Latest / Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies / 254. Why Your Students Get Chatty During Transitions (And How to Stop It)

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254. Why Your Students Get Chatty During Transitions (And How to Stop It) · Teacher Approved: Elementary Teacher Tips & Strategies

0:00
Heidi: This is episode 254 of Teacher Approved.
0:04
You're listening to Teacher Approved, the podcast helping
0:09
educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I'm
0:13
Heidi.
0:13
Emily: And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story
0:17
Window, where we give research based and teacher approved
0:20
strategies that make teaching less stressful and more
0:22
effective. You can check out the show notes and resources from
0:26
each episode at secondstorywindow.net.
0:28
Heidi: We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to
0:31
the show.
0:36
Emily: Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's
0:40
episode, we are sharing tips for how to tame the chatter before,
0:44
during, and after transitions, and we've got a teacher approved
0:47
tip that is perfect for spring fever.
0:49
Heidi: But let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we share
0:53
a quick win that you can try in your classroom right away.
0:55
Emily, what is our suggestion for this week?
0:57
Emily: This is one of those low-effort, high-impact moves
1:01
that can shift the whole feel of your classroom. So when
1:04
something goes sideways, like there's a conflict at recess, or
1:07
someone is very upset about whose pencil case is whose, you
1:11
start by validating the emotions before moving on to problem
1:14
solving. Something like, it sounds like that felt really
1:17
frustrating. Or, tell me what happened from your side. That
1:21
can do a ton for helping students be receptive to
1:25
solutions.
1:26
Heidi: And that makes total sense. I know I am much more
1:29
interested in listening to someone when I feel like I have
1:32
been heard first. So that is your try it tomorrow. Lead with
1:36
feelings. And if you are finding that helpful, or anything else
1:40
we share here on the podcast, would you take a second to leave
1:43
us a five star rating and review? It means a lot, and it
1:47
helps other teachers find our show.
1:49
All right. The topic of today's episode came straight out of our
1:53
Quiet Your Chatty Class Challenge. We heard from a lot
1:57
of teachers during that challenge, and one of the things
1:59
that kept coming up over and over was talking during
2:03
transitions.
2:05
Emily: Which, on paper, seems like it shouldn't be that big of
2:07
a deal, right? You're just moving from point A to point B.
2:10
How hard can it be?
2:13
Heidi: Oh, famous last words. That's because there is nothing
2:17
simple about shifting two dozen kids from one activity to the
2:21
next, while simultaneously managing behavior, time, and all
2:24
of their materials.
2:26
Emily: And even when you are paying your closest attention,
2:28
you cannot see everything that's happening. There's always
2:31
something going on that you're not quite catching, and students
2:34
know this. Whether they mean to or not, they will exploit those
2:38
gaps.
2:40
Heidi: Bless their hearts. So think about coming in from
2:43
recess. You know how it goes. Some kids are putting away the
2:46
jump ropes and the basketballs. Someone is dumping wood chips
2:49
out of their shoe and onto the floor. There's an argument at
2:53
the drinking fountain. Three other kids are about to brawl
2:55
over how the game of tag ended. And you know, somehow you're
2:59
supposed to be ready to start math in three minutes.
3:02
Emily: Those darling children have flooded into the room like
3:05
a burst pipe. Their energy goes everywhere at once, and there's
3:08
no containing it once it's already in motion.
3:11
Heidi: That is the core of today's episode. If you want to
3:15
tame the talking during transitions, you can't respond
3:19
to the chaos after it starts, you have to design the
3:22
transition so that the chaos doesn't even have room to get
3:24
going.
3:25
Emily: We have talked a lot about, it's an understatement, a
3:30
lot, but we have talked a lot about how to build a solid
3:34
transition from the ground up. So episodes 48, 49, and 50 are
3:37
our full deep dive on that. And I promise you, it is worth a
3:41
listen. We covered how to give clear directions, how to time
3:44
them, how to use signals and cues, how to make sure students
3:48
understand what's expected from start to finish, all of the
3:52
things that make a transition efficient.
3:55
Heidi: Yeah, there is so much to cover. We had to do it in three
3:59
episodes. We didn't start out that way, but once we got in
4:02
there, oh no, we can't do this in one go. So if you want the
4:05
foundation, go back to those. But what we're doing today is
4:08
more specific. We're looking at what you can do before, during,
4:12
and after a transition to minimize those side
4:15
conversations that are giving you so many headaches.
4:17
Emily: So let's zoom back a little bit and look at the
4:20
bigger picture. The way you frame your transition determines
4:23
everything. If you as the teacher, are unclear in your
4:26
directions, you're basically inviting students to talk before
4:29
anyone has even stood up.
4:31
Heidi: Yeah, uncertainty creates conversation. When the kids
4:34
don't know exactly what to do, obviously they're going to ask
4:37
each other.
4:38
Emily: Which is helpful, in theory, but when a few students
4:41
ask their neighbors to clarify what to do, it creates a buzz.
4:44
And humans are impressionable creatures. We go along with what
4:48
the rest of the group is doing. This is something called social
4:51
contagion. So when three or four kids ask a quiet question,
4:55
everyone else picks up the unconscious signal that this is
4:58
chatting time.
4:59
Heidi: Yeah. There are probably, you know, a couple of legitimate
5:02
questions going on, but realistically, 80% of the
5:05
talking is probably not related to the task at hand. So the
5:09
first move to curb talking is just removing that uncertainty.
5:14
Go through your instructions step by step, and then add the
5:17
extra support of including a visual.
5:19
Emily: This could be a slide or a list on the board. Bonus
5:23
points if you add photos or icons to really make your
5:25
expectations clear, but the goal is just to provide something
5:28
students can reference as they move. If students can figure out
5:32
what to do by themselves, they don't need to consult their
5:34
neighbor.
5:35
Heidi: If your transition requires getting out or putting
5:38
away materials, you can minimize the talking by having everything
5:42
set up beforehand.
5:43
Emily: Yeah. So just imagine yourself as a wedding
5:46
coordinator trying to get 300 guests through the buffet line
5:49
quickly but elegantly. If things are hard to reach or not clearly
5:54
labeled, that line is going to crawl. But if everything is laid
5:56
out where people can see it, grab it and move on, the whole
6:00
thing flows, and everyone stays happy and fed.
6:03
Heidi: Yes. And that same idea works in your classroom. If
6:07
students need to grab a piece of paper, take the stack of papers
6:10
off the shelf before the transition starts, and set it on
6:13
the counter or out where it's easy to reach, so they don't
6:15
have to, like, reach their arms into a shelf or a cubby. And if
6:19
everyone has to return their Cuisenaire rods after math, have
6:22
the bin placed where everyone can just drop them in and keep
6:25
moving.
6:26
Emily: Okay, so now the steps are posted. The materials are
6:29
easy to access. Now you have to actually give your directions.
6:33
Now the problem here is when students start moving before
6:37
they've heard everything you said, oh, it just drives me
6:39
crazy when they do this.
6:43
Heidi: You know, you start listing what you want them to
6:46
do, and before you finish the sentence, half the class is
6:49
already in motion based on what they think you're about to say.
6:52
And then you've got 18 kids asking what page you're supposed
6:55
to turn to, because they did not wait for the end.
6:57
Emily: Oh, so frustrating. But there is a fix, and that is to
7:01
use something called an action cue. And we did talk about this
7:04
in our transition episodes, but it's worth revisiting here,
7:07
because it is so vital. The idea is that you preface your
7:10
directions with the phrase that tells students exactly when to
7:14
stop listening and start moving.
7:15
Heidi: So my action cue was always, when I say go. I'm
7:19
pretty sure that this is something I picked up during my
7:21
PE methods class, but I adopted it in my classroom because it's
7:26
so useful. Instead of saying, Get out your math book and turn
7:30
to page 86, you say, when I say go, I want you to get out your
7:33
math book and turn to page 86. And then you pause, make sure
7:36
everyone is paying attention. And then you say, go.
7:39
Emily: And this really does make such a difference. That cue
7:43
signals to students that they need to hold on and listen for
7:47
the whole thing before they do anything. And when kids aren't
7:50
trying to predict what you want, they actually listen, which
7:54
means they don't have to ask a neighbor what to do.
7:56
Heidi: Now, your action cue is a place where you can add in a
7:59
little bit of fun. I used go as my standard, but you can use any
8:03
word you want. Try something seasonal or something silly,
8:06
like when I say gingerbread, or when I say touchdown.
8:09
Emily: Now, if you are a longtime listener, Hello, we're
8:11
glad you're here, you may remember that when we talk about
8:15
teacher attention signals, which is the prompt that you use to
8:18
get your class's attention, we specifically don't recommend
8:22
switching that up. The goal of an attention signal is to create
8:25
a reflexive response. So when students hear 123 eyes on me,
8:30
they respond, drop whatever is in their hands and turn to face
8:34
you. They don't even have to think about it.
8:37
Heidi: And the structure of that signal is very important, but a
8:41
transition action cue does something a little different. We
8:45
want students brains to perk up a little bit and pay closer
8:48
attention. So that's where novelty can be your friend.
8:51
Emily: Yeah, when I say go is reliable, but if you really want
8:55
to make sure they're listening to every word, give them
8:58
something unexpected. If you say, when I bock like a chicken,
9:03
I want you to come to the carpet with your notebook, you can bet
9:07
that they will be very tuned into what you're saying.
9:09
Heidi: I'm much more invested now.
9:11
Emily: I will not be demonstrating my chicken bocking
9:14
today. I'm sorry.
9:18
Heidi: This is an easy way to add spark and boost engagement
9:21
at the same time. I used to do this thing where I would trick
9:24
them, so they would be waiting for me to say go, and I would
9:27
start a word that sounded like it, go-pher. And half the class
9:32
would start moving, and the other half would be like, Oh,
9:34
sit down. She said gopher she said, gopher, sit back down. So
9:36
then everyone sits back down. We go again. Ready? Ghost! And
9:42
they're laughing and I'm laughing, you know, but by this
9:45
point, every single student is hanging on every word.
9:48
Emily: Yeah, because now the routine feels like a game.
9:52
Heidi: Exactly. And sometimes I would really drag this on. Goes,
9:57
goal, gold, goat, going, that was a good one. And then I would
10:03
finally whisper, go. And they thought that was the funniest.
10:08
And I know I sound like I'm belaboring this point, but that
10:10
20 seconds bought me a class that was completely on task and
10:15
enjoying themselves at the same time.
10:17
Emily: This is one of those things, though, that loses
10:19
impact if you do it every time, but every once in a while, it's
10:23
a really easy way to create a moment of shared fun right
10:25
before a transition. And also, I think it's a good thing to
10:28
deploy when you notice that the kids aren't paying attention. So
10:31
this is a good way to get them to pay attention.
10:33
Heidi: Exactly. Okay, so now the materials are laid out. You've
10:37
listed the steps on the board, and the kids are waiting for
10:40
your go signal. Already, you are doing a lot to curb the side
10:44
talking. But one more thing you might want to add is a quick
10:47
pause.
10:49
Emily: Here's how you might layer it into your directions.
10:52
When I say go, I want you to put away your writing and walk
10:55
quickly and quietly to your first center. The steps are
10:58
listed on the board if you're not sure what to do, but let's
11:01
run through them again. Close your eyes and imagine yourself
11:03
putting your writing notebook inside your desk. Then you're
11:06
standing up quietly, tucking in your chair, walking to your
11:09
center, taking out your folder. Let's take two deep breaths, and
11:14
when you're ready, you can go.
11:15
Heidi: We talked about this mental rehearsal back in episode
11:19
247 and it's a great way to ensure kids feel confident about
11:22
exactly what to do. Plus that little mindfulness pause makes
11:27
sure everyone is feeling more grounded and present. You have
11:30
channeled some of their excess energy, so hopefully there's
11:34
less of a drive to chat as they move.
11:36
Emily: And again, this is not something that you're going to
11:38
need to do every time that you transition, but if you have
11:43
fall apart, or something that's got multiple steps, or a
11:46
different transition than you usually do, that might be the
11:49
perfect time to deploy that strategy.
11:52
Okay, so you've set up the transition like a pro, and now
11:55
the kids are actually moving. Once students are up and going,
11:58
their nervous systems are more alert. If there's any friction
12:01
in the environment, that energy can escalate fast.
12:03
Heidi: Yeah, I learned this the hard way, very early in my
12:07
teaching career. Gather around, folks. It's story time. I was
12:12
being observed by my college professor. It's one of those
12:15
formal student teaching observations. And I was wrapping
12:18
up my lesson by explaining the assignment, which was a
12:21
worksheet about the picture book Tops and Bottoms. So I explained
12:25
what to do, and I sent them to grab their papers off the
12:27
counter before going back to their seats.
12:29
Emily: Uh-oh.
12:30
Heidi: Yeah. The chaos that followed is completely
12:32
predictable. You can imagine how it went. Kids pushing past each
12:36
other, arms snaking through the crowd to reach the papers on the
12:39
counter, the kids at the back pushing in the kids at the
12:43
front, so that when they had their papers, they couldn't get
12:47
Emily: And I could just picture your professor back there just
12:47
out of the way. And then everyone was worked up before
12:47
they could even start the assignment.
12:55
writing this all down on your evaluation.
12:58
Heidi: Oh yeah, oh yeah, Dr. Bushman, I can still see him
13:01
back in the back of my room. And during the debrief afterward, he
13:05
asked me if I thought there was anything I could have done
13:07
differently with paper distribution. And I so clearly
13:11
remember thinking, huh, paper distribution? It had never even
13:15
encouraged me that that was a problem, let alone a solvable
13:18
one. I just thought that's how it worked.
13:20
Emily: Yeah, there are so many transition moments like that
13:24
where we've just accepted the chaos as unavoidable, rather
13:27
than realizing that we designed it to be chaotic.
13:32
Heidi: Right. And there really are so many things I could have
13:35
done. I could have dismissed a few kids at a time to grab their
13:39
papers. I could have had the five table captains grabbed the
13:41
papers for their tables while everyone else went to their
13:43
seats. I could have set stacks of papers on each table while
13:46
the kids were moving to the carpet.
13:48
Emily: Once you recognize that the goal is to prevent
13:50
bottlenecks, there are so many possible solutions. If the
13:53
turn-in basket is sitting right next to the stack of notebooks
13:56
students need to pick up, you've just created a traffic jam at
13:59
that spot. Spread stuff out, move the notebooks to a
14:03
different table for that transition.
14:05
Heidi: Yeah, even if you don't want to store them there
14:07
permanently, just move them when everyone needs them. And it
14:10
makes everything so much easier.
14:12
Emily: And in almost every situation, when the whole class
14:15
needs to move at once, you want to stagger it. Dismiss a row or
14:19
a table at a time, instead of everyone together.
14:21
Heidi: And this is another place you can add some fun. Everyone
14:24
wearing blue can go, everyone who has a dog at home, everyone
14:27
who likes root beer, everyone with the letter L in their name.
14:30
Emily: Just be prepared to arbitrate decisions. Does this
14:34
bit of blue on my shoelace count? What if I have an L in my
14:38
last name?
14:38
Heidi: Why? Why is it that they care so much about rules that
14:42
don't matter and they just, ugh. But staggering how many students
14:46
move at once limits the opportunities for side
14:50
conversations that turn into actual disruptions.
14:53
Emily: One place this might be especially helpful is at the
14:56
doorway when students are returning from recess or lunch
14:58
or specials, try meeting them at the door, and think of it as
15:02
providing an energetic roadblock.
15:05
Heidi: Yeah, you're helping them center before they bring in all
15:08
of their excess energy into the room for your math lesson. So
15:11
stand at the door, smile, let them see that you are glad to
15:15
see them again.
15:16
Emily: Even if you could use an extra 10 minutes of peace and
15:19
quiet. And then you run through your expectations and send in a
15:23
few students at a time.
15:25
Heidi: And I know it sounds like this would slow things down, but
15:27
really, it almost always speeds things up. Instead of the whole
15:31
class piling in at once and taking forever to settle, you
15:34
are sending in calm, smaller groups who actually can just
15:38
dive in and get started.
15:39
Emily: And if you really want to set up a transition for calm,
15:42
one of the easiest things you can do is to think about the
15:45
sensory environment. What students see, hear, and feel,
15:49
can either give their nervous system a cue to ramp up or to
15:52
stay regulated.
15:53
Heidi: So one thing you might want to try is adjusting the
15:55
lighting. If you have control over that, you know, you could
15:58
lower some of the blinds or turn off one of the light panels,
16:00
just, you know, don't go full dark, or then they'll end up
16:03
screaming.
16:04
Emily: Yes. And add some music. It's so easy. Just go with
16:09
relaxing instrumentals, not fun pop songs, even if kids would
16:13
prefer the pop songs. Plus music fills the silence, so it seems
16:17
like there's less need for talking.
16:19
Heidi: And we actually have a Spotify playlist specifically
16:22
for this. It's called Teacher Approved Calming Piano, and we
16:27
will put a link to it in the show notes so it is there
16:29
whenever you need it.
16:31
Emily: All right. Good news everyone, your students have
16:33
successfully moved quickly and quietly. Now comes the third
16:37
part.
16:39
Heidi: I bet you thought your transition was done, but you've
16:42
still got one of the most important moments. After the
16:45
transition ends and before the next activity begins. This is
16:49
probably where most of the talking happens, and it's also
16:52
the most preventable.
16:53
Emily: So you had all that momentum of the students getting
16:56
where they needed to go, and then nothing They're waiting for
17:00
you to get started, or for the last few stragglers to arrive.
17:04
And as we all know, a student with nothing to do will always,
17:08
always find something to do.
17:10
Heidi: And that something probably won't be the thing you
17:13
want them to be doing. So every transition needs a landing pad.
17:17
This is an independent activity that can start the moment the
17:20
transition ends without needing any help from you.
17:23
Emily: We actually have a whole section about landing pads in
17:27
our upcoming book, Structure and Spark, which is available for
17:30
pre order now.
17:31
Heidi: Woo hoo.
17:32
Emily: Because it's one of those things that seems unimportant
17:34
but makes an enormous difference to how your whole day flows. The
17:38
landing pad fills the gap between transition is over and
17:42
instruction begins.
17:43
Heidi: It's how you capture attention immediately, so you
17:47
never have the hassle of trying to compete with 25 little
17:50
different side adventures going on. You just get everyone
17:53
involved in the same task so it's easy to switch gears when
17:56
you're ready to go.
17:57
Emily: And it doesn't have to be academic. After recess, a
18:00
landing pad could absolutely be silent reading or free drawing.
18:04
When students rotate to a new center, maybe the expectation is
18:07
that they start a task card while the rest of the group gets
18:10
settled. The goal is just that every student has a purpose the
18:13
second they arrive.
18:15
Heidi: Even if that purpose is just playing the quiet game.
18:17
When you're choosing landing pads, consider what comes next.
18:21
A landing pad that connects to the next activity is ideal, if
18:24
you can manage that. So if you're heading into math, use a
18:26
quick math warm up. Moving into writing, you can have your
18:29
students open their notebooks and start drafting story ideas.
18:33
Emily: And also take into account where the transition
18:35
ends. If students are at desks, written work makes sense. If
18:38
they'll be at the carpet, maybe it's a calm game or reading
18:41
aloud from a joke book.
18:43
Heidi: Because you as the teacher usually have your own
18:45
tasks to do during a transition. You know, like setting up for
18:49
the next lesson, the best landing pad is always one that
18:52
students can run on their own. The last thing you need is to be
18:56
managing the landing pad at the same time you're trying to do
18:59
everything else.
18:59
Emily: And now you just let them finish this round of the quiet
19:02
game before stepping in and starting your read aloud.
19:05
Everyone is paying attention and ready to go without any extra
19:07
work from you.
19:09
Heidi: And look at that. We did it. We got one activity cleaned
19:12
up, moved everyone quickly and quietly to a new location, and
19:15
now we're ready for the next thing.
19:17
Emily: Phew. Efficient transitions require a ton of
19:20
strategy, but we promise you have got this, and it gets so
19:24
easy the more you do it, you just do it naturally after you
19:27
have learned how to do this right.
19:29
Heidi: Yes. So start by considering what happens before,
19:32
during and after each transition. Reduce uncertainty
19:36
by posting the steps, organizing materials, and using a centering
19:40
pause. During the transition. plan your traffic flow, stagger
19:43
movement, set a calm sensory environment, and reduce idle
19:47
time after. Have a landing pad ready and waiting before the
19:51
transition starts.
19:53
Emily: The idea running through all these strategies is the
19:55
same. We want to design our transitions so that talking
19:59
doesn't even have a place to start.
20:02
Heidi: And if you would like some extra help for taming the
20:04
chattiness, we have a resource made exactly for this. It's
20:08
called the Quiet Class Quest. Some of you have tried it out
20:10
already, and it's a three day mini unit with everything you
20:13
need to get students genuinely invested in protecting quiet
20:17
focus time. And it's very cute, if I do say so myself.
20:20
Emily: It is cute, and it's fun. And it's free when you sign up
20:24
for a free trial of the Teacher Approved Club. And as a Club
20:28
member, you also get access to bonus audio trainings and
20:31
materials for other challenges that come up at this time in the
20:34
year, and there are a lot of them at this time of the year.
20:37
So you can sign up at the link in the show notes, or head to
20:41
secondstorywindow.net/trial.
20:44
Now for our Teacher Approved Tip of the Week, where we share an
20:47
actionable tip to help you elevate what matters and
20:50
simplify the rest. This week's teacher approved tip is to
20:53
review your expectations. So tell us about this, Heidi.
20:56
Heidi: Well, this is perfect for spring, because by now your
21:00
expectations that felt crystal clear in September are getting a
21:03
bit blurry.
21:04
Emily: Yeah, or very, very blurry. It's like they've
21:08
forgotten, like, how to be in school. They're just already
21:11
checked out for summer.
21:12
Heidi: Yes, there is definitely that. So let's counter it by
21:16
keeping your expectations front of mind. One way to do this is
21:20
with a class discussion. Ask students to rate themselves on a
21:23
scale from one to five about how well they think the class is
21:27
doing with a specific procedure. So it sounds like, how are we
21:30
doing with morning arrival? Give me a number, and then you have a
21:33
conversation. What's going well? What could we do better?
21:36
Emily: Students usually know exactly where the gaps are, and
21:39
when they name it themselves, they're much more motivated to
21:42
do something about it.
21:43
Heidi: The second way you can approach this problem is through
21:45
pre-corrections, which we've talked about recently. Before a
21:49
routine or a transition post the expected behaviors and briefly
21:53
run through them. Here's what we're doing, here's how we do
21:56
it. That way, the expectations are fresh in everyone's mind
21:59
when it matters the most.
22:01
Emily: So we have two resources that make both of these really
22:04
easy. The first is our procedure review slides. You add the name
22:07
of a procedure to a slide, students rate the class, and you
22:10
click to show the rating. If most students say dismissal is
22:13
about a three, you click three times and three stars appear.
22:17
After you've gone through your procedures, you've got a clear
22:19
shared picture of what's working and what needs work.
22:23
Heidi: And the second is this month's club resource. It's our
22:26
pre-correction slides to help you keep expectations alive all
22:29
the way to that final bell. We are calling it Ditching the
22:33
Glitch. So a glitch is when things don't happen the way
22:36
they're supposed to. And so the slides give you a quick visual
22:39
way to remind everyone of what's expected, so there's no room for
22:43
forgetting.
22:44
Emily: And both of these are in the Teacher Approved Club. So if
22:46
you're already a member, you can find the pre-correction Ditch
22:50
the Glitch resource in the member library, and you can get
22:54
the procedure rating slides with your monthly credits. So if you
22:58
are not yet a member, now is a great time, especially with that
23:01
Quiet Class Quest waiting for you.
23:04
Heidi: Okay, to wrap up the show, we're sharing what we're
23:06
giving extra credit to this week. Emily, what gets your
23:09
extra credit?
23:09
Emily: Okay, this is so dumb, but it's making me so happy. So
23:13
I am giving extra credit to my acrylic straw holder.
23:17
Heidi: So wait, is the holder acrylic, or is the, are the
23:22
straws acrylic? Or are they both acrylic?
23:24
Emily: They're probably both acrylic, but the straw holder
23:27
itself is acrylic.
23:28
Heidi: Okay.
23:29
Emily: So the reason I wanted this is the way, I had my
23:32
kitchen organized by professional organizers a few
23:34
years ago, and they made in my silverware drawer this, like
23:38
whole section where straws could go. But that means, like, every
23:42
kind of straw of every different size was in this spot, so every
23:46
time you needed a straw, you're digging through it to see which
23:48
one fits the specific water bottle that you want to use. And
23:52
the kids in the house, there's a lot of different straws going on
23:55
in there, like a lot of different sizes. So of course,
23:58
there's all my tall ones for all of my Stanley tumblers. But then
24:01
there's shorter ones that attach to the straw in my hydro jugs,
24:04
and then there's the ones that fit my kids' Owalas. And you
24:07
know what I mean, they're just all different. And so finding
24:09
the one you need was annoying. And so I saw these straw
24:13
holders. So all it is is like a long rectangle with divided
24:18
spots, so like five little dividers.
24:20
Heidi: Like a silverware caddy?
24:21
Emily: No, no. It's like, this is one of those times that being
24:24
a podcast is hard to describe this. But let me tell you where
24:27
it goes, and then maybe you can picture the size better.
24:29
Heidi: Okay.
24:30
Emily: It goes on the inside of a cabinet door, so it's not very
24:34
deep, and it's like, probably eight inches wide, but probably
24:38
only, like an inch, an inch and a half deep. And then it has
24:41
little dividers in it, and it's also only about, like, two
24:44
inches tall. And then there's another one, just like that,
24:48
that's completely open, that goes a little higher to keep
24:51
them all straight in each one. So instead of one, what am I
24:54
trying to say, like one, really tall, acrylic one, it's just two
24:58
small ones that are spaced out from each other. You can space
25:00
them however you want them.
25:02
Heidi: Oh, okay.
25:02
Emily: Based on like, where, if your shelf inside the cupboard
25:06
might hit is where you might want to space those, or the the
25:10
height of your straws. And so it was so easy to install, I
25:14
organized all the straws in there by size, and I have been
25:17
absolutely delighted every time I go to get a straw, and it's
25:21
just like, whoop, found the one I needed immediately, did not
25:24
have to dig through my drawer. It's so dumb, but it's cheap,
25:28
and it really solved a pain point in my day. So I will link
25:33
to it in the show notes, if you are a household of many length
25:36
straws.
25:38
Heidi: That definitely deserve extra credit.
25:41
Emily: What are you giving extra credit to, Heidi?
25:43
Heidi: Well, I'm giving extra credit to my new dehumidifier,
25:47
which is hilarious, because I just got a big, fancy humidifier
25:51
for the room next to this. But so I have learned the hard way
25:56
that having raised ceilings in a bathroom is not ideal, because
25:59
all of the moisture gets trapped up there, and I am tired of
26:02
having to scrub moldy spots off my ceiling.
26:04
Emily: With a mop.
26:06
Heidi: Yes, I did use a mop. Yeah, I hate it. So I went on
26:11
the hunt for a little dehumidifier, and so far, this
26:14
has been working great, and was only $30. I wasn't sure, so I
26:17
got the cheapest one, and it's been great. I have experimented
26:20
running it with the ceiling fan on and one day and then off the
26:24
next. And both times it managed to pull four teaspoons of water
26:28
out of the air. I was quite shocked.
26:29
Emily: I'm really impressed that you made this a scientific
26:32
experiment and you measure the moisture.
26:35
Heidi: Such a teacher.
26:36
Emily: Well, you know, it's not helpful when people tell you
26:40
that something works if they can't compare it for you, so
26:42
you're just doing that real science work out here.
26:45
Heidi: I was like, is my fan doing anything? Clearly, it's
26:47
not.
26:48
Emily: No, I don't think mine is either.
26:50
Heidi: Yeah, and mine is cleaned recently, so, you'd think. But
26:54
anyway, this is a tiny, little workhorse. I don't think it
26:57
would work well in a big room, but if you also have a small
27:00
room, like the bathroom or a closet that gets humid, I would
27:02
definitely recommend this. I will put a link to it in the
27:05
Emily: Well, I'm definitely checking this out since I have
27:05
show notes.
27:07
the same problem, although I haven't had to go as far as
27:10
mopping my ceiling, because my ceilings are not as high as
27:13
yours. But I do have a problem with the fan not working because
27:16
it's inside the little toilet room instead of near the shower.
27:19
And so I do have a problem with moisture in my bathroom, so I'm
27:22
gonna check that out.
27:23
Heidi: Well, there's a link in the show notes to do that for
27:25
you.
27:25
Emily: Thank you.
27:26
Heidi: That is it for today's episode. Design your transitions
27:30
to tame the talking before it starts.
27:31
Emily: And if this episode was useful, share it with a teacher
27:34
friend who is feeling the stress right now, because we know there
27:38
are a lot of you out there.
27:41
Heidi: We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm
27:44
Heidi.
27:45
Emily: And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow
27:48
or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an
27:51
episode.
27:51
Heidi: You can connect with us and other teachers in the
27:54
Teacher Approved Facebook group. We'll see you here next week.
27:57
Bye for now.
27:58
Emily: Bye.