Final answer:
The educator should politely ask students to stop any distracting side conversation. This approach maintains social control without being overly punitive or encouraging further distraction.
Step-by-step explanation:
When dealing with distracting side conversation in a classroom setting, the educator should politely ask the students to stop talking. Ignoring the conversation may allow it to continue and become more disruptive, while punishing the students without first addressing the behavior can create a negative atmosphere. Joining the conversation is not conducive to maintaining control of the classroom. Instead, the teacher could use it as an opportunity to engage with the students by casually reminding them of the importance of focusing on class activities. For example, if a student is talking on their cell phone, the teacher might stop the lesson and ask the student to respect the class by turning off the phone, thereby maintaining social control.