What would you do?

Question

What would you do if your students were to make noise and you want them to shut up so that they will listen to what you have to teach?

Answer 1

With my more troublesome classes, I always found I had to switch up what I tried, because eventually they'd become immune. He are some that worked the best, though:

1) Go ahead teaching in a softer voice. Depending on the class, they'll hush up when they realize you're not yelling and you're leaving them behind.

2) Start counting or watching the clock. Sometimes you don't even have to tell them what you're counting for and they get afraid of what it could be. Sometimes you want to give them a goal to keep cutting down on how long it takes them to get quiet. Or you may threaten to take twice the number of seconds you count out of lunch/recess or after class.

3) We did the "raise your hand and shut your mouth if you see my hand in the air" thing in Girl Scouts. I don't recommend it for high schoolers.

4) I have just started babbling in Spanish something to the effect of "I don't know what to do with these crazy kids who don't want to learn," but it wasn't quite as calming as I had hoped. Got their attention, though it didn't really shut them up.

5) Another teacher told me she and her son, also a teacher, got good results with a technique he picked up from Hitler of all people. They would just look out at the class silently, not saying a word, just glaring if someone dare talk to them. I never quite got it to work for me.

6) In desperation, I sometimes either just hit the button to call the office and wait to see who's left talking when they respond, or just start filling out a referral (I keep them on a highly identifiable purple clipboard) and just put it aside if they get quiet without saying who it was going to be for--sending it in for the loudest or last talking if they don't get quiet.

Hope that helps! Good luck!

Answer 2

Hi, Excellent question. I could answer it my way but i dont know if you could really handle it!
Its like a whole new make over for you! its a bunch of things too and a few different techniques here!
Start with awesome self confidence.. if you dont have it I fake it. And a new shirt, something likable to look at artsy maybe or go out n get yer self an accessories or two. like a bracelet or a ring.. So you fake all this of course and it becomes cool later after hard work hehehe but you want to walk in the room all different , hey like I said a whole new you here now.. and you walk in with smiles and looking at the students because whatever else you want to be so interested in THEM here.. body language wiggle a bit try different things like a hand to the ear thing hehehe look at an Elvis video :) OK also smile smile hands open, not closed body pointed to them...make jokes they Will come around! for examples and things to read for help would be a dale carnage book, search soul seek for e books.. on this subject use good key search words like win some one, and so on. and audio books. I got a whole bunch.

Answer 3

I think the first thing you need to do is think about what you are doing as opposed to what they are doing. You don't need to be entertaining like TV but you need to be relevant. Think about what it is that you are trying to have them understand, and think about how it plays out in their lives and how you can help foster that connection. Nine times out of ten, the same class that you struggle with can be your favorite class if you take a step back and retool. Reaching out to the class so that they know that you are interested in them can engender the same reaction from them as well. Try 5 minutes at the beginning of class where you ask them to share any good news they have. Have some good news to share yourself the first few days. Students will probably be reluctant at first but eventually they will want to share and if they know that 5 minutes is always there for them then the other time in the period, they will be all yours. Good Luck!

Answer 4

My best friend is a teacher and she would climb up on a desk and start waving her arms back and forth until everyone was quiet. Then she would start talking quietly. Loud yelling only provides loud talking. Sometime you need to demostrate quiet.
especially with little ones. Discuss good manners
and respect with the older ones. Having them stand
and remain standing until everyone is quiet will
put the pressure back on them which in turn makes them responsible for each other. Or you can do what Whoopi did in Sister Act 2...rake your fingernails across the chalkboard to get them to be quiet.

Answer 5

You have to start the year by making your expectations clear. Establish penalties when students violate your rules.

Usually what I do is just wait for them to quiet down. I'll stand at the front of the room, looking at them with anticipation, as if I have something to say. Sometimes I'll start, and then stop if they don't quiet right down. Usually, someone starts saying, "SHH - she's going to get mad" and the group quiets down. Sometimes, I just have to wait it out. They know that whatever we don't get accomplished in class they'll have to do themselves that night, so that usually works.

If silence doesn't work, often saying what you want in a voice that your class SHOULD be able to hear is effective. They'll quiet down trying to hear you.

Best wishes.

Answer 6

It depends on their age. If they are young kids you need to talk to them about what "quiet" looks like, sounds like, etc. (hands together, eyes on the teacher, lips closed, eyes open, no talking). Once you establish this you when you need them to be quiet say show me "quiet" or show me "ready" and wait until every student is quiet and has their eyes on you. If they are older kids and it's just a couple students stop talking and stare at them until they are quiet. Everyone will stop and look at them and it will embarrass them into being quiet. If it's the whole class say "excuse me" or "listen up" or something along those lines loudly, and again wait until they all stop and look at you. Good luck!

Answer 7

I would pick out the one that seems to be the ringleader and have them come up in front of the class so they could share what they have to say to everyone. If they are bold enough to do that, then I would tell them in front of everyone that maybe I will ask the principal if we can invite their parents and arrange it so they can address them as well as the whole student body at once? That should put them in their place and you back in control.

Answer 8

Ring a bell. Train them that when they hear the bell it means where ever they are in the room and what ever they are doing that the sound of the bell means FREEZE. If you can count to 10 before the bell silences them, then that is extra homework, writing lines, 10 minutes off recess.

Answer 9

wait for them to stop talking and when they do(it could take a while) tell them that since they wasted your time you will waste their time (however long it took them to shut up) by taking away that same amount in recess time. if their really little you can have them put their heads on their desk, otherwise just lights out, no talking. they might be mad at you at first, and youn may have to do it more than once, but after that, they won't do it ever again!!

Answer 10

I have them move a "Listening" card, speak with them about it; second offense, they lose 5 minutes of recess; third offense, THEY call their parents from my cell phone and tell them it's their third offense, and still lose 10 minutes from recess. Fourth offense it a trip to the office. Everyone gets a clean slate every day. Some have the potential to go to the office daily!!!!!!!!!!!!!!