Previous by DateNext by Date Date Index
Previous by ThreadNext by Thread Thread Index
LM_NET Archive



Here are more HIT's for Lots of talking during library check out time.

 

Cindra Boring

Librarian

Madisonville Primary School

Madisonville, TN

cbtn@bellsouth.net

 

Here is my original email:

 

This is my second year as a librarian in a primary school. I can keep the
children's attention during lessons, but as soon as book checkout begins,
they begin talking too loudly. I tell them to stop, and they stop for a few
seconds then start back in again. I've had them sit at the desks with their
heads down for a few minutes, but they begin again as soon as they start
looking for books again. I've even given them tickets to have recess time
taken away from them. Nothing seems to work. I can hardly wait until the
children find their books and check them out so they will quiet down. I
usually have to check the books out and help the children find books at the
same time. It is just difficult doing two things at once, plus watching all
the other children while I am helping one child or checking out books for
another.

 

What do the rest of you do to maintain quiet in the library during check out
time? I don't mind whispering, but it gets so loud that I can't hear the
children's names so that I can check out their books. To top it off there is
a wall air conditioner running behind the circulation desk. I keep turning
it on and off so that I can hear and try to keep it cool in the library. I'm
not hard of hearing. In fact my hearing is very sensitive, which probably
makes the problem worse for me. It's like fingernails on a black board.

 

I would think it was just me, but teachers who visit the library have also
told them to quiet down.

 

Any suggestions, please. Probably there are some out there who have no
problems with this. So please be kind and tell me how you do it.

 

Cindra Boring

 

Librarian

 

Madisonville Primary School

 

Madisonville, TN

 

cbtn@bellsouth.net

 

 

 

Here are more hits:

 

When the kids in the library can't use self-control, they get one warning. 

 

The second one is accompanied by the instruction, go on back to class
(without books, if s/he hasn't checked out yet) and tell your teacher you
can't return today, because you can't behave. I don't get paid for crowd
control.

 

 

 

Betty Winslow, Media Center Director

 

BGCA

 

Bowling Green, OH

 

bgcalib@wcnet.org

 

 

 

Hi Cindy,

 

I am also plagued by a too-loud HVAC unit in the library, and one thing that
I've found that works (sometimes) is playing quiet music - if the kids can't
hear the music, then they're talking too loud.  Hope this helps!

 

 

 

Erin L. Glover, Librarian

 

James Buchanan Middle School

 

Mercersburg, PA

 

erin.glover@tus.k12.pa.us

 

 

 

During check-out time I usually have my students either do a coloring-sheet,
word-find, or cross-word puzzle related to the story that we just read.

This way there is something to focus their attention on and I do allow them
to work in groups.  Occasionally, I will have to tell them to use their
library voice, but I couldn't imagine how loud it would be if they had

nothing to do but wait.     Kathleen Guinnane School Library Media

Specialist Belle Chasse Academy Belle Chasse, Louisiana lv2rdbks@excite.com

 

 

 

I don't mind if you sit here, as long as I cannot hear you ALWAYS works for
me.

 

 

 

Learned this technique in an effective communication workshop.

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Cindy,

 

 

 

   I am assuming that you have the whole class up at once looking for books.

That would be fine if the noise level were acceptable, but obviously it is
not.

 

   I would suggest that you let them get up 1 table at a time and give them,
say 5 minutes to find books and check them  out.  They would have to sit
down when their time is up because you would then go on to the next table,
etc.  When every table has been called, then have JUST the students who
didn't find  anything to get up then.  The others who are waiting for their
table to be called, could be given a word search or something  to
color(depending on the grade level) to keep them occupied. The ones who are
checked out should (hopefully) be reading quietly.  I used to have a problem
with the"forgettors" wandering around aimlessly because they couldn't
borrow.  You could have a "forgettors table" with assorted books and
magazines on it where they would have to sit or they could just do the word
search or coloring paper. If you wanted, they could get up with the last
table and look for a book to save for next time.

 

  Don't worry, everyone has had this problem at one time or another in the
elementary level!

 

 

 

Eleanor Jordan, Librarian K-4

Retired June 2005.

East Hanover, NJ 07936

ejordan76@msn.com

 

 

 

Wow! I could have written this question! My kindergarten classes drive me
insane with their talking.  I, too, have tried stickers, threats, "give me
five", but the volume always returns. This year I tried a double change.  I
give a certificate for a classroom reward that they can redeem in their
classroom and today it was a pretty good incentive.  You REALLY need to have
the support of their classroom teacher. But I think what made the biggest
difference was my routine change. I checked in their books upon their
arrival and appointed someone to start the "Quiet Water" (quiet game) game.

While they did that, I called groups of 3 or 4 that had returned their books
to check out, then put their books in their library bags and set them aside.

I sent all of the books back in one stack to the teacher at the end of
library.  After everyone had checked out a book, I began storytime and we
had a quick follow-up coloring activity.  During the coloring activity, I
was able to walk around them, closely monitoring their chatting and giving
rewards to those who didn't need reminding.  As I gave the certificates, I

made a big deal about it and the others just fell right into it.   It's just

so hard to keep them disciplined when we only have them once a week and have
so many things to do while we have them!

 

 

 

Good luck! (wish me the same!)

 

Mary Jo Enders, librarian

Children's University

Arlington, TX  76017

chapelst-mj@charter.net

 

 

 

Please post a HIT if you get responses.

 

After 15 years with a full time clerk who would check out books while I was
in the stacks with the kids, administration cut that position out last year.

I spent the whole year yelling from the circulation desk which simply
escalated the chatter.  I started this year with "silent check out."  Not
even a whisper do I allow.  Time out (just a couple of minutes) for
offenders. When th It's worked!  Also, check out time is less because
they're not being distracted by conversations.  I do not think this is the
ideal solution and would like a better one but I could not take another year
of yelling.  

 

 

 

Hi Cindy,

I work in a middle school now, but last year I did my internship in an
elementary school media center.  The media specialist always kept music
playing in the media center.  It was a general rule that if you could not
hear the music, you were being too loud.  This worked very well for her.

Then, if the problem continued she would ask them to leave, but this very

rarely ever happened.   During checkout, if students did not bring their

book back she had them sit on the floor and play the "quiet game."  This
kept the students who could not check out books that day from talking and
distracting the other students.  After the students selected a book, she had
them either sit and read or play the quiet game with the rest of the
students.  I also found and still find that it is much more difficult to
keep control of the classes that have teachers with poor classroom
management.  But there isn't much we can do about this.

Hope this helps,

Kristen

 

 


--------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
  You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings
  by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET  2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL  4) SET LM_NET DIGEST  * Allow for confirmation.
 * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
 * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
 * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/sub/
 * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------

LM_NET Mailing List Home