Consequences for Being a Class Clown

Why do you believe you need a negative consequence? All the class clowns I grew up with have become productive members of society with children of their own.

Teach him time and place and also try to harness those powers for good. Get him involved in a children's comedy club or theatre group, for example. My SD used to get in so much trouble for riling up the class and she did eventually learn to chill out. One thing we did (she was 8 at the time) was sit her down and talk to her about time/place for behaviors and ask her to help come up with her own consequences for getting a note sent home. When he's home, practice teaching him when a joke is "done". If he cracks up the dinner table, you can say, "That one joke was enough. Eat your broccoli." So you acknowledge that he's funny but there's still stuff to be done.

Where is the teacher in all of this? If this behavior is happening at school, the time to strike the iron is when it's hot! Not hours after he's disrupted class and the punishment no longer has an affect or connection to his actions. So while I'm not usually one who thinks teachers should be disciplinarians, in a case such as this, I think she needs to exact the consequences...such as having him write on the board 100 times "I won't disrupt class", sitting in the corner, or off to the principals office, or whatever schools are doing these days for such things.

I'd find out what teach is doing or thinks should be done, if anything at all and take it from there. Perhaps the two of you can collaborate on how this will be handled next time.

As for your part outside of school, I think explaining to him frankly that no one takes a fool seriously is in order...not punishment. He's probably too young to understand that people's impressions are hard to break once one develops a label, and unless he wants to be not taken seriously by the teachers, called the class idiot, bullied, or ostracized without friends, he might want to find a better way to make friends and gain the respect of his peers.

I suspect he's doing it to win the approval of his peers and to make friends. Is he having a hard time breaking the ice at school or fitting in? Or maybe he's not doing so well in class academically and feels he needs to do this to pull focus from that? No way to know unless you talk with him about it. Perhaps talk with him and get his side of the story as to why he feels the need to do this and you can work with him to find ways to build his confidence.

This is going to be the worst answer ever but start saying he is sorry and pour on the manners. My oldest was god awful with the joking but his teachers loved him because he was so polite about it. Crazy I know.

I used to laugh at his report cards. A delight to have in the class in the comments with the speaks at inappropriate times checked.

For the record he is now a viable member of society so I don't believe any harm came to him in the long run.

Let him know where he can be funny (i.e. playground, lunchroom, after school, etc) and make sure he knows that he may not interrupt or disrupt the class.

He may be the next Jay Leno!

Ha! Looking forward to your answers because I have O. of those myself.
In his 3rd year of grade school, some teachers "get" my kid--others don't.
I'd rather have my son remain an individual with a personality than have the individuality sucked out of him by a "shushing, keep your voice at zero, straight line walking crazy teacher (sorry, teachers, but--really? Over the top at times.)
It's a fine line to walk in grade school, apparently--keeping your humor whilst obeying the (sometimes ridiculous) rules.
(And I agree with Jo about making sure he is respectful and polite!)

Well, my daughter was quite funny. Not exactly the "class clown" because she was subtle about it, but I always knew when I got the "look" from her teacher when I picked her up from school.
For instance, they were learning about words that describe things. One by one, the teacher asked the kids to say something that was soft, bumpy, squishy, pretty. She asked my daughter to name something ugly and she said, "My mom's hair in the morning." Of course all the kids busted up laughing. My daughter was full of zippy answers. Her teachers often told me they had to turn their backs to the class for a minute so the kids wouldn't see their own reactions and temptation to laugh.
Look, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a sense of humor. However, there is a time and a place for it. If your son is just funny, that's one thing and I don't know that there should be a negative consequence. Now, if he's getting up and running around the class flapping his arms like a maniac for a laugh, that's something else all together.
It sounds like the teacher is working on things in class. If I were you, I would just reinforce what the teacher is doing if it's helping him to see that he doesn't have to be funny to be liked or to get attention, etc. There's a time to be serious and pay attention to the teacher and his work.
Explain to your son that the teacher has a job to do and it's difficult if someone is goofing off all the time. It's not polite.
Unless the positive reinforcements fail to work or his behavior gets worse, I don't know that you necessarily need a negative consequence at home. Home should be where he can get his "silly" out of his system so he can tone it down in class.

That's just my opinion. Heaven knows he could be doing much worse things.

Best wishes.

I think its appropriate to take away something "fun" at home - because he's already had his "fun" at school.

A toy, or TV, something he will really notice but only for a set amount of time. For example, no TV for that day, or no toy for that day.

Also, if you havent already, tell him that it is WONDERFUL that he is funny but that there is a time and place for everything. Tell jokes and be funny on the playground, at lunch, at home.... NOT when it disrupts other people's ability to learn or behave properly. Tell him that he is NOT being a good friend by doing those behaviors. It can cause his friends to have trouble learning, and also might get them in trouble with the teacher too.

Good luck with your little funny man! :)

Riley J said it perfectly...ditto!

What does the teacher do besides the book? Have you both told him when it would be appropriate to share his jokes and fooling around? I feel sorry for the students who are struggling academically and have to lose instruction time while he is joking and the teacher is placing all her attention on him. I would have him earn TV time, game time or some treat by bringing home a note or the book that proves he saved his jokes for lunch, recess, snack time, bus time. Instead of constantly telling him to not joke, tell him when to joke-assuming his jokes are appropriate and arent hurting anyone's feelings. Most kids this age like to laugh at other's mistakes or shortcomings