[b_lady]

I have a few questions...any and all suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks so much.

1. I have a classroom full of boys. 25 kids total, 17 of which are boys. Any ideas on ways to keep them engaged and active without being out of control? They go from 0 to 60 in 2 seconds and getting them back is an ordeal!

2. My class talks ALL THE TIME!!! They are never quiet, not for a minute. If I stop to take a breath, they jump in. I've tried positive reinforcements, bribes, any every other trick up my sleeve. What have you done to curb talking?

[bobcat]

b-lady, I'm right there with you! I'm looking forward to as many helpful replies as possible! One thing that seems to work sometimes is minutes off recess. I have the word RECESS written on the board. Underneath it I put a tally mark each time they interrupt my lesson with their talking. One day, they had 15 tally marks! So when it came time for recess, I set the timer for 15 minutes. They had to sit quietly with their heads down for that long. If anyone talked (or even whispered) I told the class who it was that just added a minute onto out time. As I said, sometimes it works. The next day, they remembered their 5 minute recess(we only get 20 minutes each day) and got settled when they started seeing the tallies add up.

I give each of my students five tickets at the beginning of the week. Each time they break a rule (calling out is a biggie) they must give me a ticket. At the end of the week, I have them write their names on any tickets they have left and put them in a basket for a prize drawing. Each Friday I pull 5 tickets and those kids get to pick something from my prize basket. Some kids have all 5 tickets every week. Some have none left because of their behavior. I try to remind them of that all week as they lose their tickets. I tell them to pick a role model in the room and try to act more like that person does when I'm teaching. Then maybe they'd have some tickets left by Friday.

Again, I am really looking forward to your replies, b-lady. I hope you have a great week!

[TeAcHeRinFL]

http://www.interventioncentral.org/h...ssroom/gbg.php

I used this when I taught title I first grade and it really worked! My crazy kids were almost silent!

[canteach]

Do your kids have any non-verbal signals to use instead of blurting out? For example, I have my kids do thumbs up. (i.e. Thumbs up if you know 5+3; Thumbs up if you have a dog; Thumbs up if you are ready to do the next step in the directions...) We also use the connection sign when the speaker and the listener have something in common with each other. (i.e. Speaker is talking about his dog. If I have a dog, know what a dog is, have a stuffed animal that is a dog, like a movie about a dog...I make the connection sign.)

[Jenny47]

Here's one that I do when talking is really bad. When I am ready to start my lesson I will put a skittle on each of their desks. If they are quite during the whole lesson they can eat their skittle when the lesson is done. If they are not quite during the lesson I will go over and eat their skittle without even stopping the lesson. Skittles work, M&M's, jellybeans, etc.

[bobcat]

Jenny47, this is hysterical! I think I may try it next week. I'll probably be on a sugar high by 3rd period!!!