The Secret Weapon

For my Friend MoW...

So here is a photo of the secret weapon:

Thats right... Skittles.

You may think that I am nuts and that all of my kids' parents will be very surprised when they get to the dentist in the next few months but I'm not. It works.

You say "Chelsea, how do skittles make children, especially 3 year olds, sit quietly?" It is simple my dear. Ever heard of Pavlov's Dogs? :)

Here are the steps to a quiet classroom:

1. Put your skittles in a nice clear jar so that everyone can see them and hear them when you pick them up.

2. Find the kid who is being respectful, quiet, listening or whatever trait you want the others to get quickly.

3. Walk over to that child and hand them a skittle and say "Thank you so much for being quiet (Insert name here) I appreciate that."

4. Walk away and sit the skittles on your desk.

5. When the other students say "I want one!", you say "You must obey quickly for a skittle. I will come back around in a few minutes and if you are doing as I ask until then you may have a skittle."

6. When one or 2 start talking say "Someone is about to lose their treat." but you have to mean this. If they don't quit talking you don't give them a treat.

7. Do go back around and give them their deserved treat. You may just stand at the door as they leave or if some need a wake up call earlier feel free to do it when the class gets the loudest again but only give it to the ones who obey.

(Only allow your hand in the jar... that could get really nasty if no rules are set)

This really does work. My class along with my neighbor teacher, Mrs. G's Class, are the most well behaved group of students in the school. They know that if I say you will lose your treat, I mean it and they stop. Now all I have to do is pick up my jar and the room gets quiet, and though a few may still be talking I at least have their attention with out saying a word.

Another example of how well this works happened just last wednesday during the afterschool program. Those 5th 6th and 7th graders were WAAAY too loud in the hallway so I quietly went to my classroom, grabbed my skittles and walked by and gave the ONLY silent kid a skittle. Of course they didn't know the rules so I explained it to them and sure enough that hall got SILENT and they were allowed a skittle as they left with their parents.

Thanks to Mrs. G for teaching me this trick! I am so blessed to have her as a mentor!