Gum Chewing

[nickel24]

I am having a sticky problem in my classroom: I have kids chewing gum non-stop. I have already tried typical discipline procedures--keeping them after class, during lunch, break and even between classes. And yet nothing seems to work. I need some "creative" solutions for my repeat offenders chewing gum. I have 160 students--so it cannot be too time consuming....can anyone help?

[Jack Furr]

It is obvious that gum chewing is a problem for you. As such you have to take the steps needed to stop it (STO). IMHO, depending on which data you check it actually keeps the person alert and helps the individual concentrate. My last policy became "If I see it I have to deal with it". Popping, smacking, blowing bubbles, or inappropriate placement (not in the trash can) were punished appropriately, immediately, stringently, without mercy, and consistently. It made for a better working environment and became LESS of a problem. There are still times when it is not the time for chewing gum, such as in a lab, when we have guests, or when giving a presentation. I teach high schoolers, not elementary. What works for me may not work for you. I am not a gum chewer by nature either. But it sure beats coffee breath (but so do mints). :)

[Almerinda]

I teach elemetary and high school students, and about gum chewing I even stimulate my students to chew them. I tell them that it´s a good exercise to articulate the new language. However, the exercise should be done outside the classroom in order to not hinder pronunciation. They use to do the right thing, and all of them use to throw the chewing gum into the trashcan when get in the classroom.
Almerinda - Brazil

[nickel]

I understand that chewing gum can stimulate and help a student to progress with the lessons in class. HOWEVER, if my school has a set-in-stone policy of absolutely no gum in the school, how can I allow gum? The students, at this point, have turned it into competitions on who can get through Mr. or Mrs. So-and-So's class each day. I would love to be able to be flexible enough with the kids and gum, but would be reprimanded by my administration when they come in to evaluate me and see gum chewers. I have brought the issue to their attention, yet my administration just tells me to write them a discipline referral. I want to be able to tackle the issue on my own, rather than go crying to the administration each day.

[Unregistered]

all you students who are poty mouths im going to get you for that oh hi



JULIA

[Unregistered]

It is obvious that gum chewing is a problem for you. As such you have to take the steps needed to stop it (STO). IMHO, depending on which data you check it actually keeps the person alert and helps the individual concentrate. My last policy became "If I see it I have to deal with it". Popping, smacking, blowing bubbles, or inappropriate placement (not in the trash can) were punished appropriately, immediately, stringently, without mercy, and consistently. It made for a better working environment and became LESS of a problem. There are still times when it is not the time for chewing gum, such as in a lab, when we have guests, or when giving a presentation. I teach high schoolers, not elementary. What works for me may not work for you. I am not a gum chewer by nature either. But it sure beats coffee breath (but so do mints). :) like no what if i feel like chewing gum arapido

[Unregistered]

is like there any one ho could help me get my students to stop chewing gum

[Unregistered]

Get over it.

[Unregistered]

try giving them some gloves and making them scrape the gum off of the bottom of tables and stuff in brake lunch, i seem to remember my teacher saying that once...I haven't had gum for a very long time since.

[Unregistered]

break(brake) is just an incredibly bad typing error which it wouldn't let me edit
i can spell.

[Unregistered]

you have to let them chew it to relax and be happy or else they will hate u

[Unregistered]

who really cares if kids have gum... beileve it or not kids don't just stick gum under their desk for no reason. its because of the teachers who are looking for their gum, they need a quick way to get rid of it. i mean chewing gum is fine as long as its not distracting. its alot better than having onion breath.

[Unregistered]

Here is an article that I found on child related to child behavior and punishment, this may help.

Brinker, Shannon R. ; Goldstein, Sara E. ; Tisak, Marie S.
Title: Children's judgements about common classroom punishments.
Source: Educational Research v. 45 no2 (Summer 2003) p. 189-98 Journal Code: Educ Res
Additional Info: United Kingdom
Standard No: ISSN: 0013-1881
Details: bibl tab.
Language: English
Review: Peer-reviewed journal
Abstract: The present study examines children's thinking about common classroom punishments. Participants (45 third- and fifth-grade students) were asked questions pertaining to the frequency and effectiveness of teacher-executed punishments for two types of classroom misbehaviours. One misbehaviour was a moral infraction (stealing), and the other misbehaviour was a conventional transgression (chewing gum in the classroom). Two types of punishments were measured: presentation (presenting child with unpleasant stimuli) and removal (removing pleasant stimuli or taking away a privilege). Results indicate that children perceived presentation punishments, as compared to removal punishments, as occurring more often. Additionally, children rated presentation punishments as being more effective than removal punishments. Children also differed in their judgements about removal punishments depending on whether the invoking behaviour was moral or conventional. For example, children believed removal punishments were more effective in light of a moral violation, as compared to a conventional transgression. Applied and theoretical implications are discussed. Reprinted by permission of the publisher

[baba ray]

why don't you freakin eat it gum is not bad

[Unregistered]

hello i am a student it does help releive stress and alot of time we forget it is in our mouth it helps concentrate but like if they smack and pop bubbles and stuff then it should be givin a warning and then take in away

[studentopinion]

is like there any one ho could help me get my students to stop chewing gum

many people have issues with gum but just think of a creative way to punish them if they are smacking or blowing bubbles......otherwise let it go

~~~~Studentopinion matters~~~~

[Unregistered]

Like one person mentioned give them some gloves and have them stay after school and scrape it from the bottoms of tables and chairs and anywhere else it could be. If that doesnt work tell them they can go to detention for a whole week and sit and work. Hopefully that will work and if not...well... I don't know!!

[Unregistered]

Are most of the posters on here students? The writing is atrocious. I hope to God most of these replies are trolls.

That said, I have no problems with gum chewing. I read an article once (please excuse me for not having the source) that showed that problems such as gum stuck to the desks, etc. actually decreased once the school allowed it. The school implemented procedures on how to handle it properly, and it wasn't a big deal. If they have to be subversive about it, they'll do more drastic things to hide it. If they're allowed to chew it, they can just get up to throw it away or whatever when they need to. I suppose I'm a pretty laid back teacher, but honest to God, pick the battles worth fighting.

[Unregistered]

What our Speech teacher does to us is that if you are caught chewing gum you have to write a paper on something that has to do with gum example: How gum is made, Where gum started etc. Say a kid gets caught with gum that 500 words (or however many) then the next person that gets caught even if its not the same person then you double it so it would be 1,000 words...There you go...Good Luck ~Student

[Unregistered]

I have already tried typical discipline procedures--keeping them after class, during lunch, break and even between classes. And yet nothing seems to work.

I think you should start chewing gum yourself. That will work for sure ...

[Unregistered]

just give them time show them some sticky things that can happen by gum.
make them write more they will stop my student did

[Kevin J]

Jeez, what's up with all these gum chewing threads?

[Unregistered]

If the administrators want you to write them up, write them up. Once the administrators realize how big of an issue it is (30 referrals/day just from you), something will begin to happen. Right now, they don't realize the problem. Enlist a few teacher friends to write up every gum chewer as well.

I am the one that wrote the "Don't nag the kids about it" on the other thread about this one, but I am also not one to go against school policy.

I say give the administrator what he wants...he'll be surprised at the extent of the issue and change something.(Hopefully)

[Unregistered]

I don't mind gum if it is chewed in a quiet manner with the mouth closed. However, I have had 2 incidents that have made me try to get rid of it. One, we had a Christmas party and a student put her gum on the relish tray. These are high school. Two, I sat down in a big wad of gum that was in my desk chair. The only way it got there was for a student to put it there. It was a big mess. It is distracting and unprofessional to chew gum in my cosmetology class. It can end up in the customer's hair or face. I agree that some of the writing on this thread is not good. I sincerely hope it is not teacher material.

[Unregistered]

wats with gum? i mean wats the big deal of it anyways? just let kids chew it, but make it a rule to not put them on furniture and stuff

[Gum - Chewer]

I have read all previous posts on the subject matter of gum chewing in calss. Even if it's a rule that you cannot chew gum in class, I think it's ridiculous to sentence your pupils to such extreme methods. My teacher sends us to the principles office. I think it would be in your best interest to just chilax a llittle, it's gum. It helps send oxygn *sorry, can't spell it* to the brain. Even though, it does all this crap, helps you concentrate blah blah blah, students just chew it because it's good, and entertaining. School shouldn't be a boot camp, or some sort of freak jail. As you, adults, I think you shouldn't make it a big deal. It's about being mature people. If any of you can say that gum chewing is not allowed in your core values, than I respect that, but does that mean if you're a Christian teacher, all of you students have to abide by Christian rules? Please don't dismiss this as a pointless point, but really think to yourself why aren't you allowing your pupils to chew?

- Restricted from Gum Chewing 7th Grader

[Unregistered]

Gum chewing would not concern me in my classroom if they used it appropriately.

Changing my classroom policy from enforcing the school gum rules to enforcing it only when it caused a problem did not change the amout of gum that was placed under tables and chairs, in textbooks or on chair seats.

8th grade teacher

[Unregistered]

I am a middle school, 8th grade, student, and I am doing a project on chewing gum in the classroom. I think that students should be able to chew gum in class. It helps stimulate the brain by keeping us awake. When students are hungry, their memory doesn't work as well. Say if someone was to study for a test. On test day, they might not be able to remember what they studied. Students might just be thinking," Why isn't lunch now." Chewing gum takes the hunger away. Once the hunger is away, students can concentrate on their work. I know that chewing gum may be a distraction when they are smacking or throwing it in the wrong places. That should be when the discipline should take place. Otherwise I say, teachers let your students chew gum. Copy this and show it to all other teachers you know

Nick Molloy
Short Pump Middle School
Glen Allen, VA

[manda]

what my teacher does if they warn us about chewing gum and they chatch us with it is this: they make us stick it to our noses for the rest of the class hour... belive me no one does it

[7th grade teacher]

To punish them you could search their bags in the moring, to make sure they don't have gum, then chew gum yourself for the rest of the day. Smack,pop,chew,slick,fiddle,touch,take out of mouth,snap,blow,make loud noises with the gum as much as you want.

[Unregistered]

I teach junior high as well.

Our consequences are simple:

1st offense: Warning
2nd offense: Write 100 times, "I will not chew gum in school again."
3rd offense: Write 250 times
4th and 5th offense: Write 500 times
6th offense (and beyond): Write 1,000 times

These are school-wide consequences. That is, if you are caught in one class with gum and your second offense is in another class, it counts as a second offense.

We've found that the warning usually isn't very effective as most eventually get a second offense and have to write the 100 sentences. The 100 sentences works with a large majority of gum chewers. However, every year we got multiple cases of students having to write the 500 times and every year there is at least one 1,000 times assignment. Last year, one girl wrote 1,000 sentences on three different occasions for chewing gum

[Unregistered]

Students will probably consider getting rid of the gum when teachers get rid of the coffee. There is a time and place and if it does not disrupt learning, why make an issue? Gum is much less detrimental to their health than pop or candy bars.

[Unregistered]

Get over it, will you? Aren't there bigger issues to worry about than the students chewing gum?

I teach first grade. Our school does not allow gum in the hallways, but the handbook never mentions classrooms. So I always tell my students that they can chew it in my class, but they have to throw the gum away before leaving my room. If they do not follow my rules on the procedures of chewing gum in the classroom, there would be consequences. But that rarely happens since I give my students a little freedom.

[Unregistered]

To Cut Down On My Students Chewing Gum, I Advised Them That They Would Be Required To Research On How Gum Was Created And What Components Are Included Within Gum. Also, Are There Any Benefits Are Problems Related To Chewing Gum.

[Unregistered]

Our high school has a policy that says no gum - the problem is it ends up on the furniture. I tell my kids to spit it in the bin on their way in to class particularly as we work in science labs - I tell them they look like cows chewing their cud (which usually gets a laugh) and that it is distracting to me and remind them of the no eating/chewing rule in the labs. A good punitive measure is to get the kids to scrape gum off the desks at lunchtime -we did this even when I was a girl.
Give them a scraper and a some plastic gloves and set them to it if the
behaviour continues.

[Unregistered]

If caught chewing gum you will be scraping someone else's from underneath desks/chairs, etc. - works well! They only get caught once. I provide gloves and a scraper and a bin.

[Unregistered]

The only time I have a problem with gum chewing is during oral presentations. At other times, especially when my students are learning something new, I encourage the use of gum and mints. Studies show that by engaging the taste buds with a sharp flavor, we also engage both sides of the brain in the learning process, making it easier for students to remember new material. The only time that I have seen gum chewing as a problem was when it was forbidden, resulting in gum on the floor, under the desks, etc. And no, I don't chew gum.
Another wonderful side effect of gum chewing... busy mouths are usually more quiet!
Also, having students write sentences as punishment... that's a crock. We aren't allowed to assign sentences anywhere in our district. Writing should be a productive activity, not a punishment and complete waste of time.

[mslouie3]

As a teacher of foreign language and a believer in trying to follow school protocol, I sympathize with the orginal sender. I found it interesting that one student wrote about his/her teacher making them put it on his/her nose. When I taught in private school, that is exactly what I did and it is a deterrent. However, I now teach in an urban public school and that kind of "discipline" is frowned upon. I have not been as successful in this arena as as I was in the private setting, but I am working on it. I am going to try doing a "gum check" at the beginning of each bell. I am going to ask the students who "forgot" to throw out their gum to do so and then at the end of the bell I am going to ask people to double check their desks for gum. Hopefully by approaching this in a positive manner, I will get a better response from students.

Good Luck,
28 year vet

[retgy]

Depending on you, this might work, it works for me. I do not give tests as a form of assessment. My students are well aware of this. THere are many other means of assessing what I have cover then tests. Saying that, I have given tests.
For gum chewing, I would give them a test. The test would be a take home test so it would not interupt my instruction.
The number of questions on the test would be based on how many students were chewing gum, what they did with the gum, the attitude of the students when they were told to stop, etc etc.
The point would be that you want the students to stop chewing gum, then give them an incentive to not chew gum.
While I might not use this for chewing gum, I do use it for interruptions in the class. each interruption is one question to be answered at home (they are not easy questions) It works for me.

[Unregistered]

Are most of the posters on here students? The writing is atrocious. I hope to God most of these replies are trolls.

That said, I have no problems with gum chewing. I read an article once (please excuse me for not having the source) that showed that problems such as gum stuck to the desks, etc. actually decreased once the school allowed it. The school implemented procedures on how to handle it properly, and it wasn't a big deal. If they have to be subversive about it, they'll do more drastic things to hide it. If they're allowed to chew it, they can just get up to throw it away or whatever when they need to. I suppose I'm a pretty laid back teacher, but honest to God, pick the battles worth fighting.
Your beginning statement reflects my thoughts! Kids, if you are going to post, at least learn how to spell.

With that said.....I don't think gum chewing is such a bad thing as long as they use some manners about it. It actually stimulates brain cells and helps with concentration. The problem I have had in letting students chew gum was the following: I always let my students know that in my classroom they could chew gum as long as I didn't have to speak to them about it and they disposed of it properly. Last school year I was appalled to find that many had stuck it under their desks anyway. I had even spoken to them about what proper disposal means. It all boils down to "respect". It wasn't me they didn't respect, it was themselves. They didn't care that I "let" them chew gum because they would have done it anyway and felt it was their right to do so. So, they blew it for everyone. This year, if I see a student chewing gum I mark it in my gradebook and quietly set a note on their desk to throw it away. Second offense is a parent phone call. Third offense is detention. I don't like to do referrals because then they miss the needed instruction for the day. My detentions are bad enough, they don't want to come back. I don't like it because I am a laid back teacher also. But, respect is a big issue with me and being burned doesn't set well.

[Unregistered]

Before our high school had a "carved in stone" rule against gum (which, interestingly, the middle school in the same building did NOT have, but that's a whole other problem with inconsistent discipline), I told my students I didn't want to see or hear it. In the mouth was acceptable, though not encouraged. I now have a "Deposit Gum Here Please" sign above the trash can right inside the classroom door. If the students are being blatant, write up a referral after three warnings and document the warnings! You don't get respect automatically; you have to expect it and demand it.

[Unregistered]

I know it sounds harsh, but gum chewing is not allowed in my school at all. Students were told the first week and received one warning. Now when we see students chewing gum, it is an automatic detention. The plan is actually working really well so far in our third week. Since I am an art teacher, I come into the room once sometimes twice in a week. I give the students one chance to throw it away then give out detentions.

[Unregistered]

Although This doesn't adress the discipline issue exactly, what I've found helpful is to stand just outside the door with a garbage can every day; the kids have to spit out the gum before they come into the room. After that, I ask them ONCE to get rid of it if I see them in the classroom with gum, then they get a detention. Standing at the door helps a lot, even if you have to check their mouths.
If it's a schoolwide policy, you could also call parents of repeat offenders and ask them to not let their kids bring gum to school.

[Unregistered]

This is exactly one of the reasons why there are kids in high school that can't read, spell, add, etc. So much time and energy goes into creating and enforcing rules that just don't matter. Hey, who cares if your students don't know how to spell - as long as they don't chew gum, eh?

[Unregistered]

I think gum chewing is healthy!!! If they don't talk why do you care!!!
Give them a warrning like no smacking the gum and if u step in or find any gum under the desks they may not have it and it will end up in suspension!!!

[Kat]

Hey. I dont mind students chewing gum in my class but if it really annoys you. Give them the choice to spit or swallow. If they dont want to, tell them they need to wear it on their nose, and if you catch someone else chewing they have to swap! Essentially they wear each others gum on each others noses..................Stops them after a while.Creative enough?!?

[Unregistered]

I am having a sticky problem in my classroom: I have kids chewing gum non-stop. I have already tried typical discipline procedures--keeping them after class, during lunch, break and even between classes. And yet nothing seems to work. I need some "creative" solutions for my repeat offenders chewing gum. I have 160 students--so it cannot be too time consuming....can anyone help?


That's a problem everywhere. Gum chewing is only a "crime" in school. HA! Our school started allowing the students to chew gum this year. Now the teachers have a few extra minutes in the day that used to be taken up with reprimands and discipline for this minor nuisance. They are going to do it anyway. It's just not as fun for them anymore.

[Unregistered]

Hi im a student 14 at Port Dover highschool and i would say just let them chew it thell them they can chew it in your class as long as you find no wrappers or gum anywhere around the room.. if they do leave it in the room instead of the garbage tell them that they are no longer allowed to chew gum and if your found with gum it will be confincated and you will get like 3 detentions or something....it worked at my school and none of my teachers seem to have a problem...jsut a suggestion

[william_ashley]

knock an employability type mark off every time they are caught.

If they care about their grade then it may be an influence.

Give bonus marks to students who do not chew gum.

Send them to VP or counsellor after 5 or some appropriate number of times, for disrupting the class. If they miss class time then it directly corresponse to their grade.


I would hope it is when they are disruptive. IF you have already expressed it then it is complete disrespect for them to be disrupting your class.

If you have handouts test, quizes etc..you could be NAZI and say no one gets handouts if they have gum.

Of course the general idea is that if anything is causing a disruption in class then it is an issue. The student should be made aware they are disrupting the class "in private". If it continues then it is the same as vulgarity, or even assualtive behaviour and should not be tolerated.

Personally I'm not authoritarian though, I find it hard to discipline people or animals etc..

[Unregistered]

When the students line up, get them to go into class one by one. You will be checking for gum in their mouths. If any one has gum they need to spit it out in the bin.

If students carry extra gum in the class and start chewing it, they need to stay in. Ask them to spit it out in the bin. Make a note of who they are. They need to see you immediately after the class.

Ask them to move outside of the classroom and then speak to them. Do not make a scene in the classroom. When outside, ask them for any extra gum have in their pockets. If they don't have anymore, they are either lying or telling the truth.

Inform them that their parents will be called if they do not come to your detention. Then call the parents or write to the parents, if they don't show up.

This will work.

[Unregistered]

Gum is sexy, why are people complaining?!?

[Unregistered]

i wouldn't worry if i were you because you will find that there are very few who will actually put gum on the bottom of desks. its true.
i teach at a high school in australia and the students are not allowed to chew gum and i witnesse one poor girl getting caught chewing gum by another teacher and getting an afternoon detention and every one around her was as well - i found it unfair but could not intervein becuase it was not my subject and i will just talking to that other teacher.

[Unregistered]

you chew gum and you put where every you want in the classroom i mean is this your home do you do that at home will all of you are going to say no will why doing it at the classroom if you don't do that at home like jessss don't do that if you don't do it at home and if you really want to chew gum chew it after school so teacher won't have to punish you

[Unregistered]

Try giving them chew gum time?

[Unregistered]

i think gum chewing is fine as long as you close your mouth while chewing it.
it has been proved that gum chewing make you think 20% more effectivley.

[Unregistered]

Have courage and get the admin to ban gum once and for all.

[Unregistered]

get over it , it`ll never stop no matter what HA HA get over it
!!!!!

[Unregistered]

we love gum ha ha u cant stop us we can do what we want with our own mouths chew chew chew we love it

[Unregistered]

I think that your school is definately on to something. I have the following suggestions. First, drop the warning. As you have stated, the warning is ineffective whre is writing the lines is effective for most students. Hence, I think violators of the no gum policy should write 100 lines on the first offense. I also think that each new offense should draw additional lines. Hence my suggested revised schedule is as follows:

1st offense: 100 times
2nd offense: 250 times
3rd offense: 500 times
4th offense: 1000 times
Each additional offense: at least 1000 additional times

I think that if your school adopts my suggested schedulke you will not have as many repeat offenders.

I teach junior high as well.

Our consequences are simple:

1st offense: Warning
2nd offense: Write 100 times, "I will not chew gum in school again."
3rd offense: Write 250 times
4th and 5th offense: Write 500 times
6th offense (and beyond): Write 1,000 times

These are school-wide consequences. That is, if you are caught in one class with gum and your second offense is in another class, it counts as a second offense.

We've found that the warning usually isn't very effective as most eventually get a second offense and have to write the 100 sentences. The 100 sentences works with a large majority of gum chewers. However, every year we got multiple cases of students having to write the 500 times and every year there is at least one 1,000 times assignment. Last year, one girl wrote 1,000 sentences on three different occasions for chewing gum

[Unregistered]

is like there any one ho could help me get my students to stop chewing gumThe first 15 minutes of give them a little snack that way they won't be eating GUM!

[Unregistered]

if i had to scrape the gum off the bottom of a desk i would definately stop. anoher idea is to make tallys of how many times you catch a person chewing gum. do not tell them when you catch them, but after a while, show them all their tallies and take off points on their grade. the student will realize how much you see and will hopefully stop when you threaten detention for every tally they get. by giving all the detentions at once, it will seem like a lot more than just one at a time, especially if they have like five...thats a whole week of detention.

[Unregistered]

I do not believe that gum chewing is a problem. Chewing helps keep many students alert. It also helps those ADHD students have something to do to keep from being fidgety. However, if it is a problem for you, just have the student spit it out. For those repeat offenders, just act as if it is no big deal. It may not be as attractive to the student if he or she knows it does not bother the teacher!

[Unregistered]

Scraping gum off the desks is a good idea - but it means a loss of my time,
so I prefer to make them write.
1st offense: 100 lines "I must not chew gum"
2nd offense: 100 lines of "I must not chew gum in class"
3rd: 100x"I must not chew gum in class because it is disgusting"
4th: "I must not chew gum in Mr Spencer's class because it is disgusting and ends up stuck to the furniture" , yes, you guessed it, 100 times. It's always interesting to see how long the lines can get.

that said, I don't go looking for gum. I only dole out the writing if they make it obvious.

[Unregistered]

I have found that my fervent war on gum chewing was just not worth it. Kids could pop a new stick in their mouths within minutes of throwing the old, worn out wad into the trash. My rule is that if I see it or hear it, it's gone. I teach 90 minute blocks and I have found that students have to release energy in some form. Gum seems to be the outlet. I've had to change my approach and find what works best for me.

[Unregistered]

When I was in school, the teachers had us pick up the gum with a paperclip. No one chewed gum because you had to do that all through lunch.

[Unregistered]

So, this is what teachers do in their free time!?! I am a former student of Brandon Valley High School in South Dakota. I recently saw a rather interesting television show called...the news. In this broadcast they informed me that the literacy rate in the U.S. is dropping. In English, this means MORE AMERICANS CAN'T READ. I have a couple of suggestions for all of the teachers and it is as follows:
1.) Print this and hand it to the administrators of your school
2.) Let them chew gum. It stimulates the mind, helps concentration and keeps them busy. If teachers spent less time trying to come up with cool new ways to punish students and more time working on lesson plans maybe, just maybe, MORE AMERICANS WILL BE ABLE TO READ.
3.)(This one is more for the students) If your school does not allow you to chew gum, don't. I'm not sure if you know this but we live in this wonderfully FREE country called The United States of America. That said, you can change rules. I recommend you get a petition signed by as many students and teachers as you can. Submit these signatures with an explanation as to why you should be able to chew gum in school and the Administrators MIGHT change the rules to your favor.
(Wow, would you look at that? There are 223 words in the above text and not a single spelling error. Can I get the 100% so you can get back to teaching now?!?)

[Unregistered]

I am having a sticky problem in my classroom: I have kids chewing gum non-stop. I have already tried typical discipline procedures--keeping them after class, during lunch, break and even between classes. And yet nothing seems to work. I need some "creative" solutions for my repeat offenders chewing gum. I have 160 students--so it cannot be too time consuming....can anyone help?
GOD ITS NOT HARD LET THE KIDS CHEW GUM GOD

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[lelo21]

maybe you could create a (fake) lesson on how chewing gum lowers your chances of having kids later on. :)



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[Unregistered]

just give them time show them some sticky things that can happen by gum.
make them write more they will stop my student did

but what about students who leave them under the desk

[Unregistered]

Gum, mmmm, well consider this as a teachable moment, how much time and effort go into removing gum from inapropriate places each year in your school? Is there any danger associated with the speading of salivia in this manner? Maybe gum is no diffrent than any other body fluid spill,and those who come in contact with the already chewed gum weather knowingly or unknowingly, have put themselves at the same risk they would, had they acidentaly came in contact with a bodily fluid.
Gum is by nature a nasty habit forming addictive but sociably accepted form of expression, it can release tentions and passify it's user but like any habit it comes with baggage. Have your students Identify that baggage, weigh the pro's vs the con's and there you have it! An answere that even a small child can understand because it would be one of there own dicovering.
Gum is a sticky subject and at first glance maybe it dose seem trivial to treat it with harsh rules, but when you look deeper and ask the right questions of the right folks (say maybe your custodians or school nurse) then most will come to realize that gum realy should be treated like every other bad habit.

[Unregistered]

I teach self-contained special education classes at a high school. If I do not see it or hear it, it is not a problem. It is not a problem in my classes becuase the students know they are allowed to have it if they are not obnoxious about it. So far they have not lost the privledge to chew gum. I have yet to find gum on any school property because the students do not have to hide it or find a place to put it quickly.

[Unregistered]

Choose your battles... Good Grief there are much worse things they could be doing.... I won't go into detail.

[Unregistered]

you teachers are very melodramatic although gum is very bad for our stomachs we like it and it taste good the impudence and audacity of complaining about something so simple and small {stupid too might i add} fellow students would agree that it helps us do better because gum helps us concentrate =p *rasberry*

[Unregistered]

i agree with that guy think in teachable moment protect gum!!!

[Mr. H.]

Ok, I know that I am just starting out but but no more gum!! Ok, Ok, chewing gum helps with test scores, so does listening to music or taking tests at home. There is nothing more distracting during a test than some idiot next to you who doesn't close his mouth. It happens far more than one would like to hear. It's a question of respect. Gum chewing is fine out of the classroom. Sometimes it's hard enough looking at the blank stares of some of these kids without them chewing their cud at you too.

[Unregistered]

I am having a sticky problem in my classroom: I have kids chewing gum non-stop. I have already tried typical discipline procedures--keeping them after class, during lunch, break and even between classes. And yet nothing seems to work. I need some "creative" solutions for my repeat offenders chewing gum. I have 160 students--so it cannot be too time consuming....can anyone help?

If I catch a student chewing I make him/her clean gum off the furniture with a blunt knife. I make them clean about 5 to 10 pieces of gum according to how many times they have been caught. I make them do it during lunch or recess but you can also use class time. The problem goes away quickly.

[janicemm]

The best way to cure gum chewers is to keep them after school. Have scapers ready for them. Give them the option of staying for you for until you leave,or leaving as soon as they have scraped all the gum from a certain area. They always choose to scrape!!
I start with classrooms. When they finish cleaning one, the next time I try another room. The desks stay clean and students learn rather quickly.
The other good point, is that it was their choice to scrape or not to scrape.

[Unregistered]

I teach junior high as well.

Our consequences are simple:

1st offense: Warning
2nd offense: Write 100 times, "I will not chew gum in school again."
3rd offense: Write 250 times
4th and 5th offense: Write 500 times
6th offense (and beyond): Write 1,000 times

These are school-wide consequences. That is, if you are caught in one class with gum and your second offense is in another class, it counts as a second offense.

We've found that the warning usually isn't very effective as most eventually get a second offense and have to write the 100 sentences. The 100 sentences works with a large majority of gum chewers. However, every year we got multiple cases of students having to write the 500 times and every year there is at least one 1,000 times assignment. Last year, one girl wrote 1,000 sentences on three different occasions for chewing gum

Oh my God, that is horrible. I don't mean her behavior. I mean the school's behavior. Next year I'll be teaching and gum is not one of my top concerns. I think that in education today we should be focusing more on the academic, social, and emotional aspects of students and helping to develop those. Worrying about and punishing students for chewing gum is ridiculous and a waste of valuable and limited teaching time. We want kids to act mature, then treat them like adults. So long as they are not using the gum in inappropriate ways, ignore it. If it is a school-wide rule, there's is always wiggle room. Yes, it is a school-wide rule, but how many times do teachers bend the rules; people bend the rules for the better good of everyone. I think the education of everyone is more important than the punishment of one student for such a minor school offense. Maybe, instead of focusing on gum, some teachers should be focusing on the students as individuals and making them feel like valuable assets to the class and society. Maybe teachers should be paying closer attention to the kids to watch for warning signs for potential violence.

And making a student write up to 1,000 times, or more "I will not chew gum in class" is an archaic, ineffective (obviously since she did it 3 times!), and academically threatening practice. Why do you want kids to hate writing? Why use it as a punishment? Don't we want to try and make kids into better writers? How does writing a simple sentence over and over again going to accomplish that! I'm sorry, but that school-wide policy is outdated. I only hope the parents, teachers, and students can work on a way to persuade, or force it out of the administration's rules. Maybe it's time to get a new administration.

[Unregistered]

lets talk about cows

[Unregistered]

Cows chew cud; children chew gum... Hmmmm...

[Unregistered]

The aversion towards chewing gum goes back to colonization times when they discover the CHICLE tree or rubber. The Mexican and other Central and Southamerican natives would flavor the gum for chewing. Of course chewing chicle became very popular but high class Europeans were not very fond of promoting a habit practiced by "inferior" people. I was a teenager once, and I know how much I liked my chicle. However my English teacher, back in Puerto Rico, repeated constantly that learning to speak English with a piece of gum in my mouth was dangerous and against my purpose. As a Spanish teacher, I have to tell my students the same. I AWARD 2 BONUS POINTS AT THE END OF EACH MARKING PERIOD to every student that refrain from chewing chicle during instruction time. I also provide for time for them to chew gum and to dispose of it. To earn points the student should self regulate his/her chicle behavior. No lecturing, no verbal reminder. A poster stating benefits and rewards is a good visual resource. If you have an incident involving chewing gum TREAT IT AS A DISRUPTION AND NOT AS AN OFFENSE. If they get gum stuck in their clothes that is their problem, they should deal with it themselves at non instruction time out of your classroom. Let them find out who did it or else follow a no-chicle-in-the-classroom policy.

[Unregistered]

TEACHERS SHOULD GAT OVER IT BECAUSE KIDS ARE NOT GOING TO HEAR YOU YELLING AT THEM FOR CHEWING GUM.YOU GUYS SHOULD GAT OVER IT.LIKE !!!!YOU KNOW!!!! ITS ONLY SOME STUPIED GUM. iF YOU STOP TELLING THEM THEY WILL STOP CHEWING IT.lolz

[Unregistered]

My teacher would make everyone that had a peice of gum in their mouth stick it on 'the plate' and then pick a new one off...it was gross, but trust me, people thought twice before chewing...

[STUDENT]

I'm a twelth grader in High School, and personally I don't believe that chewing gum is as annoyng as some claim it to be; although I do spit it out when it's a set rule in the class i'm entering. I DO, however, have a creative solution for those teachers who are concerned with the 'cud chewers'. I've only seen it done once, but I have not witnessed one student walk through the door with a sticky substance in their mouth with that particular teacher.
The cure is simpy this; create a pile of pre-chewed gum, and when the student comes into the classroom make them stick their gum onto the 'mound of gum' and take another peice off and place it in their mouth and chew that instead! It's the most disgusting thing I've ever seen, but, trust a fellow gum-lover, it WORKS! No student will ever walk into your class with an annoying smacking sound ever again!

[Unregistered]

I have to make a correction. Chewing gum does help you concentrate. Not because it satisfies your hunger. In fact an empty stomach has been shown to boost brian power as opposed to lowering it. This is because when you have an empty stomach your body releases a stomach-made hormone called ghrelin. This hormone goes directly to the hippocampus (the memory engine of your brain) where it causes new connections between brian cells.

Now, the reason that chewing gum helps you concentrate is because when you chew it, the chewing motion (simulating eating) causes your mouth to salvate which releases some hormone which I forgot the name of. This hormone increases your blood flow by 60% which consequently DOES deliver more oxygen to your brain.

This hormone however is released whether you're chewing on gum or your pencil, or any other object for that matter. In other words, it's not the gum, but the chewing motion that helps you concentrate (and has nothing to do with hunger.) So all students need to do is feign a chewing motion to recieve the same benefits.

Cheers,
Trevor Scott Einstein Cornellius Clack III Esquire
My sources (If you want proof) come from Smart-kit.com and howstuffworks.com also if you have any additional questions, my email is Tclack@aol.com

[Unregistered]

Simple. When you hand out your syllabus state clearly that gum chewers will receive reduced marks. State clearly that you are not a baby sitter and that it is their job to remember and act accordingly. When you catch the gum chewers... say nothing. Note it in your class roll book and then when the screaming and crying starts on report card day simply show them the itemized list of the number of times they were caught. If they dont' like it... stop chewing.

[Unregistered]

How about if you find a really long page about the history of gum and have the student copy it 1 time. Also keep a log of how many times he or she get caught.For first offense just ask them to spit it out. 2nd offense make them copy the history 1. 3rd offense 2 time ect.

[Unregistered]

Simple. When you hand out your syllabus state clearly that gum chewers will receive reduced marks. State clearly that you are not a baby sitter and that it is their job to remember and act accordingly. When you catch the gum chewers... say nothing. Note it in your class roll book and then when the screaming and crying starts on report card day simply show them the itemized list of the number of times they were caught. If they dont' like it... stop chewing.

thats creul.

[Chocolate_New_Orleans]

How about if you find a really long page about the history of gum and have the student copy it 1 time. Also keep a log of how many times he or she get caught.For first offense just ask them to spit it out. 2nd offense make them copy the history 1. 3rd offense 2 time ect.

works great until 1 refuses, the rest figure that out, then what do you do?


If you don't have consequences that can be enforced, are they really consequences?

boo hoo on the cruel thing. But I would be interested to see how a teacher could tie gum chewing into grade level expectations or state standards. Might be hard to lower a history grade when gum chewing isn't a standard that is covered.

[Unregistered]

When I was a student if we were caught chewing gum, we were forced to place the gum on our nose for the rest of the period. It was embarassing and after one or two times being forced to do it me and my fellow students stopped chewing gum in those classes. You should try it.

[Chocolate_New_Orleans]

I don't think you could do that in the classroom as you couldn't enforce it.

Either way, I do agree it works. I did that to my daughter at 6 y.o. because she kept having it fall out of her mouth as she'd talk. She'd always go to get another new piece right after. I tried telling her no gum, but the next time she had gum, no matter if it was immediately after, or the next day, same problem. One day at Target, she spit it out on accident, picked it up and began looking for a trash can. I told her no, put it on your nose, she laughed thinking I was kidding, but I made her do it. She walked around Target for the rest of the time we were there, crying, with gumon her nose. I've never had that problem again.

[Unregistered]

Have a jar and make kids spit there gum into it, and have them take another persons gum from the jar and chew it!

[Unregistered]

you teachers are very melodramatic although gum is very bad for our stomachs we like it and it taste good the impudence and audacity of complaining about something so simple and small {stupid too might i add} fellow students would agree that it helps us do better because gum helps us concentrate =p *rasberry*

Gum rocks!

[Unregistered]

Make then wear the gum on their foreheads

[Unregistered]

I make them scrap it off of the bottom of desks, not many have to come back for a second time!

[Chemfemme]

Originally Posted by Unregistered you teachers are very melodramatic although gum is very bad for our stomachs we like it and it taste good the impudence and audacity of complaining about something so simple and small {stupid too might i add} fellow students would agree that it helps us do better because gum helps us concentrate =p *rasberry*

If kids could chew it without smacking, drooling, sticking it to the furniture, and throwing the wrappers and the abc gum on the floor, nobody would mind it. It's not the gum -- it's that a lot of kids are just such idiots about it that they cost everybody else the privilege. You can blame your goofy peers for the "no gum" rule!

[Unregistered]

The solution is simple. Send the gum offender out into the hall. Make a strict rule: "Any student who has to be sent to the hall for any reason will receive a zero on any assignment that is due, or given, on that day."

If a kid snaps his gum, send him in the hall. Zero tolerance. Give him a zero on the homework you are assigning that day, as well as the homework he turned in that day.

You said yourself that this problem is out of hand and nothing you do seems to work. Drastic times call for drastic measures!

As soon as you make an example out of a few kids, they'll get the point.

[Unregistered]

I am having a sticky problem in my classroom: I have kids chewing gum non-stop. I have already tried typical discipline procedures--keeping them after class, during lunch, break and even between classes. And yet nothing seems to work. I need some "creative" solutions for my repeat offenders chewing gum. I have 160 students--so it cannot be too time consuming....can anyone help?


have them write they will not chew gum in class 100 times and every time they get caught from that point on it should increase 100 times........have them hand write it so you know they did not copy it.

[Unregistered]

The school I work at has a no gum policy as well. It is my opinion that if it is a rule, I am obligated to enforce it. If I do not enforce it, how can I justify enforcing other rules? It would serve to make me a hypocrit. When I catch a student chewing gum I make them spit it out immediately. For a school with a no gum policy, we certainly have enough of it. It was just yesterday morning that I was thinking about this and decided that the repeat offenders need to have a consequence in order to send a definitive message, as it is happening too often. Of course, it would help if other staff members didn't chew gum either. I never chew gum (it's not my thing) - but if I did, I would not chew it at work because of the policy.

First, I am going to check with other teachers in the building to see who has gum underneath their desks they would like to have scraped off. The next time I have a repeat offender, I am going to send them to a cooperating teacher to remove gum from desks - maybe even down to the cafeteria to remove gum from the cafeteria tables. This consequence is appropriate to the misbehavior and I may try to do this during their study hall so that they are also losing that time to either eliminate or reduce homework or maybe during the latter part of their lunch period. I am tired of this game and I am hoping this works. I will even go out and buy the scraper myself. I will say though, that before I do this, I will be giving them a short talk that will warn them of the new consequences, as I believe that to be fair.

[Unregistered]

In my classroom I simply ask them to remove the gum from their mouths and stick it to their foreheads. That usually deters them from chewing anything in my classes. Try it!

[Unregistered]

I am having a sticky problem in my classroom: I have kids chewing gum non-stop. I have already tried typical discipline procedures--keeping them after class, during lunch, break and even between classes. And yet nothing seems to work. I need some "creative" solutions for my repeat offenders chewing gum. I have 160 students--so it cannot be too time consuming....can anyone help?

get over it. no matter wat u do or what is not gona make them stop chewing gum and plus, chewing gum can actually be a good thing.

[Unregistered]

What is chewing gum made out of?
Most chewing gums innocuously list "gum base" as one of their ingredients, masking the fact that petroleum, lanolin, glycerin, polyethylene, polyvinyl acetate, petroleum wax, stearic acid, and latex may be among the components. Because of standards of identity for items such as gum base and flavoring, manufacturers are not required to list everything in their product. According to Dertoline, a French chemical manufacturer, their adhesive "dercolytes" are used as a label and tape adhesive, as well as a chewing gum base. Many brands also list glycerin and glycerol as ingredients on the label. Both of those compounds can be animal-derived.

[Unregistered]

Hi.
I HATE being a nag to my students so at the start of EVERY class, I kindly and in a VERY friendly manner announce, "Anyone with gum please throw it away...Thank you very much." Then when I find a student chewing later, I just as sweetly ask him or her to get rid of it.
I have NEVER had a student be rude or obnoxious because I am treating them with respect. Yes, they should know better - but they are kids and sometimes it's easier on all of us to just handle it in inoffensive manner.
Good Luck.
Bess in VA

[Unregistered]

have them hand write gum essays everytime you catch them chewing ANYTHING. thats what we do in my school and it works

[Unregistered]

I teach junior high as well.

Our consequences are simple:

1st offense: Warning
2nd offense: Write 100 times, "I will not chew gum in school again."
3rd offense: Write 250 times
4th and 5th offense: Write 500 times
6th offense (and beyond): Write 1,000 times

These are school-wide consequences. That is, if you are caught in one class with gum and your second offense is in another class, it counts as a second offense.

We've found that the warning usually isn't very effective as most eventually get a second offense and have to write the 100 sentences. The 100 sentences works with a large majority of gum chewers. However, every year we got multiple cases of students having to write the 500 times and every year there is at least one 1,000 times assignment. Last year, one girl wrote 1,000 sentences on three different occasions for chewing gum

does this happen when a student gets caught chewing gum?

[10th grader NY]

if you dont want them to chew gum dont whatever you think will stop them

if you dont mind the chewing then provide them with something to get rid of their gum in, so it doesnt appear on floors, desks, etc.

[Unregistered]

cool HI HI HI HI HI HI HI HI

[Help_ison_theway]

Have you written them up? Detention? It sounds like you havent done everything in your power.

[Unregistered]

I am a gum chewing advocate, however, when I was in school, we had the rule of no gum as well (a policy for the whole school, not just the classroom). One of the teachers would make us put the gum on our nose for the remainder of class. Let me tell you that it is not worth getting caught and dealing with the humiliation of the class laughing at you. It may be funny one or two times, but it gets really old really fast. If your school has a no gum chewing policy...on the nose it goes. Hope this may help someone.

[Unregistered]

I know that you don't like it when students chew gum, but it has been proven that chewing gum actually helps students focus on their work. So I think that you should let them chew gum, but if they start to blow bubbles make them spit the gum out and to empty their pockets so you can take any packs of gum they may have.

[Unregistered]

With all the other stuff we have to deal with I think chewing gum is the least of our concerns!

[Unregistered]

I am a Spanish teacher and am strictly against gum chewing. However, it happens, especially when you teach high school. What I do is that if a student gets three ch's ( short for chicle- gum) they have to write me a 100 word essay in spanish explaining why they should not chew gum is class. it usually works. Good Luck!

[Unregistered]

just let us chew gum in class it is provin that it helps

[ComSci101]

It doesn't matter whether or not it's beneficial, what does matter is that it's not detrimental enough to give too much consideration to. (Except in music classes)

[Unregistered]

It's real simple. If there is a rule against chewing gum in school, then don't chew it. If caught, suffer the consequences. If it is allowed, then follow the rules for gum chewing and consider it a privilege, not a right. Simple as that.
Coach Matt

[Unregistered]

I am having a sticky problem in my classroom: I have kids chewing gum non-stop. I have already tried typical discipline procedures--keeping them after class, during lunch, break and even between classes. And yet nothing seems to work. I need some "creative" solutions for my repeat offenders chewing gum. I have 160 students--so it cannot be too time consuming....can anyone help?

Hello,
I too had a very big problem with gum chewers, especially me. I love to chew gum and truthfully I learned from Dr. Phil that gum chewing actually stimulates brain activity. Any rythmic noise or action does. So, I simply explained my situation with my students and I asked that we come to an agreement. They MUST ask my permission to chew gum, and it is to be done only in my class. If I catch them with gum and they did not follow the rules, they spit it out and serve detention. Believe it or not, they are much more respectful about asking permission and they dont think I am a hypocrite for wanting to chew it myself. This also plays to their responsibility to eachother, no kid wants to be the one to break the rules and get the rest of them in trouble. I know it is not allowed on campus, however, when they can't eat, it helps their concentration. I am not trying to stear you against policy, but gum chewing is not as high on my list as other behavior issues. It works out good and the students thank me very much for this little favor.

[Mr. H]

...is a WINDBAG. I will certainly not be structuring my classroom around his "authority".

[Mr. H]

For every teacher-based experience or opinion there is a smart@$$ kid who replies. Yeah, we know you want to chew gum. You would also love to eat drink and goof off all period. None of that is going to happen in my class, so until I am presented with irrefutable PROOF that gum chewing is going to help my students on tests, then they can't have it at all... if there is PROOF out there, I'm open to letting them chew gum when they are taking tests and at NO OTHER TIME.

[Unregistered]

For every teacher-based experience or opinion there is a smart@$$ kid who replies. Yeah, we know you want to chew gum. You would also love to eat drink and goof off all period. None of that is going to happen in my class, so until I am presented with irrefutable PROOF that gum chewing is going to help my students on tests, then they can't have it at all... if there is PROOF out there, I'm open to letting them chew gum when they are taking tests and at NO OTHER TIME.

You sound like a pretty hard a$$ right there "Mr. H."

I allow my students to chew gum because if I didn't I would be a hypocrite (I chew it during tests, when not speaking of course). Not only that it bypasses a lot of issues.

I always say if you take something away it really causes more discussion and problems than necessary. And if I do see gum under a desk I just make them clean it up, usually they don't protest but if they do then I just remind them the privelege I am giving them.

I also keep lots of kleenex handy ;) and 2 trash cans, one in the rear and front of the room

[Mr. H]

I am pretty laid back, but if I want my students to be able to speak clearly in a language that is not their own, the less obstruction the better. As far as gum under desks... I do not have eyes in the back of my head, or under their desks, for that matter. It's easier to eliminate the issue that try to regulate the problem.

[Unregistered]

I am pretty laid back, but if I want my students to be able to speak clearly in a language that is not their own, the less obstruction the better. As far as gum under desks... I do not have eyes in the back of my head, or under their desks, for that matter. It's easier to eliminate the issue that try to regulate the problem.


Coming from a true Frenchman

Waive the problem away instead of fixing it

[Mr. H]

Coming from a true Frenchman

Waive the problem away instead of fixing it

And proud of it!

I am ELIMINATING a potential problem from DAY ONE, NO GUM. See? No problem. I'm not taking away anything. besides, it is RUDE to chew while speaking. My class is structured around communication and if something gets in the way of that then I am not helping my students to succeed.

[Unregistered]

And proud of it!

I am ELIMINATING a potential problem from DAY ONE, NO GUM. See? No problem. I'm not taking away anything. besides, it is RUDE to chew while speaking. My class is structured around communication and if something gets in the way of that then I am not helping my students to succeed.

Ok Miss Manners thanks for the tips. :)

However, I do agree in a language class where speaking is used much more than say math you need a no gum policy.

[Mr. H]

Ok Miss Manners thanks for the tips. :)

However, I do agree in a language class where speaking is used much more than say math you need a no gum policy.

I was only speaking for myself. It was my opinion based on my class. And forgive me for not being an unpolished know-it-all-punk-@$$-kid.

[Unregistered]

Son you need to calm down. You are trying to pick fights with the wrong people. The only person that is unpolished is the person using that kind of language. I am suprised a full grown man would get so angry against a student.

Amazing.

[Mr. H]

Son you need to calm down. You are trying to pick fights with the wrong people. The only person that is unpolished is the person using that kind of language. I am suprised a full grown man would get so angry against a student.

Amazing.

First off, I am not your son.
Secondly, I am not angry, just defending my position. Am I not allowed to do so?
Thirdly, you are correct, my use of language would not be appropriate in the school setting... but this isn't a school setting.

[Unregistered]

First off, I am not your son.
Secondly, I am not angry, just defending my position. Am I not allowed to do so?
Thirdly, you are correct, my use of language would not be appropriate in the school setting... but this isn't a school setting.

In that case you are a ****************, have a nice day

[Mr. H]

In that case you are a ****************, have a nice day

Very mature way to follow up your poor excuse for an "argument". I am SO glad you are not one of my students.

[Unregistered]

Very mature way to follow up your poor excuse for an "argument". I am SO glad you are not one of my students.

If I was your student what would you do to me.

[Mr. H]

If I was your student what would you do to me.

I'd make you earn your grades and educate you as best I could. I'm just glad you're not because you seem "above it all". Until one submits themselves to learning, one is unteachable.

[Unregistered]

You don't need to get upset, this will just fuel the fire and some kids will do it just to get on your nerves. If you notice gum chewing, just bring the garbage can to the person and have them spit it out if front of you. After a few times, you would think they would get the message that gum chewing will not happen in your classroom.

[Mr. H]

You don't need to get upset, this will just fuel the fire and some kids will do it just to get on your nerves. If you notice gum chewing, just bring the garbage can to the person and have them spit it out if front of you. After a few times, you would think they would get the message that gum chewing will not happen in your classroom.

Well, one would think that they would get the message, but the problem is, for some odd reason, they don't. I don't get upset about chewing gum, I get upset when students don't listen and therefore don't follow day-to-day classroom policies and when I have to repeat myself more than three times.

[Unregistered]

try giving them some gloves and making them scrape the gum off of the bottom of tables and stuff in brake lunch, i seem to remember my teacher saying that once...I haven't had gum for a very long time since.


Other teachers make students scrape gum, but i make my classes put the gum on their noses!!!!!!

After their first offence nobody will chew gum in my class!

[Unregistered]

I see most posts (if not all others) are American schools. We have the same issues here in England. Unfortunately, I found, and I think most other teachers are finding. Rules against chewing gum may work, but there will always be some students who blatantly ignore the 'no gum' rules and chew anyway.

Many can be got with writing lines.
Someone else suggested suggested extra homework questions for gum chewers (great, because if they are not answered, you can put the said students for something that sounds more serious than 'student was chewing gum'.
Litter picking usually catches the remainder of gum chewers.

But there was one girl who I started teaching in Year 9 (I believe that's called third grade in the US -- third year of high school... they'll be 13 years old at the start of the year, 14 at the end). Where absolutely nothing I could think of would stop her chewing and snapping her gum.

In Year 10, I was unfortunate enough to have her in my class again. I ended up buying a second (out of my own money), so, there'd be two bins in the room. One bin in the usual place by the whiteboard, and one under my desk, that would I'd put on top of this girl's desk before every lesson she had with me; and that seemed to have no effect either.

Also, in our school, the sets stay the same from Year 10, to Year 11, so I had this girl in my class again, and I was starting to get somewhat frustrated by her. But, this time, I had the upper hand. Mock exams in December, combined with coursework and classwork since the start of Year 10. Her final exam grade was forecast below an 'E'. This being something of a problem, since in our school, all students sit the 'Higher-tier' paper, where the lowest grade is 'E'. This in turn meant, she was forecast to get a grade 'U' for GCSE English Language, and English Literature (Both, being must-have subjects in England).

With this, after the Winter break, after the last lesson on a rainy Monday afternoon. I got her to stay behind for a few minutes (with all of the rain it was proably better to be inside anyway). I explained to her that she probably wouldn't pass the exam at the end of the year; being the last year at school, a 'U' would stay with her for the rest of her life. Minus this one annoying habit of hers, she was otherwise, a very nice girl. Never answered back, never swore once. I promised, that I'd help her pass the exam, and help get her coursework up to a better quality, (since students are allowed to re-submit any number of times until they sit the exam in June). Of course, the help would come at a cost. I wouldn't help her, if she continued to snap her gum in class. The official line is that chewing gum in banned everywhere in the school, but I said I'd allow it, as long as she snap it, blow bubbles, or do whatever else with it.

Something sunk in, for the rest of the year, she was quiet. Across my classes, no chewing gum at all (except this one girl obviously). The exams came in June, and not only did she pass, she performed far better than predicted. Not passing with a grade 'E', but getting a 'C'.

Since passing, I believe she's gone right back to snapping her gum everywhere, so ti wasn't a long term solution, but it worked for a short few months, which I'd thought was something of a success. Now, I find that it's better to not make a fuss of students who are chewing quietly.

[Unregistered]

Chewing Gum is totally banned at our College - ANY teacher who sees anyone (including Parents) on the Campus Chewing gum they are asked to leave the College. We treat it as we do smoking - not on our campus!! This removes the problem totally. Problem solved.

[Unregistered]

Chewing Gum is totally banned at our College - ANY teacher who sees anyone (including Parents) on the Campus Chewing gum they are asked to leave the College. We treat it as we do smoking - not on our campus!! This removes the problem totally. Problem solved.

PS CHOCO (not from New Orleans) approval of course!!

[Unregistered]

I see most posts (if not all others) are American schools. We have the same issues here in England. Unfortunately, I found, and I think most other teachers are finding. Rules against chewing gum may work, but there will always be some students who blatantly ignore the 'no gum' rules and chew anyway.

Many can be got with writing lines.

But there was one girl who I started teaching in Year 9 (I believe that's called third grade in the US -- third year of high school... they'll be 13 years old at the start of the year, 14 at the end). Where absolutely nothing I could think of would stop her chewing and snapping her gum.

In Year 10, I was unfortunate enough to have her in my class again. I ended up buying a second (out of my own money), so, there'd be two bins in the room. One bin in the usual place by the whiteboard, and one under my desk, that would I'd put on top of this girl's desk before every lesson she had with me; and that seemed to have no effect either.

Also, in our school, the sets stay the same from Year 10, to Year 11, so I had this girl in my class again, and I was starting to get somewhat frustrated by her. But, this time, I had the upper hand. Mock exams in December, combined with coursework and classwork since the start of Year 10. Her final exam grade was forecast below an 'E'. This being something of a problem, since in our school, all students sit the 'Higher-tier' paper, where the lowest grade is 'E'. This in turn meant, she was forecast to get a grade 'U' for GCSE English Language, and English Literature (Both, being must-have subjects in England).

With this, after the Winter break, after the last lesson on a rainy Monday afternoon. I got her to stay behind for a few minutes (with all of the rain it was proably better to be inside anyway). I explained to her that she probably wouldn't pass the exam at the end of the year; being the last year at school, a 'U' would stay with her for the rest of her life. Minus this one annoying habit of hers, she was otherwise, a very nice girl. Never answered back, never swore once. I promised, that I'd help her pass the exam, and help get her coursework up to a better quality, (since students are allowed to re-submit any number of times until they sit the exam in June). Of course, the help would come at a cost. I wouldn't help her, if she continued to snap her gum in class. The official line is that chewing gum in banned everywhere in the school, but I said I'd allow it, as long as she snap it, blow bubbles, or do whatever else with it.

Something sunk in, for the rest of the year, she was quiet. Across my classes, no chewing gum at all (except this one girl obviously). The exams came in June, and not only did she pass, she performed far better than predicted. Not passing with a grade 'E', but getting a 'C'.

Since passing, I believe she's gone right back to snapping her gum everywhere, so ti wasn't a long term solution, but it worked for a short few months, which I'd thought was something of a success. Now, I find that it's better to not make a fuss of students who are chewing quietly.

You stated that many students could be made to comply with the no chewing gum rule by making them write lines. It seesm to me if you had made the girls write more and longer lines each time you caught her cheawing gum that she eventually would not chew gum. I think a nice long 4 or 5-line sentence to be written out 500 or even 1000 times would dissuade her form chewing gum in your class!

[Unregistered]

You should just get over it! Them kids in high school are going to do any thing they want and if they don't then they will quit school. But When they do it's all going to be the teachers fault because they didn't want their students chewing a piece a gum. on reason I think you teachers don't like gum is because kids smack all day in yor class room. JUST GET OVER IT!!!!!

[Unregistered]

I'm a 28 year old english teacher from SC. We have a tremendous problem with gum being put in places it's not supposed to be. I have had gum put in my chair on numerous occassions (Actually sat in it a couple of times, ruined 2 pairs of my favorite black pants) and had it put in my hair and other students hair. I have fairly long, bushy type hair, so it's not hard for someone to just come up and toss a big wad of gum into it. It never happens to any guys here, just girls, so I'm thinking it's a group of football players who keep doing it. I just hate coming to class knowing that someone is doing that. It's also all over the floor, so people step in it too. They are really good at hiding it, and they have somehow figured out just the perfect gum that will stick to anything, especially hair when tossed at a long distance. It's driving me insane. Any suggestions?



BTW, Administration has done nothing about it. NOTHING!

[Chocolate_New_Orleans]

I'm a 28 year old english teacher from SC. We have a tremendous problem with gum being put in places it's not supposed to be. I have had gum put in my chair on numerous occassions (Actually sat in it a couple of times, ruined 2 pairs of my favorite black pants) and had it put in my hair and other students hair. I have fairly long, bushy type hair, so it's not hard for someone to just come up and toss a big wad of gum into it. It never happens to any guys here, just girls, so I'm thinking it's a group of football players who keep doing it. I just hate coming to class knowing that someone is doing that. It's also all over the floor, so people step in it too. They are really good at hiding it, and they have somehow figured out just the perfect gum that will stick to anything, especially hair when tossed at a long distance. It's driving me insane. Any suggestions?

yes, take control of your classroom management

[Unregistered]

gum isn't going to kill us why do teachers get so friggin mad if we do?????

[Unregistered]

its no big deal how about u teahcers get over it and find something better to talk about

[Unregistered]

why on earth is this even a topic of discussion...gum? are you serious?

[Chocolate_New_Orleans]

why on earth is this even a topic of discussion...gum? are you serious?


it's not just 1 topic, there are approximately 4 gum topic threads that year in, and year out, get bumped back up to the top by an angry 13 y.o. who is venting about how unfair their life is because he had to spit his gum out. :rolleyes:

[Unregistered]

Well, when I was a teacher, if any student was caught chewing gum in my class they had to place the gum on their forehead. No child wants to sit through an entire class period with gum stuck to their forehead because it is an embarrasment. Once the students realized that this course of action would be taken and that I was serious, the gum chewing ceased. Except for the occasional times when students like to test your patience. But in this day and age if the child is mature enough to handle chewing gum and it is not a disruption to the class, i see no point in you stressing about it. It can't be more important than insuring the child recieves a proper education. Think about it.

[Chocolate_New_Orleans]

Although I LOVE the sticking the gum on the nose/forehead idea, truth is, it really isn't a viable option anymore as if/when a student refuses, it's not like you will get any backup from admin and parents.

Although, I did make MY kid do that in Target when she had a problem keeping it in her mouth. She doesn't have that problem anymore for some reason. :p;)

[Unregistered]

I know that you don't like it when students chew gum, but it has been proven that chewing gum actually helps students focus on their work. So I think that you should let them chew gum, but if they start to blow bubbles make them spit the gum out and to empty their pockets so you can take any packs of gum they may have.

I teach high school computer and business classes and do not allow students to chew gum and have a valid reason other than it being against school policy. Today, a student brought it to my attention that someone had put gum on one of the new monitors (installed last semester). Monday, I came to class and found the janitor/custodian, scraping gum off the floor. NO, gum chewing is not allowed.

[Unregistered]

I think students should be allowed to chew gum #1 i am a student #2 i am writing an essay about it so I am learning a lot of GOOD things about gum and how ahhh-mazing it really is and #3 it doesnt hurt you teachers that bad just get over it all ready its not like were doing that bad of things with it put a few rules with gum chewing in your class room and BAM kids liking u more as a teacher, u being respected more, and maybe even the students focusing and getting better grades in your class! Please try it!--thank u

[Unregistered]

My suggestion, offer a substitution. Hard candies, peppermints, Jolly Ranchers, etc. If it's really starting to bother you, pay for it out of your own pocket. If not so much, charge a nickel per candy or tell the students they can bring their own.

Students will be more apt to comply with a no tolerance policy for gum if you allow them an alternative. Hard candies aren't as noisy, messy, or noticeable. You'll likely forget they're even there.

As with any problem-- look for the individual, specific problems (analyze the situation). The problem is not "chewing gum". Chewing gum is creating other problems. Once you get to the root of the problem, you're more apt to find solutions.

[Chocolate_New_Orleans]

My suggestion, offer a substitution. Hard candies, peppermints, Jolly Ranchers, etc. If it's really starting to bother you, pay for it out of your own pocket. If not so much, charge a nickel per candy or tell the students they can bring their own.

Students will be more apt to comply with a no tolerance policy for gum if you allow them an alternative. Hard candies aren't as noisy, messy, or noticeable. You'll likely forget they're even there.

As with any problem-- look for the individual, specific problems (analyze the situation). The problem is not "chewing gum". Chewing gum is creating other problems. Once you get to the root of the problem, you're more apt to find solutions.

Yeah, and when people don't want to follow drug laws, instead of taking crack away with no substitution, cops should give crackheads pot. They should have to pay for it out of their own pocket too. Then, you'd have less crackheads.... Or maybe you'd end up with crackheads who smoke pot, too.

:rolleyes:

I love when kids think they know the answers to societies problems... rose tinted glasses must be a nice way to look at life

[Unregistered]

My teacher would make us put the gum on our nose until the end of the period. Or if we say no,,,, its a referl.
but i never did get cought.
:)
:O
:D

[Unregistered]

Gum is nice. :]

[Unregistered]

If your school doesn't allow gum chewing, then that is all there is to it. All I see in school now is students seeing how far they can push the limits. And today it is the inmates running the asylum. School is the only place that students learn at an early age discipline and etiquette - that lesson they take with them to job interviews and then the work place. It may seem like the world is one big place to 'goof off and have fun', but life rapidly changes after high school. Outside school, you can 'goof off', but school (like later the work place) is a place where respect, professionalism and ettiquette is required. The reason why students don't listen is because starting in the elementary schools, students are not held responsible for their actions. It can also become a problem in schools where the teachers are not teachers but are 'buddies'. If there is no hierarchy within the school, then students will consider their teachers at the same level as their piers.

[Unregistered]

I teach 9th and 10th in a private school and gum chewing has been a problem this year. As a staff we have started charging students $5 for each offense and 0.50 per day interest on unpaid offenses. While this has stopped most of the gum chewing, I have opened it up for my students who insist that they should be able to chew gum to attend the school board meeting. I have told them that the board made the rules and if they want it abolished then they need to put together a proposal and take it to the board. The board is meeting next week and I am interested to see if my students have taken up the challenge.

[Unregistered]

is like there any one ho could help me get my students to stop chewing gum

You can take the gum out of there mouths , and make them put it on there face ,and if they do it again then drop it on the floor and make them eat it.

[Unregistered]

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[Unregistered]

[QUOTE=Unregistered;2292]I don't mind gum if it is chewed in a quiet manner with the mouth closed. However, I have had 2 incidents that have made me try to get rid of it. One, we had a Christmas party and a student put her gum on the relish tray. These are high school. Two, I sat down in a big wad of gum that was in my desk chair. The only way it got there was for a student to put it there. It was a big mess. It is distracting and unprofessional to chew gum in my cosmetology class. It can end up in the customer's hair or face. I agree that some of the writing on this thread is not good. I sincerely hope it is not teacher material.[/QU

Yeay dog thats how we do. Gum chewin is in the hizzle my nizzle. The them ganstas chew.

[Unregistered]

I am a gum chewer myself--a middle school teacher. I have always let my students chew gum with the understanding that it is a privilege. I don't want to see them blowing bubbles or chomping on it like a cow.

I find chewing gum under my desks all the time. That proves that kids do it, whether allowed to chew in the classroom or not.

The other day, while drinking my coffee, I found chewing gum in it. We had been playing a game--during cleanup, I believe, the girl placed it in my coffee cup, which was sitting on my desk. Another student told a teacher. The same teacher also overheard two girls talking.

I was told by the principal that after interrogating her (and the boy who spit in my coffee), it was not through malice but simply that she and the boy thought it would be funny. I have to get tested now for hep B and C and HIV, as do both students. Both were given ten days O.S.S. Really funny.

Starting Monday, I can no longer allow gum in my classroom. Once you receive three checkmarks next to your name, it will be a referral. Sorry. My health is now on the line due to allowing kids to chew gum. It could have happened even if I didn't allow it. I know that. Doesn't matter.

Kids have such disregard for other people's rights. They don't appreciate privileges when you give them to the students. I never wanted to be a gum Nazi but now I have to be. And no more drinks on my desk. If I pass out from dehydration, oh well. Better that than spit (there could have been blood in it) in my beverage.

Girls like her grow up to spit in customers' food and drinks, spit in their employers' drinks, etc. I realize kids chew gum every day and follow the rules. You have to determine what works best for you and your classroom. It doesn't make you a hypocrite to chew gum and not let them do it. You are the adult. You went to college for four to six years. You have earned the right to chew because you know better than to put your gum under desks, on the floor, in plant pots, and in people's drinks. Clearly, many of them have not.

[Arvel Mic]

Chewing gum is a type of confectionery which is designed to be chewed instead of swallowed. Traditionally, it was made of chicle, a natural latex product, although for reasons of economy and quality many modern chewing gums use petroleum-based polymers instead of chicle. Chicle is nonetheless still the base of choice for some regional markets, such as in Japan.

Sugarless Chewing Gum (http://www.buyzapp.com)