I have started to have an issue with sleepers in my classroom. Normally it is only during note compilation but either way it is becoming an issue. I do understand that the students will not feel well and I not mind them sleeping if they look pale and I know it is not a reoccurring trend. But more often than not, they are just bored. My administration has my back and will put them in ISS for nearly every write up. I have woken people up, given warnings, the students just keep passing out. I am not bouncing off the walls but I am definitely not mono-toned. Whats your limit with sleeping? Do you write them up for it? Three warning then write up? I just see the students with the worst grades sleeping and those are the students that need all of the help that they can get.
You could take a moment to reflect on your teaching practices...but I know, no matter what effort you make to prevent it, some kids will sleep. For the students sleeping in a way that basically says, "Screw this," I would address their behavior and academic issues. Maybe contact parents, maybe require "action" during note-taking that might motivate them to stay away... About detentions and such, do those seem to improve matters?
I give a warning, have a private talk in the hall, contact home and then write them up. In the time it takes to reach write-up level, though, I'm going to make sure they don't actually sleep. I walk around the room and I will tap on that desk every 30 seconds if I have to. I may not be able to keep their heads up for them, but they won't be enjoying any dreams.
I don't allow it. One of my rules is "no sleeping- putting your head on your desk counts as sleeping, 'resting your eyes' counts as sleeping" If any kid puts their head on their desk I immediately say "so-and-so, pick up your head" I never got any kickback about that.
I call students out. I seldom have to do it more than once during a particular class but I do have repeat offenders. I don't have any set number of violations before I'll do something. It is generally when they have sufficiently irritated me that I'll give one final warning to them and the entire class. Then I'll call parents and/or contact administration. Things I have done, with limited success: bounce students to a different classroom. I try to bounce them to an AP course - seldom do slackers slack off around super-motivated students. given open-note quizzes in the middle of lecture. If you were asleep and/or don't take notes, so sorry for you. have students sit on a stool with a clipboard or stand up to take notes.
If the same students seem to be dozing off while trying to take notes rather than putting their heads down and not making any effort, I'd also speak to them privately to make sure nothing else is going on before handing out ISS. I've seen some unfortunate situations where students are not able to get the sleep they need because of their home lives and you never know.
just stay on them. once kids learn that you are serious about it they won't. Word gets around - they know which teachers allow it and which don't. I have given a few detentions for it but that was in my first year at the school. ever since then I haven't had to. in fact, if they are indeed feeling sick, they will come speak to me before class time. I will allow it if the student has a legitimate reason and clears it with me.
They are ALWAYS repeat offenders, every time. I usually politely ask please keep your head up, and stay on them about keeping their head up. Today I took a book and dropped it to make a loud slam, and did so four other times to get my point across, and then said the next person to place their head down and close their eyes will be written up. I almost feel as though writing a student up for sleeping is a silly write up, but it is impeding on every sleepers grade. I write that it every one of my disciplines.
You are absolutely right, and I talked with many of my sleepers and they say that they work a lot. I had a student who worked at a Mexican place around 40 hours a week and I worked with him. This most recent offender is an 11th grader when I teach 10th grade, and is all around quite a bad student. I have given him pencils and folders and paper, I just feel like nothing is working with this kid.
This. I kind of think like a shark this way :lol: it surprises the kids the first time because I don't even break stride. It's just included in whatever I'm saying. It's effective though!
This whole thread cracks me up. It just astonishes me that we can even be discussing whether or not to overlook sleepers in the classroom. Maybe I'm just too old........
I have been known to give a super quiet, really easy, smartphone pop quiz when someone is sleeping. Serves 'em right. (I teach college.) "Where's your quiz?" "I didn't know we had one." Score.
Why are kids bored? My son slept his way thru senior HS math...and aced every test. Went on to college to double major in accounting and finance. Hes now pursuing an MBA in accounting. The HS teacher let him sleep. A better choice might have been to assign an independent study since he already knew everything being taught.
No way. It's disrespectful and you don't get to disrespect me in my room. Otherwise, the same mantra could be applied to students playing video games, reading comic books or texting while I'm up there trying to teach them.
Each teacher is different in their approach, but you cant go back an forth in the way you handle the students or they will have no respect for you. If you use common sense and stand firm on your rules things will be fine. The other poster brought up the point if a student is bored ( can pass your semester exam before the semester is over) and wants to sleep. I agree, I would try to find harder work for him/her to do or make him/her your TA (after they finish the required work) for your class. If a student is that smart he/she can help the weaker students that want to sleep because they don't understand the work.
My reply was directed at OP. As long as there's no disruption, I wouldn't care. Same with students that choose to be absent. If the student ends up not doing well in the class then that is a natural consequence. Making noise and being disruptive is different. Students that put their head down aren't normally making any noise.
In some ways I would agree with you, but I know my admin would mark a teacher down on an observation if they came in and saw sleeping students so ignoring it wouldn't be an option here.
No, I don't write up sleepers. First off, Admin would laugh - then get annoyed at me for wasting their time on a "teacher management" issue. Write ups are only for "Admin management" issues. Also, Admin would think poorly of me and may even hold it against me; whereas if I don't write it up, Admin may never know about the sleepers. To CMA, I will loudly say "So-and-so, wake up, wake up" and nudge them so the other students can't say I didn't try to wake the student up.:lol:
If I could assign every sleeper an independent study, I would be in heaven. Best suggestion I've ever heard from a parent. :thumb:
Exactly. The sleepers, in my experiences, are the trouble makers who eventually just check out and take a nap. I rather that than deal with them causing havoc.
I wouldn't write them up, but I also don't just want them to sleep. First of all,they're not learning, and it makes me look bad. I know it's not supposed to be about me, but as a first year teacher I'm very aware of perceptions. I also don't want 1 student to sleep, because then what if 6 others do it since they see it's allowed, and then half of the class will be sleeping. I usually encourage them to do the work, maybe even stand up next to the wall to help them wake up. I have given detentions for sleeping though, when it kept happening over and over again. One day I had a lot of them (they probably stayed up partying all night, together), as soon as I announced the detention, most of them perked up, the 2 that didn't, got detention. I usually don't have a lot of sleepers, it's usually the same students, here and there. I do have exceptions: occasionally I let them. For example I have a student, who's almost 18. He will NEVER graduate, he has less than half the credit, and the only reason he's in school is because he's ordered by probation. He's just waiting until he turns 18. He usually has a 10 % or so in my class, last quarter it was 0! He did no work, whatsoever, but loves to talk and cause trouble. So with students like him, I'd love to encourage to put their heads down. I told one girl today "If you don't want to do your work, I can't make you, but you do need to be quiet. At this point, since you're refusing work, just put your head down!"
They are always the students that never do anything. I've started to give teacher detentions and that is starting to perk them up and even keeps control of the classroom. At my school they have 50 minutes for lunch and having them sit quiet and take half of their lunch has proven quite effective. The students who are sleeping is proving to let it lower their grade. I have spoken with the principals and our push is to increase our graduation rate and if it means write ups for sleeping and not paying attention they allow it. They also said I may assign tutoring during their lunch and if they do not show they will receive ISS for it.
Every student gets one "free day" pass per semester. They can use this pass to basically check out of class and do what they want to do (as long as it's school appropriate). There are some provisions, of course. Most students use their pass to catch up on work for another class, silent read, or listen to music/draw/write. I work in a low-income area and kids come in with a lot of baggage (foster homes, parents on drugs, parents/siblings in prison, domestic violence, etc). Allowing them 2 days a year for a "mental health day" doesn't cramp my style. So, if a student is sleeping, I encourage them to turn in their pass. Then they can sleep to their heart's content and I'll wake them before the period is over. If they've already used their pass, their head is up and they are focused. I will make them do their work at a desk at the front of the room (where I'm teaching) if they can't stay awake.
BumbleB, I like your strategy. I could use it, but I'm afraid my students would lose their pass and it would be a never ending complaint/whine session.
That is one of the provisions. If they lose it, they can't use it. I encourage them to staple it into their planner, because that's something they're required to carry with them every day (it's used as a hall pass).
I can happily say that my sleeper after spending a day in ISS has helped him with a big turnaround. He was actively engaged and working hard today. I made sure that he knew that I noticed his positive behavior and praised him. I pray that it stays this way.
I disagree totally with this. I have one repeat sleeper, but I think that he has something medically wrong w/him. I have taken him to the nurse, had parent conferences and he still sleeps. Our admin has talked to parents and tried to get them to take him to doctor. Maybe, we will have to give him some sort of punishment to seek help.
If a student is sleeping in my class and they are not feeling well, I tell them to go to the nurse, if they are fine and continue to sleep, I write them up. After they finish a test, exam, or FCAT I allow them to sleep so they will stay quiet.
