Student Contributor: E. Arteaga
“Hold Your Bubble” is an effective strategy to use when students are expected to be silent. Students fill their cheeks up with air and are encouraged to “hold their bubble” so their noise level is at a zero when appropriate.
“Hold Your Bubble” is used mainly with young learners who are struggling with speaking at inappropriate times. Examples are blurting during lessons, speaking in the hallway (applicable to my placement), and during fire/lockdown drills. By making “Hold Your Bubble” a learned procedure in the class, students will know that when they are instructed to hold their bubble, they are being told to be quiet. This is a learned procedure in my placement and it works effectively. At this school, the hallway is supposed to be a silent area. So, when we are in the class lined up to go somewhere, we all make sure to hold our bubbles before leaving to ensure we are ready to be quiet in the hall.
This strategy connects best to the preventative phase of influence. By holding our bubbles, we are trying to avoid noise during inappropriate times. In other words, holding our bubbles prevents us from making noise when we are not supposed to. The theory of influence that this connects to is collaborative and teacher-directed. Although the teacher is the one implementing the silence, she/he should also be holding their bubble when appropriate just as the students are expected to do. Students are also encouraged to remind other students when it is time to hold their bubbles while in silent environments, they can do so by pointing at their own bubble while looking at the non-bubble holding student.
More Information –
Tool Source: Placement School
