There are teachers who believe that absolute silence is the goal. Actually it is not. Literacy is the goal of early childhood and that involves reading, writing, speaking and listening. A perfectly silent classroom is immediately compromised. Children have learned everything they already know by interaction; not by merely listening to someone else. If your goal is silence, you need a new goal. Learning is often a noisy endeavor. That is not to suggest that you can be noisy enough to disrupt learning in the halls and neighboring classrooms. Learning just involves a lot of communication with a teacher as well as other learners. Just like we have to teach children how to make a genuine apology, we have to teach them how to use their volume effectively. You will often want them to discuss something with their small group or elbow partner. Practice an appropriate volume with one group. Then add all the other groups and demonstrate how what is reasonable when you only have four children often is too loud when it applies to twenty. Let the students help you decide the volume that conversations should be in order to hear the ones in their group while not disturbing other groups. Of all the things you have to teach and practice, volume is challenging. Children often mimic what is said and done at home and some families are more boisterous than others. The challenge is getting all of the learners on the same page when it comes to volume in the classroom without getting so frustrated that you opt for silence.

While it is true that some families are more boisterous than others, you, as the teacher, have the opportunity to set the tone  for your classroom. Remember that children learn more from what we do than what we say. They are always watching and learning from us. If you speak to them with love and respect, and your actions are a reflection of that love and respect, the majority of children will want to be like you. Be consistent and demonstrate integrity since that is what you want the students to emulate. Don’t forget to use your “class chant” or reset. Create an environment that is relaxed and safe, and children will want to learn.

Pamela Webster, M. Ed. SPED

If you are an experienced teacher with a successful “noisy” learning environment, please contribute to the conversation in the comments below.