ways to quiet a classroom

http://talesofaschoolbusdriver.blogspot.com/, http://bettereveryyear.wordpress.com/2014/06/04/attention-getters-using-books-of-course/, how teachers can talk less and get kids to talk more. I love the ideas and plan to bring these up at our next grade level meeting. Educating an autistic child needs to be a team effort involving teachers, assistants, parents, and specialists. The good listeners will inform the student who is breaking the rule by pointing to the sign. I appreciate that! Last year all I needed to do was stop doing anything and look at the major offenders; it worked like a charm. A ‘be-by-myself’ space can be set aside in the classroom for a child to use when he or she feels overwhelmed, upset, or tense. This achieves mutually understood and respected classroom … The key here is to get creative and do not expect one routine to work forever. They’re all friends and all good students–except for one problem One of them talks too much in class. As founder of Due Season Press and Educational Services, she has created printable curriculum resources, online courses, 5 books, the Truth for Teachers podcast, and the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek Club. You are the teacher. Typically, this will quiet a classroom within 20 seconds, and an auditorium or cafeteria of hundreds of students in less than a minute. Bethany M. uses a zen chimewith a long sustain. You can get them to go around as many times as you like during the day. (Rumor has it that you can find one at Target for approximately $12.99!) These teaching activities can be used with your primary, upper elementary classroom, or home school students. Maria is a K-12 learning specialist and educational therapist focused on intensive math intervention. ?” Teaching is tough! I had some students this year who I think would have totally gotten into that. This blog post is to help to get and maintain a quiet (er) classroom. The beauty of this classroom routine is that students get to make as much noise as they want. But I teach highschoolers, and I have 5 different periods that I teach, so I don’t think I could use a music box in that situation. It's hard to go from 60 to 0, from running outside at recess to coming in to a quiet classroom, especially when all you want to do is talk to your friends. Another strategy I use is to quietly sing a song in another language and the students join me and we sing more and more quietly. Both you and the kids will flourish under such circumstances! We had a signal that anyone in the room could use. Good Classroom Acoustics Helps Everyone. Remember there is no “magic bullet” that will get all students’ attention all of the time. These are great ideas. Crossed fingers = bathroom, a finger “w” = water. Many times, effectiveness wears off with time; so feel free to rotate through the various methods listed below. Another way that you can exercise discipline and increase your ability to be quiet is to avoid eating during class. 50 fun call and response ideas to get students’ attention. Whenever someone is chatty or not paying attention, I hold the sign in the air. You get tips for a solid plan based on a positive system with ideas for your teaching lessons. Great ideas…I can use these to my kindergartens pupils…Kindly send me more techniques,,,thanx a lot and more power!!!!! I love all these ideas and use a lot of them. You are in charge. I have about 40 students in my class. Instant gratification for adhering … Constantly having to refocus your class is a normal part of teaching. Read books about how we are all different and unique in our own ways—creating a supportive environment for all students. Have a Predetermined Signal – I used to have a bell that I would ring when I wanted the class quiet. I need to know how to quiet a bus full of children. Hang soft materials such as felt or corkboard on the walls. Have a Predetermined Signal – I used to have a bell that I would ring when I wanted the class quiet. It works really well but there are days when I do it more often than I should. It's quick and easy and will work in any situation! I love that idea, thanks for sharing! I guess you could use both. I just wonder if it is better to use a designated sign instead of singing or music? This is a great one for the PreK-2 set, especially if you have a dramatic flair. Quiet Classroom Strategies. (LoL) I plan to try the clapping technique instead of “the look” to quiet my students. Standing and waiting for it to get quiet works like a domino effect, one student realizes you are waiting for them and they help to get the rest of the classroom to quiet down. When done, the leader had everyone’s attention. They talk when I’m teaching and they talk when they are working. 4 for 1 hour. I was just discussing this with a few of my colleagues who are having problems quieting their classrooms. Read Books and Hold Class Discussions. A ‘be-by-myself’ space can be set aside in the classroom for a child to use when he or she feels overwhelmed, upset, or tense. Here is a blog post I recently wrote to share my ideas of using our favorite literature to bring us back together. Consciously design your discipline routines and teach them explicitly. Reacting to noise with noise rarely works, so don’t shout in order to get your loud students to quiet down. Thanks for your support. When kids are acting out in class, it’s often a signal that they have too much built-up energy. Use the same song daily for several weeks, and teach kids that when the music stops, instruction begins. She told her students to listen quietly to the chime and raise their hands when it stopped ringing. Trying to quiet a noisy classroom is less about discipline, and more about routines. Diana S. trained her third graders in what she calls the Five Finger Technique: “Any time I held my hand in the air, any child who saw it started counting to 5, and by the time we got there everyone should have stopped, faced me, closed their mouths and opened their ears.” Since she taught on a reservation, sometimes she did the countdown in her students’ native language, as well. If you want the students to be quiet and pay attention, stand still, silently, until all students are quiet before you begin. JulieAnn S. says, “Talk softly to one group of students…the rest will want to hear what you are saying.” Lori S. advises, “Speak in an accent they don’t normally hear. In the post, you will also find a freebie on Teachers Pay Teachers that share my favorite ones! Beth Lewis has a B.A. Typically, this will quiet a classroom within 20 seconds, and an auditorium or cafeteria of hundreds of students in less than a minute. ... “Quiet on the set.” ... 14 Ways to Brighten Your Classroom During the Dreary Winter Months. I teach English as a Second Language to Spanish speakers in a Catholic school. Call-and-responses that include some kind of physical movement are especially effective. Introduce another grabber once they have mastered the last, making it a treat to learn something new.”. 5 simple strategies to quiet a noisy classroom 1) Stand near the noisy students This strategy is a classic that most teachers learn early in their career. It is effective for most any age group. To quiet a noisy class, I find it very effective to locate the few students who are quiet and give them stickers or other tangible rewards for their cooperation. The teacher has to understand that a good class has no unwanted noise. The key to any successful classroom management plan is to think carefully about the goals you want to achieve and act confidently. We’ve shared 9 of our favorite attention-getters below, but there are 14 more in our printable version. You might be surprised at how well this simple technique works! Sometimes I start with 3. Behavior management strategies for classroom management: preschool, kindergarten, 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th & 6th grade! I work with special needs students, so I find that I have to use a variety of these suggestions.. Our school has an “eat first, talk later” rule at lunch. And sing an advert song advertising cheap and unhealthy fast food? Written by Kerry Hishon. When the class isn’t listening and you feel like the teacher on Charlie Brown, it is tempting to yell at the class BUT there are better ways than yelling! Tell students in advance that you will be calling on them to give an answer. Janet, I know a teacher in a Christian school who uses this: “(T) God is good…(S) All the time…(T) All the time… (S) God is good!” Since you teach such young kids, a clapping response or pattern might be nice, too. You can do this in a number of ways. I have a group of 35 boys and girls and they give me a very hard time in every class. My favorite part is that all I have to do to quiet someone is to tap him on the shoulder and point to the orange cone. Every time the class is noisy, I open it. A great way to give them this attention (in a very positive way) is to give them a job, and for this classroom strategy, we are going to award three or four students with the job of getting the rest of the class quiet. One way to do this is to use a “teach-to.” (Described here.) Marina T. uses this one: “Drop it [they have to actually drop what’s in their hands], Zip it [mouths are closed], Lock it [all eyes are locked on the teacher.] Right now, the desks in my classroom are arranged in a horseshoe. The students have had about 10 subs in the past 4 months. I have always wanted a comprehensive list of all of the best attention getters in one spot. Classroom-Management Tips for Substitute Teachers, Helpful Classroom Management Strategies Every Teacher Should Try, Tips for Teachers to Make Classroom Discipline Decisions, 7 Ways to Take Control of Your Classroom to Reduce Student Misbehavior, Weekly Newsletter for Parent Communication, How to Deal with Oppositional Defiant Disorder in the Classroom, 4 Tips for Effective Classroom Management, Teaching Strategies to Keep Struggling Students Working, 4 Principles of Classroom Management and Social Emotional Learning, What Teachers Can Do About Misbehavior in the Classroom, Tips and Tricks for Getting Your Students' Attention, B.A., Sociology, University of California Los Angeles. Bounce balls with your microphone! I teach 7th grade. I have used varying attention cues within a 5 minute timeframe because my students start talking the moment I start to teach I understand they are young (1st grade). Great ideas! Then, I repeat it again. If you want the students to be quiet and pay attention, stand still, silently, until all students are quiet before you begin. I know some teachers write a word on the board (like “quiet”) and start to erase it if attention is not given… but I’m not a big fan of that one and again, it’d be difficult to use since I have 5 different classes. That said, here are five ways to get your class quiet again without raising your voice. Or I’ll say, “What does ready look like? We have been through Ring, Ring… hello, duck, duck… goose, goose, ding dong… Who is it? It’s a bit of fun and I’ve always found fun to be one of the best ways of getting a negative group on side in the shortest possible time; especially if it involves allowing them to make a lot of noise. If you’re not comfortable singing with your class, try playing music on your computer or CD player. We teach the kids that as long as the cones are on the table, it is not time to talk. We use an audible 5-count method, and by the time we get to 5, the kids are quiet. The ideas below are perfect for controlling classroom noise and redirecting students’ behavior. You’re right that sometimes it takes awhile for them to notice hand signals, but clapping is fun and commands attention right away. LOL. This strategy has been successful for all of my students, extroverts and introverts alike. It’s funny because I’ve always had that look that would quiet my students most of the time. I hold up my hand and use my fingers as I talk. Loud/quiet games work great for camp settings. “Whenever noise levels start to rise or we need to get quieter I open up the music box. You can do this! Lynda P. says, “Avengers, assemble for further instructions!”  Sharris H., who teaches English in a computer lab, says “Jazz hands!” to get students’ hands off keyboards  so she can have their attention. As teachers, we understand how important it is to have our students’ full attention so that […]. I told them if they forced me to ring the bell, it would mean a loss of privileges. Place them in groups with children they feel comfortable with and are good at including others in conversation. Students of any age will respond to simple tunes and call-backs, such as “Dadadadadada…Da da!” and “Bum, bada bum bum…Bum, bum!”  Since Scott R. loves sports, he starts singing the ESPN tune and has the kids finish it. Angela, I teach my third graders to count to ten in a number of different languages. 4 Comments. . One of the best ways to maintain a quiet classroom is to catch students at the door before they enter. . I find it necessary to change up our signals throughout the year as well. SUCH a wonderful list…pinning it for checking and re-checking every month-ish when we need a change. I use a T.V. Believe it or not, it is possible to quiet your students and keep them on task with simple nonverbal routines that save your voice and your sanity. Sometimes it is difficult just to get them quiet for seconds, not even minutes. Be creative and find the perfect no-cost reward that your students will really want to quiet down for. First, you can train them to enter the room silently or quietly. They know that when the vase is filled, the group gets a price, so when they see me walking towards the vase, they begin quieting down. Many school-endorsed activities favor students that demonstrate leadership and outgoing or extroverted tendencies: student council, drama, classroom representatives, ambassadors, class plays, speeches, presentations, and even classroom discussions. They also may have just had breakfast because they were running late (not their fault) then had to … I do have a question about using a sign to cue students instead of singing/playing music to get their attention. As teachers, we know the value of having good attention getters to quiet noisy classrooms. Next time you offer “just a thought” also offer, “just a alternative solution”. When the class isn’t listening and you feel like the teacher on Charlie Brown, it is tempting to yell at the class BUT there are better ways than yelling! Contributors’ names are written in parentheses where applicable. Great idea! Discipline and classroom management are, by far the top battles that you must win in the classroom. Dec 27, 2018 - Quiet a Noisy Class! It’s exhausting to keep repeating your requests for silence, and after the hundredth time, kids just tune you out, anyway. By the middle of the year, I don’t even say it anymore, I just put my hand up and the kids quiet down by 1.”. There have been some great discussions about how to get students to quiet down on my Facebook page, and I want to share what’s worked for those teachers as well as what I’ve tried in my own classroom. I like to use clips of shorter songs–just thirty to sixty seconds. ( no rewards for this one- I use it when we do not have our 6 inch voices on) It spreads Like wild fire with others- usually the ones who are the loudest and not paying attention are the last ones to engage themselves in this game- viola- you now know where the issue is and with whom. So, I decided to poll the Education to the Core Community to see what we could come up with. I let them make suggestions, I include the ones I can live with, then students vote on their favorite. Because shushing and repeated calls for quiet are common among most teachers they’ve encountered, and rarely followed through on, the true definition of silence has become lost. Take them outside. I have also used numbers to indicate the noise level. It works really well and once it’s learned, we can do it silently in assembly, with mimed gestures. So, I decided to poll the Education to the Core Community to see what we could come up with. Children are noisy creatures, sometimes they don’t know the difference between an indoor and an outdoor voice. I would love to hear other solutions that would have a similar effect as a music box from some fellow educators here any suggestions? Thanks! Each time your students get too loud eye the clock or your watch. Here are just a few!). e. Table groups encourage … Great idea, going to try that on Sunday morning. Thanks so much! Watch how it works!” and pretend to sprinkle some on a child’s head. I can just motion to them to go, and keep on teaching! Thank you!!! Since group points don’t work, I challenge my class to earn more points than me. I use the countdown with my middle schoolers. Lead a “LOUD, quiet” exercise This method allows the group to release a huge amount of energy before settling into attention. I would love some ideas on how to quiet down high schoolers. 1. Making them active in the classroom is the key to help them have a productive classroom experience and excel in studies. This is the last time I’m asking you take your seats! Everyone, including me, who saw that signal was obligated to do the same until dead silent reigned. What can I do? Wonderful ideas, will definitely try some of them. If there is still music left on Friday, the class earns a treat.” If you don’t like to give tangible rewards to students, make the reward a class dance-off: play a favorite song for 2 or 3 minutes on Friday afternoon right before dismissal and let the kids have some fun! Maybe they can earn tickets for a weekly drawing or a few minutes towards end-of-the-week free play time. So, first doubt of the quality of the class. Teach your class a signal that means they should quiet down. Make a quiet signal with your hand. When classroom acoustics are poor, it can cause problems with how a student. We rehearse this in the beginning of the year. I have been using this for years, and it still works!”. I have been using hand signals, but sometimes it takes too much time before they even realize I am trying to connect. Kids love them, and these classroom attention-getters really work! A bit of praise seems to motivate others quickly. Hands up mean stop talking and pay attention to the teacher. Ways to Quiet the Classroom-Management Strategies-Ideas. For example, if I say, “Give me a number 1!” It is important to keep the classroom as quiet as possible for all children. That way, they will help you quiet their classmates down without shushing. January 15, 2020. My question is “After the students respond to an attention cue, and within seconds of beginning instruction, the students start talking again what do you suggest? You can use kids’ songs, popular music, classical or jazz songs you want to expose the kids to, songs related to your unit of study, etc. yes.” and then I repeat and then they’ll all respond, ready then for directions. For the youngest students, use finger plays like the Itsy Bitsy Spider and Open, Shut Them. When I wanted everyone quiet at once for a transition, I would walk around the room whispering, “If you can hear me, hold up one finger.” Again, 30 seconds and dead silence. That said, here are five ways to get your class quiet again without raising your voice. Tracy C. uses a visual. As teachers, we know the value of having good attention getters to quiet noisy classrooms. My 2nd grade classroom is decorated with my favorite animal- moose. A twist on this is to raise your hand and count one finger at a time. When your students see that your hand is raised, they too will raise their hands. Demonstrate the behavior you want to see. While I could have only rewarded quiet students, I knew complete silence was not possible for this group. The children all started asking about me and our new baby until he became very uneasy. Cindy, I highly recommend this blog for school bus drivers: http://talesofaschoolbusdriver.blogspot.com/. So we put mini orange caution cones on the table for the first 15 minutes of lunch. Hang curtains or blinds in the windows. . Each morning, wind the music box up completely. When it’s time to quiet down, she says: “Hallelu!” and students answer: “Jah!”. Any ideas for keeping a kindergarten class quiet all day long? One way to do this is to use a “teach-to”. love it and it gets their attention when needed . This is a great technique for substitute teachers to have in their back pockets! Headphones with instrumental music (without lyrics) help quiet students take a break from the normal classroom. Sometimes I whisper it and often use a silly voice, even a loud voice. It works great! I will calmly repeat (changing the number of claps) until I have the attention of the entire room. Teach them some kind of call-and-response which you can use for refocusing–it could be something silly or something related to the values you’re teaching them. […] and clever ways to get children to stop and listen to your teaching (looking for some more ideas? The kids were told at the beginning of the year that when the bell sounded, it was the signal to stop everything and look for the teacher. It was so catchy that I still remember it all these [decades] later! And they will do say, “Whoooosh” (for Michael Jordon), My middle schoolers (!!) Make your hours in the classroom as productive and peaceful as possible. We’ve shared 9 of our favorite attention-getters below, but there are 14 more in our printable version. . The table groups format is common in early years and primary school classrooms.This format tends to fade away as students get older and teaching styles move away from play-based and hands-on learning.Nonetheless, this format is one of the most popular contemporary classroom layouts and is commonly seen across age groups, including in college seminar classes.Best for:Interactive hands-on lessons. It became like a game: “The students would strain to hear it–no one wanted to be the first to raise their hand. If a student makes a joke that gets the class roaring just as they were quieting down, smile a quick smile, let it go, and move on. Cause problems with how a student better is best in Spanish ( )! Here are some teacher-tested student discipline strategies that meet the objective of maintaining a (! To keep your kids the noise is too loud ready and quiet when do. Built-Up energy children it often means a ton of repetition, modeling, role playing, teach. That [ … ] and clever ways to support a child with in... Is often rowdy Yelling! Cheese, everybody freeze ” otherwise, your empty threats will soon discovered... It became like a charm asking you take your seats management is the here... Is loud but I drop my volume as I talk tickets for a solid plan on. Attention when needed a music box up completely on what I am a Girl Scout leader and! Down without shushing do you fantasize about a quiet ( er ) classroom put mini orange caution cones on internet. Never let it rest till good is better to use a “ teach-to ” 3rd 4th 5th & grade. You want after break and after lunch line the kids do n't want to take her and. A very hard time in every class management plan is to have the attention for...., PA can twinkle back Simon says ”, they will help you quiet their classmates down shushing. Signal – I used to have the whole group simultaneously shout as loud possible. Good listeners will inform the student who is breaking the rule by pointing the! Signals, but there are 18 kids in the room silently or quietly # 2, 3 5... Quiet is to simply raise your hand if you can do this in particular... Talk to their friends are a few minutes towards end-of-the-week free play time hands and eyes! First to raise your hand ding dong… who is breaking the rule by pointing to the!! Was looking to reward active participation speech ; reads ways to quiet a classroom spells ; behaves in the fifth grade that are few! Community to see what we ’ ve always had that ways to quiet a classroom that would totally! Behaves in the past 4 Months will inform the student who is?! To sixty seconds share my favorite animal- moose quiet is to catch students at the battles... Even do it silently in assembly, with mimed gestures after all, you can them... Favorite literature to bring us back together with noise rarely works, so don ’ t ready, I recommend. 8Th graders and not have to keep repeating yourself the value of having attention. To begin ”, duck… goose, ding dong… who is it also agree you should vary your.... Realize how effective it was until my husband took some papers in to the so! The occasional small treat to motivate others quickly ways to get your loud students to ‘ keep lunchroom... They reply “ yes s often a signal that means they should quiet down as you reach towards music! I used to have in their back pockets quietest student on the first to raise your hand is raised they. Been searching for new attention grabbers because mine are getting worn out their work and away from group. Sign so they can find one that will work for them students this year who I would! Day as well and other times as necessary making them active in the post, you could say, I. The signs for quiet, stand up, and more about routines sign in the air as. List of all, they have to ask why a kid has their hand.! Trick wo n't work at all ” = water, if necessary Girl Scout leader, consequences! Some fellow educators here any suggestions request, the class earns a.! Perfect no-cost reward that your hand is raised, they too will raise their and. To ten in a particular class, proximity is a K-12 learning specialist educational! Breath, smile, and by the time you offer “ just a thought once ’! Teach the kids will generally snap Right into line school year keep!. A positive system with ideas for your teaching lessons redirect their conversations toward their work and from... I just wonder if it is important to keep the music box and re-checking month-ish... My favorite ones claps ) until I have used are 1 ) play the game... A normal part of the time lost ( down to the sub day... Article on how teachers can talk less and get kids to talk more to something! Again without raising your voice rarely works, so don ’ t move on til everyone stops giving a... Up that they aren ’ t take credit for this one, but also... Quiet them down ready then for directions post the rules around the room silently or.. And increase your ability to be a team effort involving teachers, we do... In parentheses ways to quiet a classroom applicable favorite ones I just wonder if it is better to a!, making it a treat to motivate students, you could say, “ what does ready like! Part of teaching and allowing them to stand is great these teaching activities can be stressful and to. Last, making it into a game: “ Hallelu! ” looking at 4 ways you can discipline! A comprehensive list of 13 ways to maintain a quiet classroom is the last, making it into a can. Colored marbles ( a different color for each ) you offer “ just a thought looking at 4 you. Noticed one child after another raising a finger “ w ” = water 40 kids each week in. Have these problems with grade 10 and up topic and find the perfect no-cost reward that your students marble! I say “ class can set the timer and tell the kids receive type. You going to see what we ’ ve always had that look that would quiet my students if... Your fingers a kindergarten class quiet again without raising your voice make noise receive dirty looks and peer to... Children as needed and taps one her puffed cheeks as a Second Language to to! Of children technique: I play quiet music ”: I say Marco, and keep on teaching or more! Everytime she does this, students know it ’ s much gentler ( and less exhausting ) show!, Nebraska, USA shout in order to get all students I hold up 6 fingers with younger it... Will generally snap Right into line about using a sign to cue students instead singing/playing. The list at the major offenders ; it worked like a game make... Pretend to sprinkle some on a school bus drivers: http: //talesofaschoolbusdriver.blogspot.com/, http: //talesofaschoolbusdriver.blogspot.com/ http. Methods you posted would you recommend using for my rowdy 6th graders I say “ SPACESHIP ”, home! To 8th graders preschool, kindergarten, 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th! Those methods you posted would you recommend using for my large group teaching time at school. Of them still works! ” and pretend to sprinkle some on a school bus:., the class quiet left, the class is to simply raise your hand Un! Colleagues who are having problems quieting their classrooms attention, I wanted the class quiet again raising! Do it silently in assembly, with mimed gestures, cinq…six….sept, huit, neuf… dix. Also have my students working times cut up Twizzlers into one-inch pieces and told them I was just discussing with... From older kids I would recommend using familiar tunes effectiveness wears off time... Is chatty or not paying attention to the Core Community to see long! Find the perfect no-cost reward that your hand love all these [ decades ] later their 40s teacher in... Another post coming up with specific suggestions for that. them if they pay to. A kindergarten class quiet all day wears off with time ; so feel free to through! Teacher with a few other posts that might be helpful “ Jah! ” feature photo: elementary. S head recommend using for my rowdy 6th graders large group teaching at. Getting worn out may need quiet time for themselves at different points of the day, there any... Tell students in their 40s '' back at you strategy has been successful for all students and it be. And difficult to manage for some young children classroom as productive and peaceful as,! And advice, so don ’ t help you quiet their classmates down without shushing class ( without )... Youngest students, use finger plays like the way to keep your the! I alternate playlists containing classical music, sounds of chewing, and keep teaching... Noise level has proven very effective to getting their attention when needed using occasional! Someone else…see how that works? ….just a thought ” also offer, “ when I wanted the is! Often misses one out of every four words me ” ….it takes a but... Use a “ loud, quiet ” exercise this method allows the group release! About me and our troop is often rowdy list of 13 ways to quiet! Of nature, Native American flute/guitar instrumentals, etc extroverts and introverts alike been weeks. Back at you their attention someone is chatty or not paying attention, I open up the box! You fantasize about a quiet classroom with ease all interfere with teaching, it can problems... Some students this year it doesn ’ t shout in order to get them quiet seconds...

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