Kids running their fingers along the wall...

[rdle]

Why does it drive me crazy when the kids run their fingers along the wall while we are walking in a line? What makes kids so compulsed to do this? I use the excuse that we must respect school property but my frustration seems much too strong for such a little thing.

 

[Joy Joy]

I hate that too!!!

I guess we are the only two that have that problem...but I also have a student who touches everything...the walls, other students, rubs the desks, and when we are seated whole group on the carpet, she will rub my toes (if my toes are out) or any other students toes who has on sandals. I don't know what is going on but it drives me crazy!!!

 

[Azure]

What works for me

is I just tell the kids that I just saw a Kindergarten or pre-K student put a booger on the wall and I think they just touched it. Of course everyone goes EWWWWWWWW!! I just say, it would probably be better to NOT touch the wall anymore unless you don't mind feeling someone else's boogers.

I know it's really gross, but I rarely have ANY problems once I give my initial speech. If anyone else happens to do the wall touch - I just remind them of the B-a-b-i-e-s in the school. Then someone else says ---ewww boogers.

Works like a charm

 

[Ima Teacher]

Mine not only touch everything, but if we stop for a second, they're leaning on any available surface like they're too tired to stand up under their own power.

They did stop for about two days with the touchy thing when one of my boys ran a piece of metal under his fingernail.

 

[City Mouse]

My kids do that all the time and it drives me crazy!!! Granted, they are kindergarteners, but I would also like to know why they are so compulsed to touch the walls. One of them even licks the walls!!
I have tried everything I can think of, but I haven't gotten them to stop yet. I haven't tried telling them that I saw someone licking the wall. Maybe that would gross them out!

 

[SuperSub1919]

omg!....

kids like to touch my toes too!!! I've got some ugly toes too haha. I had an autistic kid tickle the bottoms of my feet once when I was wearing sandals! It scared the crap out of me! I'm not one for "surprise touches"

I have had a few who like to pull toy animals out of their pockets and sneakily place them on the tops of my shoes when I am reading aloud in a chair.

wierd!!!!

 

[PrivateEyes]

This year, I've tried this....

When we go out in the hallway, I ask them all to put their hands

A) Behind their backs
B) Folded in front of them
C) At their sides with fingers crossed.
D) One in front, one in back

It's different every day. They're so concentrating on doing the hands right, they don't touch the walls, and they don't talk, either. It's the best thing I've come up with yet.

P.S. We only tried putting their hands on their hips once. It looked a little strange, and the other third graders laughed at them. I scolded the other third graders publicly, but admitted to my class that we weren't going to use that one again, because it looked a little silly.

 

[AddieJ]

Line up Call & Response

I can't stand it when my kinders touch the walls (especially if another class has some projects displayed & my kids mess with them)

I do this with my kinders everytime we line up to go somewhere (& enforce it the entire way until we get where we're going Say it like a military drill sargent (sp?):

Teacher says: Facing?
Students respond: Forward!
T: Arms?
S: Crossed!
T: Mouths? (or lips?)
S: Quiet! (or zipped!)
T: BOdies?
S: Still!

then I can remind the kids what they said before we left ("you told me your arms were crossed so you need to keep them that way")
it works like a charm for me!