Chatter

[c green]

Once again--why am I suprised--it's the same kids mostly! I have a class that WON'T STOP TALKING. It's incessant. It's nonstop. I am so angry, and tired, and.....waaaaaaaaaahhhh!

Before you ask, I have discussed appropriate behavior until I am BLUE. I have modeled appropriate behavior. I have modeled hand raising. I have a set of bloody TRAFFIC LIGHTS to show them how loud they can be. They don't CARE. I tell them to stop talking, explain the lights again, take a point off their saved party time, and silence the room. I pause for breath and they all start talking again.

My feelings are getting kind of shredded.

 

[musicbug]

I feel you pain.

I have a group like yours this year. I have decided to take the minutes they waste from their recess. They owe me 10 minutes for Monday. Only 3 kids from my class will go out for recess. The rest will sit in slience. I am taking away group work from them each time they can't handle small groups. I will do teacher demo science, seatwork math and let only the approprately behaved kids work in groups. I hate to do this, but as you say they don't care how loud they are. I suggest taking actual time off their saved party time they fool around for a total of ten minutes; they lose 10 min. Maybe they need to get nothing but lessons, straight rows and independent seat work. I hate going back to my old religious school teaching style. I hope the reality check helps my kids. Wishes and dreams of silence.

 

[Molly]

My second graders are EXTREMELY talkative also. The only thing that seems to work with them is awarding team points. I have 25 students sitting in groups of 4-5. I make it a competition between the teams and keep a tally of points on the board where they can all see it. At the end of the week the students on the "winning team" get a small treat (a piece of candy or a pencil). Usually when the noise level starts to get a bit loud, I walk over to the points tally and say, "Let me see which team is working quietly." They instantly lower their voices. Sometimes just picking up a piece of chalk and standing by the tally chart is effective. Hopefully this will continue to be effective!

 

[Lonna]

me too...

I read these postings and thought oh my goodness....this is my life!!! I am experiencing the same "chatting" behavior all day long. I feel like I am totally unalbe to teach a thing!! And like you said, they don't care!!! If any one has any suggestions please help!!! And yes, I have tried almost everything and it does not stop!!! Should I just accept that I will have to teach over these children?? Please let me know!!

 

[ssobonya12]

same here in ohio

i hate to say this but on one hand i am happy to hear that i am not the only one with chatter as my main problem...it seems everytime i give them an inch they take a mile ... i have had them write "i will listen to directions and not talk during class" many many times, i have taken recesses away, i have made them put their heads down on occasion ... it is crazy! i teach 5th grade and my classrooms are 30-32 students ... just to get them all on task is a hard thing to do - and with chatter on top of it - i am loosing my mind sometimes ... i am able to bring them back when they are getting loud during group work ... i use a clapping exercise where i clapp a beat and they answer with their own claps ... this works to get thier attension but then as soon as i am done with my next directions - it never fails, they start talking again ... if you hear of any new strategies please forward on to me!!

 

[Jessie]

New teacher

I thought I was the only one who couldn't get their students to stop talking. I really don't have any "behavior problems," it's just the constant humming noise from the chatter that DRIVES ME ABSOLUTLEY CRAZY! Recently, I have implemented a "talking assignment." I found it online and slightly modified it. Basically, if a student(s) is talking at a time when they shouldn't be, they have to copy the assignment 3 times on the first offense and have their parents sign it before turning it in. The next time it will be four times and so on. The assignment includes why time at school is so valuable, when it is okay to talk and when it's not okay. It has helped a little, but I still have a long way to go.

 

[LC]

Too Mujch Talking!!!!

This year and also last year I have had students who do not stop talking. I teach fourth and have more that half boys. It is the boys that are the ones that do not listen. Go figure--isn't that the way it is in the real world?
I have rules, traffic lights, take away recesses, call parents, and still have a handful that could care less Rewards don't even work that well. It is always the good kids who suffer.
I, too, am at my wits end. Is there something in the water or is this a new generation of students.