6 Year Old Talking Non-stop in Class

Here's how my son's teacher has handled this:

She had him read the book "My Mouth is a Volcano" by Julia Cook
She has a stuffed animal that he can whisper to
He can write his thoughts down.
If all else fails it's time out with his head down on the desk.

She also changes the seating layout from time to time to break up "chatty friends".

They need to find other stuff to keep him busy and interested. If he completes everything he is to do and is just sitting there twiddling his thumbs while the others complete their tasks he is going to talk. Have them give him older kids stuff to do, such as works sheets etc. Don't make it homework but make it something for him to do.

Intelligence has nothing to do with maturity, it sounds as if he hasn't learned that there are times to talk and times to not and that he is to follow directions of his teacher. Everything has been tried, what has been consistent? If he has time to talk is there something he could do to take up his time? Has the teacher moved his seat to where it would be hard for him to talk, like right next to her desk? Do his consequences carry over into his home life, say, talking during class = no TV or early bedtime or loss of a special privilege? Have you gone to the school and sat in the class to see what he is doing? I did with my daughter in 2nd grade and worked out a plan together with her teacher, she stopped within the week.

He's bored. The teacher needs to challenge him. He's not going to sit quietly during class if he's bored. Maybe he could go to a second grade class for some subjects to he is challenged.

Sorry if I am a repeat, but he sounds bored and anxious. Maybe he needs to skip a grade??

My first grader does the same thing and like yours, is advanced for his grade level. Boy do I wish his teacher could read these answers! Good luck! These people are right on the money! :)

My goodness I could have written this about my son about 4 years ago now. He's a third grader and does do better. Heck his teacher in kindergarten had a thing where she'd send a green square, for good behavior, yellow square, for having problems that day or red square, for the child requiring some sort of intervention or punishment that day, home daily so we'd be more informed. He always got an N for controlling his emotions and self on his report card. It was so frustrating!

Well we just worked on it and worked on it. We saw that he was naughtier during station time so we came up with a plan that she'd be close by during station time. Basically we figured out that boredom was a huge problem and he wasn't challenged. Also he loved computer time. If he didn't get a green square the day before he wasn't eligible for computer stations that day. That made a huge difference in him. He still loves computers too much.

In first grade they started to divide the kids up based upon where they were. The 4 teachers would kinda circulate and in the main subjects they'd have different difficulty levels. That helped alot. He was always put at the highest level so he'd be at least a little challenged in everything. Reading he was already at a fourth grade level though and there was only 1 other child that was... so that class remained a problem but we just worked on it.

But what I really recommend is keeping in constant communication with the teacher, get a plan and make sure you son understands it and understands what his ramifications will be for his actions, Make sure he is kept busy and at his level. If they are presenting him with stuff that is easy my son I found misbehaved a ton more.

This year so far he's gotten all 1's and only one quarter did he get an N for controlling his behavior. I know to alot that isn't perfect but going from getting red and yellow squares constantly in Kindergarten to never even getting calls and only once getting a note this year is fantastic in my book. I'm hoping 4th grade is even better. I think alot of it is pry just time and consistency. But know you aren't alone. There are other moms dealing with this. hugs!

He is probably bored. But the other suggestions you have been given are also very good. It is not good to advance these highly intelligent kids- they need to be in social situations with their cohorts.

My chatty boy is at a table by himself. He likes it that way and doesn't feel isolated.
Good Luck

Hi D.,

Is it possible that where he is seated or who he is paired with who instigates the talking? Perhaps he should be moved to another seat or placed at the end of a row. Is he only talking non-stop or is there something else he is doing? When you say acting up what does that mean? Another idea for behavior management in the classroom would be for you and the teacher to start a daily reward program. You or the teacher can give the reward at the end of the school day (whatever you both decide) but that he must meet certain requirements in regards to talking in class or other things. Your son's teacher should know how to handle this because clearly its a behavior he's exhibiting. Meet with your son's teacher and work this through because getting notes everyday is not helping your son. You all as a team have to work at this if it really is an issue. My son had one and it worked great. There was a form we made up with three goals and he got a sticker for each part of the day (or activity that went smoothly). He brought the form home at the end of the day so we saw how his day went. This way we were able to encourage him with his successes and talk about what he could do better if he had a problem (very calmly). Always ending with, tomorrow will be a new day. He received the reward from us (usually a very small lego toy or a $1.00 toy). Good luck and thank goodness it is near the end of the school year!

Sounds to me like he is bored. Is he allowed to read his own books when his work is done? Can he use a classroom computer when his work is done? Or can the teacher challenge him with harder work? We had the same issue with my son too. Now if the computer is free and he is done with his work he can use it as a reward. And he is the only kid in his class allowed to bring in books from home to read when his work is done. Lucky for us he loves to read so that helps reduce his talking.

Talk seriously with the teacher. If that doesn't help, talk with the principal. It's great that your son isn't timid! But a student who finds something interesting to do or to learn doesn't talk non-stop. Assuming that your son is not just being mischievous, could he be given some extra "challenges" to keep his mind occupied? It sounds to me as if he may need that.

The teacher needs to handle it during class. You can talk to him at home about it, but what else can you do?

I would have a conference with the teacher and TOGETHER you can come up with a plan. And then explain it to your child when you are both there.

My daughter was like that in first grade. She wasn't bored because she needed to move up a grade, quite the contrary! She talked because she didn't understand what was going on and decided to stop paying attention. So then she'd goof off. So it's not always the kids who need to move up a grade.

Your son just needs to know what to do instead of talking. It might be paying attention to the teacher, it may be sitting at his desk and keeping his attention to himself. If he's finished with his work, then he needs something to do rather than just sit at his desk. Some kids are more squirmy than others and need things to do constantly. The teacher should help with this.

Have you sat down with his teacher about it?? If not then I would and you can work as a team to find him something to do in class if he is done with his work and simply just bored. If you don't figure it out now, it will only get worse as the grades go on and someone will want to label him ADD (which his isn't he is just being a 6yr old!!). But the teacher can give him extra work, a 'job' in the classroom like putting papers together or cleaning the chalk/white board, etc.

Spring Fever. The teacher needs to engage his mind more. He sounds bored. I would just wait it out. There are only a few weeks left of the school year.

The teacher needs to be the one disciplining him for this 100%. For you to be doing it it makes him think the teacher has no authority. So she needs to be the one to deal with it and do it in her own way. That way he sees her as the authority figure at school.

My kindergarten son was very worried and anxious all year. It wasn't until the next year, when he was skipped from 1st to 2nd grade, that he relaxed and became his usual happy self.

Perhaps your child is gifted and bored out of his mind, and this is his way of showing it?

I agree with Gamma G, you should definitely try to observe him in the classsroom. Is he talking TO other kids who may be distracting him or getting him in trouble, or is he talking to himself such as singing, humming, or narrating everything?
My son is like this because of his ADHD. He thinks of questions like What if? and Why? or adds sound effects to his motions. It doesn't just happen at school, but at home too. He stands between his dad and the TV and talks rapidly. Then he wanders to another room in mid-sentence, and keeps on talking even though no one else is in the room. When he enters a room, instead of saying hello, he sings "I hate you". It's kind of like a nervous habit.
For kindergarten, he had trouble sitting still during quiet time, so I would send books from home to keep him occupied. They'd try to make sure he got plenty of exercise during recess, or take breaks out of class to help him settle down at the right times. He had a folder of extra worksheets, mazes, or art projects he could work on independently if he finished all his work before the rest of the class. I reminded the teachers that sometimes his excessive talking was worse when he needed to go to the bathroom.
Finally, in 2nd grade he was spending days at a time in the office, so we tried ADHD meds, It's like a volume control switch! He can still have his ideas going, but he's able to stop himself from saying them all out loud.