A Teacher's Ruminations

     I have a chatty class this year.  The few subs I've had almost always leave me a comment saying just that.  This is especially troublesome in the mornings as it can set the tone for the rest of the day, and chatty and loud does not bode well for a productive day of learning.  So, today I tried something new.  I gave the children 5 minutes to talk to each other before completing their morning routines (agendas, home reading log, and read to self).  As I looked around the room I realized that it was quieter than usual.  At the end of the 5 minutes I rang the chimes, which means stop, look and listen, to signal the class to get back to their morning responsibilities, which they did in a calm and organized manner.   I decided to implement this change after exhausting myself, day in an day out, with admonitions to "quiet down" every five minutes.  If I was doing this every day, several times a day, and it wasn't working then I'd...