Talking Stick

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Home : 2002 : February : 10

Talking Stick
By Trish

Hi,

I have this problem with one of my 7th grade classes. This week I had had enough. I remember somewhere someone talking about a talking stick. The only person that can talk is the person holding the stick. Well, I told
them that one year when I was teaching 2nd grade I had to use a talking stick because noone would respect one another enough to listen to what he/she had to say. Then I went on to threaten them with bringing it. I described it as being a stick with a huge pair of lips on it. After a few more minutes, they started talking again. So, I picked up a ruler and made it the temp. talking stick.

I told them that if they talked out without having the stick, they would serve a lunch detention with me. 3 lunch detentions and I would write them up on a referral for a ISS.( in-school-suspension). I stuck to it. It was hard at first because I actually had to walk throughout the class and place the stick in the students' hand (not hard really, time consuming) but by the end of the week, they were raising their hands and listening to what each other had to say. I had 4 students to serve lunch detention.

I am making the 'talking stick' this weekend and will continue to use it for as long as it is needed.

Hope this helps you.

If you want any other details, email me.