Quiet Signals
By Susan Mandel Glazer

"Rules, directions, rules and then more directions," Stephen said wearily. "All our teacher does is tell us what to do. If someone's talking, she shouts, 'The rule is to be quiet when I'm talking!' " He went on to tell his friend how he had gotten in trouble for not listening. "I have a good name for her!" Stephen shouted. "It's sergeant of the bad kids who can't do it the way she says!"

Verbal explanations
Directives are often written on chalkboards. Explanations are used to get kids to write, read and more, and many teachers deliver these explanations verbally. Imagine, for a moment, a verbal explanation about tap dancing. I might explain a certain dance step to you by saying, "Extend your right leg and then hit the floor with your heel. Now pull your foot back and touch the floor with the ball of your foot. When your foot is parallel to your other foot, tap your toe and tap your heel without lifting your foot."

By now you're probably thinking, "That's crazy! How can I be expected to follow directions without doing this step with you?" This is exactly my point. Without student involvement, the words are lost, for there is no way a child can create a picture in his or her mind about what to produce.

The following strategies have been used successfully for over 22 years in our Center for Reading and Writing to guide children to understand through involvement.

Hand signals
The next time you have trouble getting kids on track, try saying, "Let's figure out a way that helps us get ready for a lesson. We can agree upon a signal and presto, we'll know to pay attention." Model suggestions by saying, "Hmm...I could open and shut my hand for a signal." Some children will offer suggestions immediately. Kids have suggested shoulder twisting, putting on a hat, waving a small flag and more. Because they are involved in decision making, they feel empowered. Our kids at the Center now remind other students, "Look at Mrs. T. She wants us to be quiet."

Needing to be heard
When you're having a group discussion, every kid needs to be heard, some more often than others. Responses to discussions are necessary and that's when signals are handy. Wildly waving hands and crying, "Ooh! Ooh!" is distracting. Children need to learn how to wait for their turn, but many forget what they were going to say while waiting for their turn to speak. When a situation like this arises, I suggest first try using the "quiet signal" you've decided upon. That will slow down some of those propeller arms. But kids still need a way to remember what their contribution was.

When you're planning on having a group discussion, it's a good idea to give your students pencils and pads. Phyllis Fantauzzo, who works at the Center for Reading and Writing with me, suggests you try saying to your students, "You all have great ideas to share. Write them down when you think of them, so when its your turn, you'll remember them." The added benefit for you is that children are writing in response to lessons. Peer ideas will provide other ideas for other students. Just remember that this a way to keep kids from hand-waving and not a lesson in writing.

Using time appropriately
Prepare a tool for your students to help them learn how to use time appropriately. You might introduce an egg timer and suggest to the child who needs control over time, "Try your best to finish your work by the time the sand is at the bottom." When the child has reached that goal, then suggest, "Now that you've beaten yourself, why don't you try finishing when half of the sand comes to the bottom?"

Watch the clock
My teachers have prepared the "Watch the Clock" tool and highlight the expected time goal based on the child's needs. The children are expected to mark the time it took for completing a task. Recognizing their own behavior helps them learn how to change their ways. Your praise for their recognition is the most valuable tool there is for getting kids to continue to mark their times until they've met their goals.

Sports timers are also marvelous for helping children try and beat their best times for completing a task. Kids put the timer on and set the device and miraculously become motivated to meet their goals. At the Center for Reading and Writing, we're also always sure to praise our students' efforts whether or not they achieve these goals. The children themselves need to learn to discover their successes and needs in order to feel happy about making changes.

Susan Mandel Glazer is the Director of the Center for Reading and Writing at Rider University in Lawrence, NJ.

October, 2003, Vol.34, No.2