Something to Try

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Home : 2003 : September : 20

Something to Try
By Victoria

Laurie - I teach in NYC, the South Bronx, and for what they're worth - here are some things that seem to be working for me.

Figure out something they really want, then use it as incentive. It may not be stickers, rewards,
prizes. I give my little monsters 20 minutes to half an hour of free play time in the afternoon. They do NOT want to lose that time, as I have a lot of seriously fun stuff in my room (costume trunk, plastic castle, art center, alphabet puzzles, stuffed animals/dolls, blocks, plastic cars/trucks/boats). At first, I let them play no matter how badly behaved they have been. Then I stick

them with "you have to follow the rules if you want your play time." The first couple of times I take it away, they are MAD. They scream, they cry, they sometimes kick.

Also, you'd be surprised how fast they'll walk quietly in the halls if you say "Gee, I'm sorry to say that instead of play time today, we're going to walk up and down the hall until we get it right." The SECOND someone talks you sigh and say "Oh no! We have to do it again because ____ talked!"

Also, when someone actually remembers to raise his hand (miracle of miracles), I say "____, wait until everyone else stops talking, they're being very rude to you by talking when it's your turn to talk." Self-policing is a lovely thing. The kid gets mad and turns around and yells, "BE QUIET!!!"

None of these will be a one-time solution for ever and ever amen. You have to keep doing them. Today we walked up and down the hall four times until they got it right. This after we'd done the same thing two days ago. They will learn.