Clapping for silence

[thechillandthedamp]

SLTs latest

We clap three times. The students clap back three times then fall silent.

Fucking get me out of here.

I do it in Y6, find it works really well, didn't realise it was old school .
I use it when they are working and I want to interject, they copy the clapping rhythm I do so I do few different ones. I also do counting down from 3. What are silent signals? I didn't even train that long ago!

Standard in primary schools round here. Works well.

Secondary?! Jeez I would NEVER do this!
I just say 'okay, thank you for you attention now' then wait. Not sure what they'd do if I started clapping at them..

The finger clicking thing is also in Hidden Figures (great film). It's a funny American ritual to do with admiration for the president iirc.

They may have replaced their funny clapping thing with finger clicking perhaps.

At the last staff meeting they had to SING!!! In a circle!!! Never been happier to be support staff. I'd rather clap.

Secondary school, no way!
For primary kids I've seen it work brilliantly but by the time they get to 10/11 most of them are rolling their eyes...

When I was in secondary school (early 80s) the teacher threw the wooden blackboard duster to get us to shut up.

I ring a tiny bell...ting-a-ling-ling.....150 quiet children, just like that...🤫😀 (Head MSA)...

What's MSA?

I put a picture of my cat in the Christmas tree on the projector. They all focus eyes front. They don't go quiet but they do go 'aaaahhhh'

Midday Supervisory Assistant..Junior School..👍🏻

Ah. I thought it was maybe some sort of Montessori thing....

Isn't this a Michaela thing?

At Michaela anybody not facing the front clapping in time by the third clap would be shot on sight. Including any student who was deaf and blind, or only had one hand.

I remember being given a register and a tambourine on my first day as an infant teacher. It was my first 'fuck, I'm supposed to know how to do this' moment.

low

If all else fails there is always this to fall back on

Oh I can't get the link to work

It's a famous scene from Kindergarten Cop anyway - I have been tempted many a time..... SHUUUUUUUUUUTTTTTTTUUUUUUUPPPP

My job involves visiting many, many primary schools and I see all of these methods being used. A couple of teachers try to tell me what to do. I find that "Stop & silent in 3, stop & silent in 2, stop & silent in 1" (speaking progressively more quietly) works perfectly as a visitor.

Might have been helpful if you'd put in your title or in your OP that you are Secondary.
It's pretty normal in Primary Schools and works well.

I just don't see the point. Once you've made it clear that you're waiting with voice and body language, the students know and any further talking is a choice. Clapping or no clapping, they are going to talk if they are going to talk.

Stopping with arms folded is much more effective.

Interestingly enough, I think this might show why students in early secondary school are so slow to settle. they have been trained only to go quiet on clear audible signals (even bells like they really are Pavlov's Dogs!) and then it is taken away and what hasn't worked or happened is them just becoming naturally silent because things are about to start or because someone adult just began talking! Never really thought about that before.

Piggywaspushed

But that's what they need to learn earlier, then, isn't it? The adult, the person in the room giving the instructions, is talking. They shouldn't be. All this hand clapping and hand touching is completely counter productive. They need to be taught they shouldn't be talking unless explicitly told they can talk, and when an adult asks for silence, they do it.

My KS3 students get the hang of it - for the most part - quite quickly. If they don't, they're in detention!

Yes, that's what I thought I was saying!