[rehcaet]

So I have a new student ( Well, she has been with us for about 1 month but the honeymoon period is over). She wont stop whinning. If I call on another student she whines....if she doesnt get something she whines. I have talked to her about having more pride in herself but that doesn't seem to stick. I've been giving postive feedback when she does something without whinning and to students who sit near her that model the right behaviors. I don't know what to do! Any ideas???

[Evergreen]

Slap her.....just kidding! Sad to say I don't have any advice for you, just sympathy...I have a whiner in my class too. I try my best to ignore her.

[J.Elaine]

I will be moving from 5th to 3rd grade this fall. You're scaring me when you talk about whiners!!!!! Well, never having any teaching experience with 3rd graders, I, of course, have lots of advice for you!!!!!

Do you make use of safe seats? If so, what about going there after 1 redirect? I've used red, yellow, green cards with arguers in 5th grade. They have been very successful. One argue - give the green card. Argue again - give the yellow card. Say one more argumentative word - give the red card. Any last words? - go to the safe seat. I actually had a kid who argued about EVERYTHING under the sun who eventually stopped arguing using the red, yellow, green card system! It was pretty amazing to watch it work.

[CmonkE]

is to show her what she looks/sounds like. When she talks to you or asks you a question, you could burst out into the type of wines she does on a daily basis. She will probably look at you wide eyed then you can ask her...doesn't that look silly?? Well...that's what you look like! haha. or well. you know, something along those lines.

[socalcougar]

What I have seen done is the past is using sticky notes. Talk with the student one on one and come up with a deal. Have them place 6 sticky notes on their desk. Each time they catch themselves whining or feel like they are going to whine, they will pull one of them off. At the end of the day you can come up with little prizes. In the class I saw this in, the teacher rewarded a jolly rancher for every two sticky notes left. Worked like a charm! Good luck

[1956BD]

I also demonstrate how they sound, so they get a real understanding of how annoying it is to listen too.

Then I explain that it is unattractive and people do not like it or the people who do it. I explain that if they want to have friends they need to give this behavior up.

I then also tell them that I will ignore them every time they start to whine. Then I follow through.

If they want to be recognized or called on in class they will have to use a regular voice.

I usually inform parents of the problem as well. Usually parents have allowed the child to whine and then they have given in to the whining. If parents will stop listening to the whining as well, the child has a better chance of changing the bad habit.

Good luck!

[rehcaet]

I like the post it note idea. I think I'll try it but I hope when she has to remove one she doesn't start whinning! Today I moved her desk so she is facing another way so I can have a little break in the day. Thanks for all the advice you all are always so helpful!

[cateste]

I agree w/her ideas, especially the ignoring part. I had a wonderful girl many years back (the daughter of the K teacher) who whined a lot. She got on the floor one day and did the big-time pout and I had everyone just ignore her. She finally got up and went to her seat.

[iris]

I have a complaint form that I made up for whining and tattling. It has all sorts of things for the student to fill out - Name, address, city, state, zip code (yes, zip code!) phone number, problem, what the student did to try to solve the problem themselves, minor problem, major problem, what the student would like done about the problem....etc. By the time they get half-way through the form, they forget what it was they were complaining about! It really makes them stop and think about how badly they really need to whine about something. If a student fills out the form I find time before the end of the day to address the issue. Usually by the time this happens, they've forgotten all about it!