Case
Passing notes

How can I stop some of my students that are passing notes during my instruction?

Posted on: 09/21/12 | Views: 4348
Solution #1
Keep your instruction interesting and engaging. Those students who are passing notes might be bored or lost because of how your are teaching. Make sure that the activities and lessons you are teaching are about 15-20 minutes because children need to be transitioning and moving. Always make sure that your are circulating the classroom so that the students know you are present. If you do find a note, do not read it just throw it away and possibly talk with that student after class. You can always threaten to read the note to the class or teacher meetings to stop this from happening again.

I agree with your post, sometimes we do not realize that we've lost the students until they start acting out. Keep them engaged and they wont have time to pass notes.

18 0
Solution #2
One possible solution for stopping the passing of notes is sitting those students away from each other but close to you or in direct eye contact with you. If it becomes a more severe problem behavior you can give them a detention. I do not feel as if making them an example in front of the whole class is a good idea. So I would not recommend reading the note out loud or posting the note on the board.

This is a good suggestion.

9 0
Solution #3
Depending on the grade level of the students (in a K-5 setting) you could allow the students to have their own mailboxes. Students can write and distribute mail to the boxes, such as the last two minutes before lunch, the last few minutes before specials, and at the end of the day as they were completing their planners and gathering there belongings. Of course you would have to set some ground rules up, such as having ALL of your homework and daily work completed, you could not send anyone a message that would be unkind or hurtful, and no foul language could be used. The students would love the system. You can also use it as a teacher by leaving notes, saying things like "You did a great job keeping your math group on task today" or "I really enjoyed hearing you read your creative writing aloud today".

This is a great solution.

10 2
Solution #4
I would make sure that the students are not sitting near each other first. If they continue to pass notes I would first remind them that passing notes is not allowed and if their behavior continues they will have to face the necessary consequences.
6 0
Solution #5
I would first try and seat these students away from one another. I would also remind the students that class time is for learning and if they are not focused on the instruction they could miss something important.
4 0
Solution #6
I can remember my 7th grade teacher taking a note that I was passing. He read it aloud to the class but made it seem like I was writing a love note about him. He did not punish my or write me up but by him making a scene like that I was very embarrassed and never passed another note in his classroom. This might be a consideration you want to make if all the other suggestions do not work.

I would use this in my classroom. Great solution and it would solve the problem I feel like.

3 0
Solution #7
I would first recommend to remind students that they should be focused on the task at hand. If the behavior persist, I recommend you confiscate the note, keep it confidential, and speak with the students after class.
2 1
Solution #8
I would read the notes out loud to the class when they are caught. My teacher used to do this when I first started middle school and I hated it so much that I didn't do it again.
2 1
Solution #9
Make sure your lessons are hands on and engaging. As for the students I would just simply walk up discretely and take the note and throw it in the trash.
1 0
Solution #10
I would agree I think that if you keep you instruction interesting this should help the students focus on your lesson. Make the classroom room topic fun and interesting. Keep them busy so they will not have a reason to pass notes.
1 0
Solution #11
Seat the students away from each other, and in the front of the room so that you can keep an eye on them. Also make sure they only have the materials they need for the lesson such as a worksheet, book or graphic organizer.
1 0
Solution #12
Seperate the students!! As a student, my teachers would read our notes outloud to the class if we wererer passing them during instructional time. This was embarassing, but we never passed notes again!! Lesson learned
1 1
Solution #13
Take the note from them while they are doing it. I would talk to them and tell the student that this is not allow while I am instructing. If it continues, I would talk to the parents or take disciplinary action.
0 0
Solution #14
If students are caught passing notes I would pull them aside and conference with them asking what is so urgent to talk about and how we can redirect the behavior.
2 3
Solution #15
Read them! If a student knows that you are going to read their secret words they will never pass another note again. If it is still going on, explain that you will put the note on the elmo and the class will help to correct grammer and punctuation. It sounds mean, but notes are usually filled with talk about other students and it just isnt right. Notes can start rumors, tell about fights that may be happening, there are a lot of tings that teachers do not want p0assed around the class, colds and notes are the top two!

I don't think this is a great suggestion, because it could really embarrass the students.

I agree I do not think reading the note out loud is a good idea, it could definitley embarrass the student and it could reveal information that that student does not want everyone to know. It could contain sensitive information about the student or others and reading the note out loud is not worth the potential problems it could create.

5 7
Solution #16
Notes are confidential but if they are caught passing notes in my class I will be sure to post them on the bulletin board because this is what one of my teachers did to me and it was the most awful feeling that I never wanted to do it again. But in my class I will be sure not to unfold it so the other students cant read it but just so the students get the point.

I do not agree with this solution. I don't think the notes should be put on display.

1 7