Welcome to my six part classroom management series! Today I am launching into Part 1: Taming a Talkative Class. When I first began teaching over ten years ago, talking in the classroom was not as rampant as it is today. It seems like every year, the talking just seems to become more and more prevalent and kids seem to think that it's not that big of a deal. Classrooms and teaching in general have changed so much in the last ten years. We now expect children to talk to their tables, talk to their partners and share their learning as opposed to the old school traditional forward facing students who must sit quietly and listen to the teacher lecture on and on. Additionally, flexible seating has become a huge part of many classrooms across the country. This type of seating lends itself to students being able to talk to each other. We have to learn to bend with the times and manage students in creative ways. In today's series, I am going to share with you some of my favorite ways to tame those talkers! Most of these strategies are ideas I have found from others and have adapted for my own classroom. There are a couple I will be sharing that I have not yet tried, but plan on implementing this coming school year. As with any management tool, everything loses it's magic after a time. I recommend having them all in your "bag of tricks," and pull them out when one strategy has run its course. Or just change them up frequently to keep the students on their toes! Secret Code, sometimes referred to as Secret Word or Code Word, is a strategy that I read about last school year. I was dealing with an extremely chatty class and I needed something to get those kids to stop talking and listen up! The kids LOVE this one and they beg for it! For secret code, you pick a secret word. Your secret code word can last for a short period of time or all day. You tell students the secret word. I only tell them ONE time to make sure they are really listening. Throughout the lesson, they must listen carefully and NOT talk so they can hear the secret code word. The first student to hear the secret code word raises their hand and you can give them a little treat. It can be a Dojo point, a piece of candy, a reward pass, whatever your heart desires! Your code word can be creative like unicorn, pokemon, or kalamazoo. I like to make mine a little more subtle to throw students off and really make sure they are tuned in and listening quietly. I like to pick words like whiteboard or listen. This can be tricky because sometimes I don't even realize that I've said the word and sometimes the students don't either! HAHA But this way you really have the students attention! When I did this last year, my students were on the edge of their seats listening! When one child would try to talk, they were quickly quieted by their classmates so they could hear the secret code word. I personally recommend using this strategy sparingly so it doesn't lose it's magic. Here is a cute idea the peppyzestyteacherista. You can read her post about the Code Word Strategy and how she uses it in her classroom HERE. Another strategy that you can use is voice levels. I have seen many great ideas out there for voice levels, but this is a great tool for teaching students when it's appropriate to talk and when it is NOT. Modeling and teaching this at the beginning of the year is so important or this strategy really won't be that effective. Students need to practice at each voice level multiple times. Here are some great ideas I have seen for using Voice Levels in the classrooms. I really love the idea of using the light up buttons to indicate what voice level students should use. The voice level numbers below are from Miss 5th! You can download this freebie them in her shop HERE! The chart from Miss Giraffe pictured below is another great idea for voice levels. She puts the levels on a flippable ring so that students know what voice level they are on. Beat the Teacher is really a game that you can play for any behavior that your class is struggling with, but talking seems to be the main problem in my class that we need to work on every year. In Beat the Teacher, students play against the teacher to earn points. For every lesson, we start a new round. If students earn more points than the teacher, they win that round and earn an X in the Beat the Teacher chart towards the reward they are working toward. I used this free pack from Collaborating in Kinder this past school year. I just used tallies for Student and Teacher on the board. When students won, they got an X in the first square. Once they filled up the first row, they earned the first reward on the reward chart. The reward chart is editable and I do recommend letting students help you come up with ideas to add to the chart. I tried to make the chart go from small to large. We ended at number five on a Movie Party. You can download this freebie HERE. I just discovered the idea of the Chit Chat Chart on Pinterest this week while I was researching ideas for this blog post. I am excited about trying this one out! I have seen a couple of different variations, but basically students each get three cards or pieces next to their name on a chart. When they talk during class, they lose a piece. If they have a piece left at the end of the week, they receive a treat or special note home. You can decide how you want to do this. You could also do this daily. If students have all three pieces at the end of the day, they get a special treat like lunch with a friend. If they have two left, a piece of candy, and one left they get a reminder note home that says something about how they need to work on their talking. If they have none left, you decide the consequence. You can adapt this however you see fit for your classroom. Quiet Manager was another favorite of my students last year. All you need is a sand timer. I recommend having one between 3-5 minutes. You would want to use this strategy during independent work time. I usually use it while I am working with small groups. It helps me not have to worry about keeping tabs on who is talking and the students LOVE the responsibility of being the teacher! You choose a student to hold the sand timer and walk around. Their job is to look for students who may be talking. If a student is talking, they write their name on a whiteboard they carry around and immediately show it to me. I usually don't say anything to the student right then. If it is the same student that continues to talk, then we have a discussion after. Also, students who are talking cannot become the Quiet Manager. When a students sand timer runs out, they are asked to choose a new student who has been working quietly to become the new quiet manager. Students love this and ask me to do it every day! Last year, the wireless doorbell hit Instagram and I had to have one. I bought one on Amazon Prime and I love it. Mine has 50 different ring tones and songs. You can us them for getting students attention. When students are too chatty, I ring the bell to get their attention to quiet them down. We practice this at the beginning of the year so they know when the doorbell chimes, they immediately quiet down and get ready to listen. Some tones are longer than others and I try to change it up frequently so students don't get bored with one. The last strategy I want to share today is kind of a no brainer. I think it is just so important for us as teachers to give students many opportunities to talk and share their learning as much as possible. When students come in each morning, I think we need to consider ditching that traditional morning work and allowing them time to do something like STEM bins and have time to socialize. Their brains are going to be busy all day with learning, so that morning time should be relaxed and stress free. I purchased Booke's Stem Bins last year and planning on implementing these this school year. You can purchase them in her TPT shop HERE. Additionally, doing collaborative activities like gallery walks and group projects during the day is a great way to allow students opportunities to talk and share. I love using the turn and talk in my classroom as well. Getting students to share their thinking is not only a great way to let students talk, but it's an awesome way to have students share their knowledge with others. Your lower students will be able to gain so much from your higher students through turn and talks and collaborative activities. I partner my students in different ways to make sure they are getting the most out of their group and partner work. You can see my examples below. My PB&J partners are on level partners, the Cookie and Milk Partners are High-Low, and My Happy Meal Groups are High-Medium-Low. You can download this freebie HERE. I hope you were able to take away at least one new strategy to tame those talkers this year! I will be back next week to share Part 2 in the Classroom Management Series on dealing with blurters. They are a special kind of talker! Don't forget to check out other posts in the series: {NOTE: They will not be linked and live until they have been posted in the coming weeks.} Part 2 {Blurting} Part 3 {Tattling} Part 4 {Following/Listening to Directions} Part 5 {Transitions} Part 6 {Classroom Organization} What is your favorite strategy for taming those talkers? Please share in the comments!
In this article, learn about how a sneaky and insidious snake in the grass is keeping you from calmly, decisively, and consistently following your classroom management plan.
Classroom management is one of the most important things a teacher can master. Here are 2 kindergarten classroom management ideas that work!
I posted about these songs about a year ago on my Instagram feed and so many of you asked if I would be putting these in my TPT shop to sell. At the time, we had only written three, and I just didn't feel like that was enough to make a whole resource with. Since then, I have been working on writing new transition songs that are sung to some of our kids' favorite tunes! Singing CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT SONGS AND CHANTS during transitions makes moving from one thing or place to another almost seamless. Songs and chants keep students engaged, focused, and excited to learn, which in turn will save valuable instruction time. It also helps eliminate unwanted behaviors by giving your students the structure, consistency, and support they need. Most of the songs included are parodies of popular songs most kids will know. The words have been changed to help students transition in a positive manner. I printed the songs on cardstock and laminated them. I used a binder ring to attach the set together to hang on my board for easy access. There are also three different color options included. :) Let's go through a little breakdown of when and why we sing each of these songs: The Carpet: We sing this when it's time to transition to the carpet. I start they song, they join in. They have to be on the carpet in their assigned spots by the end of the song. Works like a charm every single time! I even added in some little hand motions that end the song with their hands in their laps. All I Do Is Freeze: We mostly use this when students are working in groups or with a partner. Sometimes, I need them to stop what they are doing, so that I can give them a direction or clear something up. It's a great way to get their attention! Clean Up Chant: This one is pretty self-explanatory. I do not instruct them when it's time to clean up; I just start the chant. You may want to add a timer to it afterwards if you need them cleaned up in a certain amount of time. Let's Line Up: Will kids ever get over Frozen? Probably not. If yours are still obsessed, too, they will love this line up chant. It gets them lined up quickly and without distractions, which saves so much time! Back to My Seat: We sing this when we transition from the carpet to their seats. We usually sing it a couple of times to give them plenty of time to make it to their seats. It's a really quick song! Partner Up: This song probably takes the most practice. Anytime you need students to get with their partner, you can sing this song. It also reminds them what to do when they are with their partner. Learning Math is Awesome: Sing this song to signal that it's time to begin math. I can guarantee it will get stuck in your head afterwards. Sorry. We Can't Stop Reading: This song can be used to kick off your reading block each day. It gets them excited about books and where those stories will take them! Quiet Time: I may or may not have sung this one the most. It works so well! I sing it in a calm, quiet voice, in which students will mirror. It immediately calms the room. Sing it a couple of times if needed! See!: I had to incorporate some Taylor Swift in these songs. We want students to be proud to share their thinking and comfortable talking with a partner. We also want their partners to be respectful and value what they are saying. This song is great to sing before students share with a partner or to close out a lesson by sharing what they learned or took away from the lesson. I just added some NEW songs!!! Like It Was: This is another clean up song. You could sing this one at the end of centers. It's really good about reminding students to put everything back in its place. Good For You: This is a song that you can sing as a class to celebrate someone! Maybe someone had a really great idea or accomplished something amazing, you can sing this to pump them up! We're Amazing: I am all about incorporating mindfulness into our day, so I knew I needed to create a song that encompassed that. This is another one that is going to take some practice to get down, but you can always display it as you sing. Some of the songs might take lots of practice to get down! But don't give up! After you sing it over and over, you will eventually get it. You will sing them to the tune of the chorus from the songs. I have added links to the actual songs in the PDFs. You just click the blue arrow at the bottom of the page. Always check these first NOT in the presence of students. I have gone through them to make sure they are safe, but you never know when things can change. A few of these parodies are straight from my students. I asked them what songs they wanted me to write transition songs for, and these are what we came up with. This group in particular had difficulty this year with transitions because they were all best of friends and LOVED to talk, which in turn got them distracted. I LOVED that about them, but we were losing valuable time trying to get refocused. Once I introduced a song or chant for them to do while transitioning, the difference was crazy! It keeps your learning environment positive, too, which is super important. You can check out the resource by clicking HERE or on any of the images in the post. Let me know how your students do with these songs or if you need another song added! I love your feedback! Happy transitioning!
Classroom management tools to achieve a smooth-running classroom. From daily class slides to using a house system, you’ll be set!
Using positive classroom management is important in establishing a safe environment in which students can learn, collaborate, and create.
Thousands of teachers have used these tried and true GUARANTEED tups to stop students from blurting out. Chatty Class? YOU NEED TO READ THIS!
3rd grade teacher Deanna shares how she saves time and works more efficiently.
It’s popping up more and more in IEPs and 504s. Called Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), it’s marked by disobedient behavior toward authority. But what is it really? It’s a student who doesn’t want to be told what to do. They don’t want rules or ... Read more
Every teacher needs a few fun, fast, easy, tricks up his/her sleeve. Here are a few easy classroom management tricks I've picked up over the years. Need a Second to Get Ready for the Next
Classroom procedures review can be dull and boring. This post is loaded with fun and engaging games that will make students want to practice the all important classroom procedures. The more they practice them, the more smoothly your classroom will run.
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Have a chatty class? It can feel impossible to teach. Read this blog post to learn 5 simple steps to get your students to actively listen!
I have to share with you something that I absolutely love: The WOW board! This beautiful piece of poster board was introduced to me by my friend and colleague. I used it throughout the year but found it especially helpful near the end of the school year.
Effective classroom management strategies are essential for a positive and productive learning environment for middle and high school students.
Elementary teachers need this quick classroom management strategy that increases attention rate during insurrections. Revamp classroom management.
I want to discuss seating charts, but first let's start with some definitions. Heterogeneous is to be diverse in character or content while homogeneous is to be the same kind or alike. It is very
Classroom Management - SparpaketDieses Paket ist eine Sammlung an Materialien, die für die Klassenraumgestaltung und für das Classroom Management eingesetzt wer
A quiet signal in the classroom is key to getting your students’ attention. Try this quick easy trick to get your students' focus stright away!
Refocus classroom management in your classroom by using these 10 tips for positive behavior management. Watch your students' behavior transform!
Effektives Classroom Management llll➤ Wie Sie den autoritative Führungsstil durch nonverbale Kommunikation im Klassenzimmer umsetzen
Im Material befinden sich allerlei Vorlagen für das Classroom Management. Enthalten sind u.A. Schülerstammblätter, Organisation für fehlende Kinder, Vorlagen fü
Great activity for teaching organisational skills for time management. Helps to build on the concept of time and how long activities take to complete. Perfect for the classroom, special education or your next therapy session. This PDF contains 32 sorting cards! Just print and cut them, and they're ready to go! Laminate them to create a resource pack that can be used repeatedly! Created and used by an Occupational Therapist! Contains: - 32 x Sorting Cards - 8 x Blank Sorting Cards to customise the options - 4 x Time Posters for Sorting Cards - 1 x 'How long would it take?' Worksheet - 1 x Blank Worksheet to build a custom activity for your student ══ SKILLS DEVELOPED WITH THIS RESOURCE ══ Organisational Skills Time Management Skills Self-Management Social-Emotional Learning ══ INCLUDED ══ • This digital download is a high-quality PDF file • A4 size (8.27 x 11.69 inches) • US Letter size (8.5 x 11 inches) ══ DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ONLY ══ • No physical item will be shipped. • You may print as many copies as you want for PERSONAL USE only. ══ IMPORTANT REMINDERS ══ • THIS IS A NON-EDITABLE FILE - As it is ready to print, and no edits are required. • Commercial reproduction, resale, or distribution - including distribution as part of a digital kit or as a printed piece - is strictly prohibited. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me! Thank you!
Today I am brining you the perfect combination of back to school ice-breakers and games for those first days of school! Back to school is a crazy time and we all want to hit the ground running. There are routines and procedures to teach and we are ready to get to them the second those kids walk in the door. Building community and getting to know
If you're tired of digging into your own pockets to find ways to motivate your students, you need to check out these FREE reward coupons. You can even use the editable option to add your own coupons.
If you are looking for a system that will help you manage and maintain student work while they are out, then you found it! This is a system that you maintain on your own, or you may choose to assign student helpers so they can keep track of the missing work and assignments for you! This is how it works... Each student is given a folder or hanging file. When they are absent, an absent student form is filled out. This tracks their missed work and is kept inside their folder. Nothing gets overlooked, and your students will know where to look when they return. ⭐️ This resource includes... 36 Bin Cover Page Options - You choose your style! 9 Pre-made Absent Student - These are ready to print and not editable. They are set up for both single subjects and multiple subjects. 7 Completely Editable Absent Student Forms A link to my YouTube video that shows you everything that you can do if you choose to edit the forms yourself. Editable Name Labels - Set up to enter student names or student numbers. _____________________________________ Copyright © Joey Udovich (Create Teach Share LLC) Permission to copy for single classroom use only. Please purchase additional licenses if you intend to share this product.
When I was teaching, I often had a tricky time getting my prep students to line up in an orderly fashion. It was even harder to get them to walk sensibly around the school. That’s when I made my mystery walker cards! All you need to do is print off enough cards for your whole […]
Promote collaboration and build classroom community with this easy table group management strategy that can be done two ways!
A simple way to teach your students classroom procedures and expectations at the beginning of the school year
Notes From the Portable is a blog about teaching, reflecting on connections to Common Core Standards and 21st-Century Skills.
elementary art lessons classroom management
Are you ready for back to school? These 29 classroom management tips and ideas will have you ready for the entire school year.
I've done a lot of experimenting with desk arrangements over the years. I've definitely found my favorite. Keep reading, I'll tell you about it. I've also discovered that it's smart to pick a few
AusleihstationDas Material enthält verschiedene Schilder, um damit eine Ausleihstation auszustatten. Die Visualisierung ist auf sämtliche Ausführungen des Model
Bei der Gestaltung eines Klassenraums gibt es vieles zu bedenken: Welche Sitzordnung und welche Raumaufteilung passen zu meinem Unterricht? Wie ergänze ich (auch mit eingeschränkten finanziellen Mitteln) die vorhandene Ausstattung sinnvoll? Was wird an Arbeitsmitteln benötigt? Unser Mini-Ratgeber liefert die Antworten, erprobte Tipps und schöne Kopiervorlagen zur einfachen Umsetzung einiger Ideen.
Tips in teaching classroom procedures and their expectations. Click here:
GefühlsampelMit einer Gefühlsampel können SuS ihre aktuelle Gefühlslage zeigen. Die Gefühlsampel wird in der Klasse angebracht und jeder SuS erhält eine Wäschek
