Classroom management

We were supposed to have enforced our rules and consequences, exactly as they stand, in one class, for two weeks. To get this out of the way right now, I didn't do that. I like some things slide, partially because I did not do a fantastic job of enforcing my rules and consequences at the beginning of the year, and it has therefore taken quite an effort to do so more frequently. I've been working in stages, being consistently harder on my students. Partly, the concern is that if I just go ahead and write them up every time they move through the other consequences for something like talking in class, I would be sending kids out all the time. While the administration has thus far been supportive in distributing consequences when I send students out of my classroom, they have also told us specifically that talking in class is a classroom management issue. I'm still torn. Maybe I'm just still being too soft. Also, though, there are times when they say they are talking about the material, and I believe them. If my students want to whisper to each other even about something else that is for some reason vital in their lives at that moment, I guess it doesn't feel right for me to punish them for that. Maybe I just need to stop making excuses. On the other hand again, though, when I have tried to be perfect with the classroom management, I spend so much time stopping little things that I loose some teaching time. However, I see the point being made. As I've been harder on my classes, it's been easier to teach. Still needs some work. I'm thinking of taking a classmates advice and doing another day or two on rules and procedures when we get back from thanksgiving. Seems like an opportune time.