Chatter!

[mal103]

How do you deal with students talking too much? I try to be "not too soft" but "not too hard" with discipline as I don't want to be a walk over and i don't want to be a Sgt Major either.

Most students seem to like this balance and it's what i'm used to, we don't train in silence but keep any chatter to an absolute minimum and it allows for the odd question to help understand etc, unfortunately a few talk more often, especially when you get boys together!

At worse then you give instruction but someone talks at the same time and not everyone hears, or other students get fed up because you have to waste time repeating it. Or you give instruction and the 2 lads at the end are soo busy whispering to each other they look up with a puzzled look when you start everyone else off. More time wasted explaining it again just for them.

I normally keep the tempo going but you will always need to spend time explaining/correcting so students will have to wait sometimes, I also have lessons where everyone is kept moving but it means everyone does the same so it's hard for some but easy for others.

This is not a constant problem but i've tried giving out press ups, raising my voice, making students sit it out, telling them that they are wasting everyone's time by slowing down the lesson.

As you can't use gaffa tape on them what other techniques do you use, or have seen used, to keep any chatter boxes quiet?

[kensei]

Most people Dont talk in my class because of my reputation, but when they choose to I often stop the class completely and watch them, I stop moving and look at them...stop the whole class...and ask if they are done now. I try to embarass them as much as possible then continue like nothing happened.

I dont feel sorry for them at all, they may have paid money to train (Grandted I volunteer my time) but so did the rest of the class!!!!

I dont feel sorry for them nor do I get upset, some people just dont know when to keep silent.

What irks me more is when a senior wont shut it in class when you are teaching and actually tries to teach over you. I have had a few times when I had to, infront of the class, dress down a black belt for getting out of line....and that is both harder and more frustrating. I tend to do a good job of dressing them down as it is a sign of even bigger issues.

[DWx]

Are we talking adults or children? I assume children... TBH I personally lean more to the Sgt Major side. Don't give them a chance to talk when you are talking and if they do, punish the entire class with push ups or something. Peer pressure works wonders.

[Lupin1]

With adults-- Look at them with the raised-eyebrow "really?" look. Usually they get the message.

With kids-- make sure they know the expectations right from the start. Spell them out clearly and repeat them as often as possible. When they start up, just remind them we're here to learn karate (or whatever), not to talk or play around. Let them know they're being disrespectful to you and their classmates and if they can't stop, they're going to have to sit out or leave for the night.

I find temporarily excluding those who are making it difficult for others to learn is more effective than physical punishments. And it allows you to keep plowing through the lesson without having to stop the entire class for some pushups.

If it's the same kids again and again, maybe have a sitdown discussion with them and their parents and let them know if they can't reign it in, they'll no longer be welcome in the class. Come up with a plan-- like when they start getting too loud you'll give them a certain look to let them know and at that point they need to check themselves. A lot of kids (and adults-- I'm one of them) don't realize how loud they're getting because they're just enjoying themselves. An easy intervention plan like this will give them a chance to correct their behavior quickly and with as little interruption to the class as possible. If they're not willing to cooperate with that, maybe your class isn't the place for them.

[mal103]

Sound advice - thanks.

With 2 brothers I have been working with their mum to keep their behaviour in check and I have been trying all of the things suggested.

I have also had a chat with the more senior grades to try and get them to show a good example.

The main problem is when a certain 4 get training together, I did have a plan of mixing up the grades so they would all train seperately but had less in yesterday.

I don't really want to throw anyone out just yet but you can see the frustration in some other students when they are either hanging about due to interruptions or can't concentrate.

[sensei8]

Chatter...Not allowed! Training...that's allowed! Keep the chatter outside and not ever on my floor!

Can't stop chattering...go home and I'll let you know when you're allowed back on my floor.

[kensei]

One of the good things about not having my own club and teaching as a "Traveling Sensei" and helping my instructor is I can bark at people and boot them out with out feeling the financial crunch. That and my juniors all let people know I am a drill Sgt (actually I was a second Lt ).

As I said before I had to dress down a black belt a few times, and a day ago it happened again were a black belt felt he could teach better than I could at that second and he began "helping" the people around him.

The worst part was He was teaching and was getting it wrong to begin with so I blasted him with embarassment infront of the class. I was very frustrated and after it I said "and when you want to teach something...can you at least try to get it right....Now I have to fix the other guys drills because you messed them up". He was red in the face and will NEVER do this again.

Talking over an instructor is unforgivable in my books if they are adults....kids...well that is a different story that just needs a bit less abrasive tactics.

[inventor]

If any individual speaks during one of our 90 minute classes, the entire class does push ups. Every student is aware of this rule and avoids being the reason their class mates do extra exercises.

[bushido_man96]

You need to have a rule about talking, and stand by it; when you talk, they listen. They raise hands and ask questions then. Really, its the best way to keep it going. Now, once they get into training, and are asking each other questions back and forth, that's ok. But if you need to address the class as a whole, then come up with some kind of "hey, shut up!" signal, like clapping twice, whistling, or something like that, to get everyone's attention.