noisy classroom ideas

amother

Sun, May 05 2013, 5:16 pm

anyone have any suggestions on how to lower the overall noise level in a pre 1a class? it seems to be getting worse everyday...the kids all talk over eachother and each kid (and teacher in that class) just get louder and louder to compete with eachother

besides for....
1) calmly explaining to the kids that the best way to be heard is by using a soft voice "I can hear you better in a soft voice/it hurts my ears when you yell
2)going up to kids in small groups to give instructions "we're going to be davening now" and saying them in a whisper rather than trying to get the attention of the whole class all at once....
does anyone have any ideas to try? I'd appreciate some suggestions.

another teacher had an idea of having a horn or whistle and say "in our classroom we dont get louder than this horn" and then blow the horn

thanks so much!

cbsmommy

Sun, May 05 2013, 5:35 pm

Honestly, it sounds like you need environmental and routine modifications.

Can you share some more information? Are you loosing the children when it's time to transition? Mid reading a story? During free play? Does it get worse in the afternoon or is it only in the morning when everyone first comes? Has this been happening all year or did something deteriorate post Pesach?

Is there a large notebook where you can sit and re-write the rules of the classroom together?

amother

Sun, May 05 2013, 5:52 pm

thanks for you response, heres what seems to be going on....

theres been alot of changes post pesach...kids added to the class...new staff...its not my classroom I'm a few doors down the hall but the teachers asked for some suggestions. to me it seems like a lack of structure and engaing activities contribute alot to the lack of control...but they have surely taken steps to getting back on track...making a daily schedule...breaking up the kids into small work groups during certain times of the day...incorpotating new interesting projects/activites. so they surely have been working hard and it has improved bh! but what seems to remain is loud voices of kids wanting to be heard and teachers who definatly want to hear them but cant when theyre sooo loud...that seems to be the main thing...I've never dealt with this issue on such a large scale...(meaning most of the kids in the class) and need to come up with a solution other than just reminding them so often....no one wants to sound like a broken record haha

mommy27

Sun, May 05 2013, 5:59 pm

We had a speaker come in once on Professional Day who gave us a really good way to get quiet, that works with all ages. It's almost a game. The teacher raises her hand. Anyone who sees it raises their hand in turn and is quiet. Anyone who sees anyone with a raised hand raises their own and is quiet- until you have a whole room with raised hands and quiet mouths.

momtra

Sun, May 05 2013, 6:15 pm

A common technique is reminding children to use their "indoor voice".
To get children's attention, for example to transition to next activity, teacher can start a phrase and children finish it. For example, היום קצר........והמלאכה מרובה .
If the volume is too loud during activities, perhaps those activities need to be restructured where a higher level of concentration and focus is needed, that will naturally decrease the " noise"

rachelbg

Sun, May 05 2013, 6:19 pm

1. Use your hand to count down from 5 - 1, and by the time you get to 1 the room must become silent. The kids can use their fingers to count silently along with you, and their peers will catch on.

2. In younger grade classrooms I've seen many 'trafflic light' type posters, where the different colored circles identify the levels of quiet. Ie. Level Green means regular talking voices, Level Yellow means whispering, quiet voices, Level Red means no talking at all. Since the children can't read yet, this is a good indicator for them of what the level of noise should be.

Hatzlacha raba!

Optione

Sun, May 05 2013, 8:00 pm

wifeandmore wrote:

What abt the camp cheer "if u hear me clap twice"

If I may amend this for a classroom setting: I use this for my class but I say it pretty quietly. The first time, I say it with "...clap once" then again a second time even quieter but "...clap twice". It b"H works wonders- I teach mid-elementary. Good luck!