Sometimes I wonder about the expression, “You talk too much.” To begin, I would never say this to a student or anyone else. But if anyone ever said it to me, I would be likely to take the statement very seriously, depending on the source.

What constitutes too little, enough or too much? Ultimately, we must all be the monitors of our loquaciousness. We’ve encountered the chatty people who talk on and on, often without sense or awareness of others. Saying, “Stop talking! You’re not saying anything worthwhile” doesn’t work very well. But there are always ways to encourage the end of a long and tedious discourse.

Providing the information that we need to make an appointment or get somewhere (anywhere) else is useful. Another option is to attempt the interjection of something that will redirect or disconnect the conversation. At the very least, asking a question such as, “Do you really think so?” can often terminate an endless diatribe.

As a writer, brevity is usually the best path. This is also true for the length of sentences. One of the books I read recently had a sentence that droned on and on for about 100 words. Functionally, this is annoying as well as generally incorrect. While it’s unlikely that any of us will speak a 100-word sentence, there’s a lesson for all with regard to overstatement.

My recommendation to those accused of talking too much is to ponder why we are doing so in the attempt to abbreviate our language. While I’m not suggesting that you speak in two or three-word sentences, consider your conversation partner, time and location when forming your responses.

 

The best example I can muster is when a student asks why we should use “whom” instead of “who.” It’s fair to conjure the concept of object versus subject – we give something to whom rather than who is responsible. But going into painful detail about prepositions, case and forty-five examples is a profound waste of time.

And so, if you are accused of talking too much, think about who is making the comment and determine whether or not the source is reliable. From there, either shorten your language or determine that the person making the statement is communicating something totally different from time. Shalom.

 

If I may assist you with any of your writing endeavors, it is my pleasure to do so. You may reach me at csbutts19@yahoo.com and I hope that you will not use this address for less than honorable purposes.

It was certain to be an unusual day in the classroom. But it wasn’t until 4:00 pm that I found out how extraordinary it would be. This was a school that I had never visited before and I was a floater, meaning that I would be relieving four teachers, enabling them to attend meetings.

From the time that I entered the building, I was received with appreciation and cordial smiles. That approach continued throughout the day, with the first three teachers thanking me profusely for my presence and engaged teaching approach. All three of them requested my contact information so that they could invite me to return to their classrooms.

Then I entered the second grade classroom for my last two hours of the day. My kids immediately appreciated the fact that I had a sense of humor and wanted to take whatever steps to teach them something on a late Friday afternoon. As they were finishing their activities, each one found a reason to arrive at my desk for approval, assistance or acknowledgement.

But there were two who made more of an impression than they would ever know. The first was a little boy we’ll call Conrad. When I handed him a flyer to read and provide answers to questions, he said, “I don’t know how to read.” It’s not uncommon to find wide disparities in reading levels so I made certain to read the titles and important pieces of information. There were six questions to answer.

Six times Conrad appeared at my desk and asked what the question said. After I read it to him, he smiled broadly and went to scribble what appeared to be gibberish. And when he returned for the next question, I congratulated him on his great answers before reading the next question. He amazed me with his cheerfulness, perseverance and determination to complete the assignment that was all unreadable.

Finally, there was Yurely. With no words spoken throughout the two hours, she approached me for a hug. Of course, I returned the affection and followed her example to be silent. She returned to me four times, each time delivering a hug. The last time, I asked her name and she told me, smiling with as much smile as her body could produce. Whether she hugs all of her teachers or not makes no difference. Somehow, I had persuaded that she was special, silent or not, because she was. Shalom.

 

If I may assist you with any of your writing endeavors, it is my pleasure to do so. You may contact me at csbutts19@yahoo.com.

Several days ago, I had the occasion to escort a class to the library for their weekly assigned session. Doing so, I observed a library teacher whom I described as harsh and abrupt. Today I learned how absolutely and completely wrong I was.

Fate put me in that library again for several hours. While I had an assignment for the day, that teacher had a student teacher in charge and didn’t need my assistance. She was kind enough to suggest that I visit the library to assist there because the library teacher had no assistant.

Said library teacher was cordial, congenial and extremely appreciative for my help. She also takes her role as book maven very seriously and responded enthusiastically when I referred to the library as sacred space.

Was she having a bad day when I encountered her the last time? Maybe. Was I tired or frustrated or preoccupied enough to misinterpret her child management techniques? Also, maybe. The only thing that we know for certain is that I was guilty of prejudging, misinterpreting or simply jumping to totally incorrect conclusions.

We exchanged pleasant conversation, worked cooperatively toward straightening her library and I believe that both of us felt good about the outcomes. She is a dedicated and compassionate library professional who was very sweet to the students who arrived in the library while I was present. Everyone won – the library teacher, the students who had additional support in the library and I.

The moral is pretty obvious. But in this case, indulge me for conjuring a cliché that is altogether appropriate for this situation. Never judge a book by its cover. Shalom.

 

If I may assist with any of your writing endeavors, it is my pleasure to do so. You may reach me at csbutts19@yahoo.com but please don’t use this as an opportunity to send spam or solicitations.

Oh no – it’s library today. I like to read but I just don’t like to go to the library. Can’t we go to music instead?

When I heard all of this complaining from fifth graders, it was easy to attribute it to the new school year or simply being fifth graders. But once I entered the library, it was easy to see why they objected to that environment.

Although school rules require silence while standing in line, I think of silence as a relative term. From my standpoint, that means no yelling and no interacting with people throughout the line. This line into the library needed to resemble boot camp formations. The library teacher (apparently, we don’t call them librarians anymore; at least in this school) demanded absolute silence and complete lack of body movement. She reluctantly allowed blinking and breathing. As she directed them to their assigned seats, any infraction sent the offender to the end of the line.

This was a young teacher. My guess was late twenties or early thirties. But she was harsh and abrupt. She instructed me to leave the library, adding (reluctantly) that I could return for the last fifteen minutes. This is wrong, on a variety of levels.

In my opinion, a guest teacher should be welcomed and invited to stay. How likely are students to respect me if my colleagues don’t? And her facial expression never changed from resolute and strict. At no time did I see her smile.

Most importantly I talk with kids, not down to them. Respect from them is earned through the delivery of courtesy and kindness, not barked orders. As a relevant aside, my next teaching assignment included second and third special education students and an educational assistant. She referred to me as “the sub” for the entire day, instructing kids to ask the sub, show it to the sub or it’s up to the sub. Each time she did it, I cringed, particularly because I had prominently posted my name on the board.

Because I haven’t walked in the library teacher’s shoes, I don’t know the struggles and particular pitfalls of her work. But in the process of setting the tone for class, having some respect, fun and smiles would result in much more positive reactions. Call me by my name and remember that these are tiny humans who are worthy of kindness and as much love as we can deliver. Above all, they are amenable to compassionate conversation. Shalom.

 

If I may assist you in any of your writing endeavors, it is my pleasure and privilege to do so. You can reach me at csbutts19@yahoo.com.