Noisy Class...what do i do?

Question

I am a first year teacher at an urban school in california, and although my fourth grade class is a great group of kids, they are really noisy.
i dont mean that I have just a few noisy kids...it may sound funny, but it seems like the entire class gets noisy all at once. I've tried everything I can think of, but it still is a problem at least a few times a day, and it's beginning to make it difficult to teach....help!

i do have, of course, positive reinforcement systems in place, but there are just some kids who don't seem to care either way...so, i am looking for creative, original ideas to reach apathetic students

Answer 1

Kids at that age are starting to get affected by peer pressure, so a group discipline can work. Find a big jar, like a large pickle jar. Pick an object to fill the jar, maybe starting with ping pong balls. Tell them a ball goes in each 1/2 day they are quiet, but a ball comes out any time the whole class is talking. Tell them when it's full, they'll have a party*. After the first party, reduce the size of the object to fill the jar, maybe using gumballs the next time. *They can also supply the things for the party.

I save this kind of motivation for this time of year, the long slide. I don't start the year with it. 4th graders also love to work for coupons to miss a homework or other things.

Answer 2

I would not let them into the classroom if they were being noisy. I'd line them up outside until they settled. If they came into the room and were noisy as a class, I'd send them all out to line up again. It might waste half a lesson but the work done in the second half of the lesson with a settled class would easily make up for that. You cannot teach if you let the kids, rather than you, set the tone for a lesson. The classroom is a place of learning and needs to be treated as such.

Of course, it is far easier to set the rules for expected behavior at the start of the year than in the middle of the year. If you do not get it right this time, be sure to learn from the experience before you start your second year.

Answer 3

Students often will respond to guidelines that are removed to a degree from the teacher's voice. Make a replica of a stoplight with red, green and yellow lights to place in the front of the classroom. Make it so that only one color shows at a time. Tell the students that the redlight showing means there should be no talking at all unless you have called on someone. The yellow light means to talk a minimum amount when necessary and a green light allows everyone to talk if they would like for certain projects such as art , science or group projects. The students are more likely to follow the assigned light than your constantly telling them to be quiet. If the red light is on and you have forgotten to change it when it would be more appropriate to talk, they will usually come ask you if they may change the light. Surprising how it works.

Answer 4

I know of a teacher that does this and it works great.

Write the letters QUIET on the board. When the class gets too noisy, erase one of the letters. Her class' reward is free time Friday afternoon. If they can keep all the letters on the board, they get 10 minutes, 2-4 letters, 5 minutes, and one or less, no minutes. The students are really motivated. She also rewards those students who suggest to their classmates to keep their voices down so that they can keep their letters.

Answer 5

I have found that a talking stick works well. I tell my students that unless they have the "stick" then they may not talk. You have to remind them a few times at first, but it does work. I teach high school and it works like a charm. For elementary you may want to incorporate a treat or reward for each day they successfully use the stick.

Also, I painted the stick several fun colors and the kids named it MAGIC because it worked so well. Good Luck.

Answer 6

When you lose the kids' attention, it can snowball on you. Stay on top of them. It's usually a few who start the trouble, so be ready for them. Think about a plan of action for tomorrow. Try to stop it the second they start. Call the kids by name with a very strict voice and have your punishment ready. I used to write the office referral form before they got to class. Then when they started up I took it to their desk and told them it's all filled out. Want me to send it in or should I just call your momafter school? Call parents, refer problems to counselors. Use the tools at your disposal. I once logged every minute that I had to stop to correct somebody who git off track. In the parent - teacher - principal conference, I pulled it out of their file and they had no defense.

Answer 7

It won't help to yell because the noise level will only get worse. I know of a 5th grade Teacher who just walks into class very quietly. She doesn't say a word, she just stands there looking at her students and waits for them to keep quiet. It only takes a minute before all the children settle down into their seats.

Answer 8

Stand at the front of the room and stare. Seriously. This works. If thats a little too weird for you, I have a couple other suggestions as well. Get the kid closest to you to whisper to the kids closest to them to be quiet and on and on. OR buy the noise traffic light.... that has gotten rave reviews from a lot of teachers I know. Link below.

Answer 9

If the noise is a consequence of the students being engaged in their learning and excited about what they're doing, then let it slide. If the noise is them chatting while you're delivering instruction, it's time to re-think how much time you spend in direct teaching. You're probably talking for longer than they're physically able to sit quietly listening.

Answer 10

Yelling does not help. Patience does. Tell them the more they talk, the more homework. Reward them when they are quiet. DO NOT YELL. It would rather louder, make them quiet (but not for long. At most 3 minutes), or make them dislike you. If they dont like you, they wont learn, do their homework, make a bad learning area, and/or get louder. I would give more homework if they get TO loud or do fun and exciting projects.

DOs
"Clap your hands once if you hear me. Clap twice and so on."
"Quiet down or more homework"
"Please be quiet."

DONTs
"QUIET!!"
Any and all yells, actualy