Why do the kids in my class CONSTANTLY pull at the tape on their nametags? (i have second grade)?

Question

Boredom? Because it's sticky? It drives me insane. I've got a niece in second grade that doesn't do that kind of thing and i personally don't remember ever picking at stuff.

All my students have nametags taped to the desk. All day, even now during recess detention I just hear the sounds of them picking at it.

A few of them leave their nametags alone and they look nice and neat.

The rest are constantly pulling/picking at the tape then smoothing it back down. It looks really disgusting within a few weeks because when you pull the tape up, dirt and dust get underneathe it. YUCK!

Answer 1

I did that all the time when I was little. :)

But really, don't let it get under your skin so easily. Chill out.

Its fun and amusing. Remember, their brains are still developing, and they're getting used to new things, and tape is cool and interesting.

They might be bored, but its school. No one really likes going there.

Its just tape. Relax.

Answer 2

be fast about it learn their names off hand so that you willnot face this kind of problem again

Answer 3

that's what kids do with stickers. Try telling them that those stickers are expensive and if they lose them you will write their names on their foreheads. you will probably only have to do this with 2-3 kids.

Answer 4

Because they are kids and it's probably mainly the boys.  When you see them starting to pick give them another task to do or something to deter them from messing with the tape.  My son is so fidgety it drives me nuts.  Is it possible to move the name tags to another part of the desk so you're able to see them but they won't be distracted by them?

Answer 5

Why do they still have nametags this late in the school year?  If you cannot learn their names by the second week of school, you deserve to listen to all the pulling and picking of the tape in May!  I would have a FIT if my daughter's teacher didn't know her name by Parent's Night, which is the third week of school.

EDIT:    I have three children, in grades 10, 7 and 1.  The only time any of them has ever had name tags on their desks was in kindergarten or first grade, for the first week of school.   Never in my life have I entered a school building where students had name tags on their desks at any time after the end of September.  Do you teach in a special needs school?  Because if not, I find it very hard to believe that children of ANY age would not know where they were supposed to sit after a couple of days in school.   Thumbs down to YOU.

Answer 6

I teach 6th grade and the students in my class do the same thing.  Sometimes I believe that it is an issue of keeping themselves occupied and some just are that hyper and need to always be doing something.  I would like to make them stop but I don't believe that it ever will.  It is kind of the like the people who chew on pens and pencils sometimes they grow out of it and sometimes they do not.  Is till have to yell at my husband to quit chewing up all of our pens becuase it is gross but he continues to do it even at the age of 30.

Answer 7

They're bored I'm guessing. Maybe instead of ON the desk you could put them on the front of the desk where it could still be seen by you? Or just somewhere else on the desk where it's viable to you or the substitute but they can't touch it when they sit.

I'm kind of like that. I'm 15 and I just get bored and I mess with things. If we have to carry a paper around all day, I can guarantee you it will be crumpled and torn by the end of the day.

I don't even realize I do that.

I used to pick at my name tag too.

Answer 8

Because they are bored. No one likes school, especially children. Also they get some amusement from it. Personally, I used to do it with my tray under the desk, and then stick stickers of celebrities and kittens on it instead.