This is also a common occurrence during school programs at our museum.  I
agree it is not only disruptive to the program and students, but is also
disrespectful if not exasperating considering they have just warned their
students prior to the class to be good listeners!!  As I dislike further
compounding the disruption in a program, whether it be by students or
teachers, by halting the program to address these concerns, I have found
effective yet subtle ways to deal with them.  My favorite method is to raise
my voice several octaves and make eye contact with the teacher(s) in
question.  If this does not work, I simply make my way physically towards
the teacher, or student, raising my voice a few more octaves (yes, I mean
loud!) until I near them, again making and maintaining eye contact the
entire time.  Most adults, if not most students, quickly pick up on these
non-verbal cues and promptly quiet down.  Another more forward method I have
used is to quickly, without barely missing a beat in my program, whisper
behind my hand and into the offender's ear, "Thank you for being quiet."  I
do this nonchalantly as if I was sharing a tid bit about one of their
students, or, in the case of a disruptive child with a pat on the head as if
I was sharing a special secret with them.  The statement is as much a demand
as it is a request and works quite efficiently!  Good luck!
----- Original Message -----
From: "beverlye hancock" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 2004 10:18 AM
Subject: Re: Tough audience


> We have the same situation in our Museum classroom.  The most disruptive
> are the teachers who chat.  We have no clue to the reasons behind this
> behavior other than lack of manners.
> Beverlye
>
> Lynne wrote:
>
> >   If I had not had this happen twice before I would have ignored it
> > but I am a little concerned about what seems to be a rather usual
> > occurence during our tiny historical society's outreach programs and I
> > would like to ask for suggestions ... including "ignore it" if that is
> > deemed to be the better solution.
> >   I have been repeatedly asked to talk to elementary school students
> > in our communty and I bring artifacts and overhead transparencies to
> > the classroom for a ca. 45 min. presentation to one or more classes in
> > a single classroom. This morning I had two back-to-back presentations
> > and I was a little dismayed to find that the two teachers in the
> > second session sat in the back of the room and one worked on her
> > laptop while the other apparently corrected papers as I talked. Two
> > years ago two teachers in another school sat and whispered to each
> > other in the back of the room the entire time I talked.
> >    This does not happen when the students and teachers visit our tiny
> > museum, but I am now expecting it every time I go to a school. My
> > concern is that it is a bit disruptive and it means that keeping
> > everyone quiet often requires my intervention, rather than the
> > teacher's intervention, because he or she is not paying attention. I
> > am loathe to send a reminder of good manners for *teachers* though, so
> > I would appreciate thoughts on what I might do about this, if anything.
> > Lynne
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