunch-time detentions wasn't
> effective for his resource students. So, he had them go
> around campus picking up trash during recess. That seemed
> to get better results.
>
> Hope this gives you some ideas on how to handle the
> situation. Keep up posted. :)
A useful answer after all! I try to do similar things. That is,
build up the consequences. It makes a lot more sense than
standing at the door with a trash can every day or letting kids
get away with chewing gum (i.e. breaking rules) by excusing them
as being trivial. Thanks

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