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Home : 2004 : October : 13

Signals
By Voiceless

I can relate. I tend to talk loud and it affects my voice ( I blame it on being Italian, but actually it's just bad habits )and every year I say I will speak more softly and students WILL listen. Not so. I just don't have
the kind of teaching style where I speak quiet all the time. As a matter of fact, I am pretty dramatic at times. Thus, it gets loud.
I try not to talk over students. Some things that help me get their attention is: counting, clapping (a bit young for 6th grade), turning off lights, using a small clicker, and one of my favorites and the kids too is a music box. Mine is a Barbie

one (my daughter's actually) and I open it when it get too loud or when I may need their attention. As soon as they hear it they are quiet and facing me. I have tied a treat to it in the past that if Barbie still has music left at the end of the week they they will earn a treat or free time. But I found out my 6th graders last year would wind her up without my knowledge, so I'm skeptical of doing that. It's still an attention getter and they get praise, which seems to help.