Spring in the classroom is an interesting time. Not only are students blooming and growing with their learning, but they are also becoming more like a family. And like any family, there are bound to be a few things that start to get on your nerves. One thing that always seems to pop up every spring is students who interrupt. Since it’s never too late to stop and review the rules and expectations in the classroom, I love to use picture books to help teach (and re-teach) these lessons. Here are a few of my favorite books that you can read to your class when interrupting is a problem.
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My Mouth is a Volcano
by Julia Cook
Like many students, Louis believes all of his thoughts are important. When he has something to say, his words rumble, grumble, wiggle, and jiggle until he erupts like a volcano. Fortunately, his mother helps teach him the steps he can take to respectfully wait for his turn to talk. These steps are written in a way that students can begin practicing them, too.
Interrupting Chicken
by David Ezra Stein
As Papa tries to read his little chicken a bedtime story, little chicken continues to interrupt each and every time. But when Papa interrupts little chicken’s story, he finally understands what being interrupted feels like. Kids will enjoy this story as they start to understand how someone feels when they get interrupted.
Decibella and her 6-Inch Voice
by Julia Cook
Isabella is spunky and spirited, but she has also gained the nickname “Decibella” because she is so loud. Soon it becomes a problem in class when she interrupts the lessons. Her teacher introduces her to the five volumes of voice. This is a great book to use in the classroom because many schools already talk about different voice levels to use.
Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker
by Christianne Jones
Lacey Walker loves to talk so much that one day she loses her voice. Once she cannot speak, she learns an important lesson about listening to others. This is a great book to use when you have a very chatty class!
Going Beyond the Text
One of the biggest things I work on with my students is knowing the difference between an emergency and a non-emergency. We brainstorm together and students generally identify emergencies as blood, vomit, being hurt, etc. Then they identify non-emergencies as my pencil broke, I lost my paper, getting a drink of water, etc. When it’s time to make the lesson stick, I use this craft:
Teaching Tip
I want to leave you with a tip that has worked for me in the classroom and at home. I tell students that when they need to say something while I’m talking with another adult or student, they can walk up and either grab my hand, or give it a gentle squeeze. I will either continue holding their hand or gently squeeze their hand right back to let them know I am aware they need to talk and will be with them in a minute. Once I have finished my conversation, I turn and thank them for waiting and then we talk. Of course, this takes a lot of modeling and practice, but it is worth it!
Do you have a favorite book for kids who interrupt? I’d love to check it out!
Happy Reading!
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