Discipline Answers

QUESTION:

The biggest problem I have is my students talking when they’re not supposed to. We go through the questions about what level that behavior is and whether it’s appropriate, which they are able to answer just fine.  Yet, when I ask them what they can do next time, all they ever say is “Don’t talk”, or “Ignore others.”  What can I suggest to these kids to help them stop talking? 

DR. MARSHALL’S RESPONSE:

As usual, go back to Step One of The DwStress Teaching Model and have them create and practice a procedure(s).  ”Don’t talk” and “Ignore others” are not procedures. 

Have students work in small groups. The assignment is this:

Your neighbor is talking and it is getting in the way of your learning. What procedure can your group come up with that you can use to remind the person that he/she is letting an impulse direct his/her behavior? What can we do to gently remind the person to self-reflect?”

Each group will come up with some procedure. You can have the groups share.

Here is what you have done:

1.   You have empowered the group. If someone is talking when the person should not be, you now EXPECT the group to handle the situation. The problem/challenge is now theirs.

2.   You have had the students create a procedure–one that would not be insulting.

3.   You were positive by replacing a negative (”Don’t talk” and “ignore others”) with some action–something that the students have created and therefore will “own.”

An example of text you may want to refer to.

As with all procedures, expect to periodically reinforce and practice.  Keep in mind that it will be most positive and most effective if you begin a lesson with a review of such procedures rather than reactively waiting for excessive student talking to have such a discussion.

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Posted In: Procedures in the Classroom, RRSystem in Action
posted On: July 7, 2008: 10:04 am: By Kerry Weisner
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