How to get them to stop talking

by A question

Oct 20, 2012

I've been teaching for a long time, but one of the little annoyances that I have had every day every year is the chatting that happens when they take out their materials, when the computer malfunctions and I have to stop and fix it, or when the student passing out papers is doing so. I have tried giving rewards, taking away recess, etc. and nothing seems to work. Yet I have a colleague whose class is completely silent when they do that. When I ask her how she does it, she just shrugs and says, "I don't know. They just do". Any suggestions? These are lower primary grade students.

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OP to Sara Thank you. They are TERRIFIED! When she is out and a sub is in there, all he** breaks loose. I don't like the noise when I am passing out papers because I can't think straight. But I don't want dutiful little sitting kids that are terrified of me, either. I like a climate of respect.

On 10/22/12, Sara wrote: > On 10/20/12, A question w...See MoreThank you. They are TERRIFIED! When she is out and a sub is in there, all he** breaks loose. I don't like the noise when I am passing out papers because I can't think straight. But I don't want dutiful little sitting kids that are terrified of me, either. I like a climate of respect.

On 10/22/12, Sara wrote: > On 10/20/12, A question wrote: > > How well you do you know your colleague's teaching style? Some > teachers are scary strict - some teachers absolutely want or > even need silence in their classroom. Some teachers make a > huge deal out of it if kids talk while getting out their > computers etc. > > I've seen teachers 'do' silence in different ways - > exaggerated facial expressions can work with little children. > If you're going to be strict about it, you have to get scary > but kids often feel uncomfortable in the classrooms where they > feel scared to talk. > > If you need silence, you need to make a big deal of it - kids > naturally talk. To get them to stop talking, you have to fight > with their natures and almost frighten them into continued > silence. > > It's not rewards, it's not losing recess, it's an unbending > expectation often set in the very first days of school that > any extra talking is NOT allowed. > > I don't run my classroom that way but I teach with people who > do. Are your colleague's students otherwise energized and > happy? Or are they unhappy and sit scared all day long? > > >> I've been teaching for a long time, but one of the little >> annoyances that I have had every day every year is the >> chatting that happens when they take out their materials, >> when the computer malfunctions and I have to stop and fix >> it, or when the student passing out papers is doing so. I >> have tried giving rewards, taking away recess, etc. and >> nothing seems to work. Yet I have a colleague whose class >> is completely silent when they do that. When I ask her how >> she does it, she just shrugs and says, "I don't know. They >> just do". Any suggestions? These are lower primary grade >> students.

Oct 23, 2012

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Sara On 10/23/12, OP to Sara wrote: > Thank you. They are TERRIFIED! When she is out and a sub is in > there, all he** breaks loose. I don't like the noise when I am > passing out papers because I can't think straight. But I don't > want dutiful little sitting kids that are terrified of me, > either. I like a climate of respect.

...See MoreOn 10/23/12, OP to Sara wrote: > Thank you. They are TERRIFIED! When she is out and a sub is in > there, all he** breaks loose. I don't like the noise when I am > passing out papers because I can't think straight. But I don't > want dutiful little sitting kids that are terrified of me, > either. I like a climate of respect.

Exaggerated faces communicate to little ones - you can put on looks of faked shock!! And you can tell them - "I cannot work with this level of noise. Teacher has needs too."

You can stop dead in your tracks, look down at the floor with a hugely impatient look on your face and tap your foot (take an acting class) purse your lips, look at the clock, sigh with a heave of your shoulders.

Some will see and they will silence the others. You'll hear 'shhh, look at Mrs. Jones, shhh." Wait until they're silent, pause and say - no smile on your face now - "I cannot work when you are so loud. You know I don' t mind if you talk but I've been hoping as the year went on you would learn to keep your voices low but - the opposite is happening!! Your voices are getting louder. This cannot continue (still no smile on your face) This worries me. What will it be like next month? Or the month after that?

I love our classroom community and I look forward to coming here each day and to seeing you each day. But I can't look forward to trying to pass out papers with that level of distracting noise. That makes me feel frazzled not dazzled."

"I'm going to start passing out papers again - let's try again."

You can train them that way to be more quiet at certain times of the day. > > On 10/22/12, Sara wrote: >> On 10/20/12, A question wrote: >> >> How well you do you know your colleague's teaching style? Some >> teachers are scary strict - some teachers absolutely want or >> even need silence in their classroom. Some teachers make a >> huge deal out of it if kids talk while getting out their >> computers etc. >> >> I've seen teachers 'do' silence in different ways - >> exaggerated facial expressions can work with little children. >> If you're going to be strict about it, you have to get scary >> but kids often feel uncomfortable in the classrooms where they >> feel scared to talk. >> >> If you need silence, you need to make a big deal of it - kids >> naturally talk. To get them to stop talking, you have to fight >> with their natures and almost frighten them into continued >> silence. >> >> It's not rewards, it's not losing recess, it's an unbending >> expectation often set in the very first days of school that >> any extra talking is NOT allowed. >> >> I don't run my classroom that way but I teach with people who >> do. Are your colleague's students otherwise energized and >> happy? Or are they unhappy and sit scared all day long? >> >> >>> I've been teaching for a long time, but one of the little >>> annoyances that I have had every day every year is the >>> chatting that happens when they take out their materials, >>> when the computer malfunctions and I have to stop and fix >>> it, or when the student passing out papers is doing so. I >>> have tried giving rewards, taking away recess, etc. and >>> nothing seems to work. Yet I have a colleague whose class >>> is completely silent when they do that. When I ask her how >>> she does it, she just shrugs and says, "I don't know. They >>> just do". Any suggestions? These are lower primary grade >>> students.

Oct 26, 2012

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Leah You may get an idea from the following list

Dec 20, 2012

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pixie Why do you need quiet if a student is passing out papers? Why not just loosen up a bit and tell them they may talk quietly while papers are being passed out? Kids really appreciate a little chance to be social. They spend an awful lot of their day sitting quietly. Obviously it is a different story when you need to concentrate on getting an electron...See More

Dec 22, 2012

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PedagoNet erhaps this resource showing you why some groups take longer than others to settle down and how to get them in a state where they are more likely to listen to you so that they enter your classroom on your terms can help.

Jan 18, 2013

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