I really need urgent tips on how to ask my students for silence. It tends to be such tough work and I don´t know waht else to do. I´ve tried several approaches but none of them did work!!!!! maybe a song or a chant? any help?
Ringing a small bell may help, but you first need to establish some classroom rules, the first being..."when you hear me ring this bell, you need to stop whatever you're doing and look at me." You also need to have a consequence of some sort.
-A whistle OR -Tell them, "Give me 10!" @ first you tell them that WHEN they hear this they all need to raise their hands with fingers up and start counting while folding each one down one by one; counting backwards; "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0. Quiet like a Hero!" (Just made that up!) I'm going to try it out with my class tomorrow. Rebel1
Whatever trick you do decide to use it must be sacred. The first few times you use the signal take it very seriously and nail any kid still talking or not paying attention. Then when all is quiet, be ready to move on quickly, preferably with something important and engaging for the students to do. Never use the signal to just get them to be more quiet or too frequently in one day, as kids will tune it out as nagging.
*cue screaming crazy children* You: If you hear my voice clap once. *clap* You: If you hear my voice clap twice. *clap clap* You: If you hear my voice clap three times. *clap clap clap* You If you hear my voice say OH YEAHHHH Class: OH YEAHHHH You: Do I have everyone's attention? ------------------ This shuts my kids up pretty fast. The talkers always wonder why other kids are clapping. And they get to yell at the end.
I have used the "clap once if you hear my voice...," or clapping a pattern for them to repeat back. Currently, I use the Class-Yes from Power Teaching, or the universal freeze signal of lights out...
I say "Voices" and in response they say "Shhh". Works in grades five and six. Like wrice said, make it sacred in order for it to be effective.
With my middle grade students (7th and 8th), I would simply stop talking and sit down on my stool. It only took a few seconds for the one's paying attention to realize I wasn't happy with the classroom behavior and they began shushing their classmates. During a field trip for our 21st Century After Care kids, one of the teachers would raise her voice and start counting backwards; "3-2-1-0". By zero, most of the kids were silent.
I use Class-Yes as suggested by the school of thought formerly known as Power Teaching. It works well and I can mix up how I say "Class" so it doesn't become too routine. What I found to be a big help is to also have a signal for my students to let them know when I am done giving information or directions. So often you'll say, "I'd like you to clean up..." and before you're done giving all three steps to do they are already cleaning up and not listening to the rest. Now I can bust them if they start moving before I've been clear that I'm done by giving the signal word!
I'm not sure how this would work for you, but I have a bell that I use. I explain to the children at the beginning of the year that when I ring the bell, it's time for silence. Have you tried this?
What I did with my class was I told them "WE," as a class, needed to come up with a quiet signal. So I gave them all a moment to think of what OUR personal class quiet signal would be. Then I went around the room and let each student show us their signal. THEN I went back around and let each student tell the name of the person's signal they like the best (I wrote the names on the board). Afterwards, students voted on the one they like the most (out of the ones listed on the board). Then I narrowed it down to the TOP 3, I had those 3 come up and show their signals again (so we could remember what they were), we voted again, and then we had our winning signal! I found this worked because the students were involved in making the signal and it's like our sacred "class thing." So whenever they see me put up the signal (which happens to be putting my right hand in the air, while making a "0" with my fingers) it is DEAD SILENT!:lol: The inventer of this signal told us the "0" stands for "ZERO" talking....I thought it was cute!:lol:
I do 2 different things. I have a bell (a desk bell, like hotels used to use if no one was at the desk) or I count 3..2..1. By the time I get to 1 there is no talking. With 2 I can mix it up and it doesn't get old.
I just raise my voice slightly and say "3". If they are especially noisy, I may have to add "2". They know if I have to say "1" the consequences will be unpleasant (loss of free time, seatwork instead of learning games, etc). But, I've had most of my students for several years so they are aware of our expectations.
