My 5-Step Answer to a Loud Classroom

Mates, I’ve a query for you: Are the scholars in your classroom too loud?

In that case, then welcome to the membership nobody needs to affix (sure, I’ve jokes).

I can relate to college students who’ve bother holding their exterior voices the place they belong, exterior. 

And principals who complain a couple of loud classroom.

It doesn’t matter what has introduced you right here, you and I each know there isn’t a magic repair for this little (however very loud) downside. 

Sure, all of us want we had a magic wand typically. Alas, nobody has found that but. So, we’ll must go together with the following neatest thing…

What’s that?

Tune in to this week’s episode to search out out.

Are you prepared?

Let’s dive in!

However First, a Fast Story!

A loud classroom may be troublesome to cope with. I might know, I’ve been there numerous instances. Yearly it appears to be a wrestle to get children to make use of indoor voices within the classroom, and a few years are tougher than others.

There’s one 12 months that involves thoughts for me. That 12 months, I had 4 little boys in my class who all lived in the identical condominium constructing. They’d been raised collectively and their mothers had been buddies, so that they had been fairly shut.

These boys performed on the playground of their condominium advanced collectively each single day since they might stroll. They had been extra like brothers than classmates, which was nice for them, however unhealthy for me, as a result of their shouting within the classroom was uncontrolled.

I stored asking them to make use of their inside voices, however the issue was… they didn’t have inside voices to make use of!

 Suffice to say, I used to be at my wits’ finish. What was I alleged to do?

Properly, years later, I developed a five-step answer to this subject (that I want previous me had considered earlier), and at this time, I’m sharing it with you.

Uncover My 5-Step Answer to a Loud Classroom

Almost every preschool teacher on the planet will tell you they have a loud classroom. It’s simply something that comes with the territory. 

And while it may seem like you’re fighting a losing battle, there are ways to teach smarter, not harder when it comes to helping your kids understand the differences in voice volume and which situations are appropriate for each.

Here is a five-step solution that does just that.

Step #1

Ask yourself: Which noise level do I feel is appropriate for the age group I work with? Are my expectations realistic? Do I need to adjust my expectations? Sometimes, those most bothered by noise in early childhood classrooms are those who are new to teaching this age group.

You see, there is a big difference between teaching a class of three-year-old kids and teaching a class of seven-year-old kids. One of them needs much more work and effort to learn what inside and outside voices are compared to the other. 

Step #2

Take into consideration the students in front of you. Ask yourself this question: Do they know what inside and outside voices are? Have I taught them how to modulate their voice levels? Your students won’t understand how to control their volume unless you teach them how.

Step #3

Use tools! Something as simple as a t-chart can be a great way to teach your students how to regulate their volume in the classroom. 

Create an “Inside/Outside Voices” t-chart with your students. If your class has difficulty with specific voice levels like when they’re at centers or in the hallway, you can also create a chart for that at a separate time.

Step #4

As you know, I love using fingerplays as a learning tool. And guess what? You can also use them here! Use fingerplays with louder and softer voices to teach your students the concept of inside and outside voices. Fingerplays such as Itsy Bitsy Spider and Two Little Red Birds are perfect for this.

Step #5

As always, don’t forget to use visual cues. A lot of children learn better when we use pictures and images. So, naturally, our last step is to use visual cues to scaffold for success.

I discuss all of this in more depth (plus share some pitfalls to avoid and troubleshooting tips) in the episode above, so make sure to give it a listen when you can!