White noise

How can a class of 50 + kids and 2 teachers make less noise than my class of 23? I could blame there's too many boys or too many new kids.  I armed myself with a plan of a noise intervention asking the class to help solve my problem. After explaining this is mine and their place of work and learning they were more than willing to offer advice and their 2c worth. Great I'm getting by in!

Use music to stop

Use shakers to let us know we are getting to loud

Write NOISE up on the board and take letters off to and stay in at break times

Use whisper voices when Mrs P is working with children 

At read,read,read time and silent reading time read in your head

Alter time for silent reading it's too long (agreed on 7 minutes)

What are YOU going to do to be a RESPECTFUL citizen and a THINKER KC kid?

Use whisper voices when working in a group (other people won't be able to hear what you're saying)

Gently tap the person who is talking too loudly and put your fingers to your lips.

I explained to the children about taking letters off NOISE is a negative way of thinking and it can make you feel angry or upset when letters get taken off you might not want to try.  In the short of it we are going to replace NOISE with RESPECT.

Stay tuned and I'll let you know how we are going!

I'm back and I have some progress to share with you.  The children have really taken to earning youtube time. But I did hit a wall with some children consistently talking too loudly so I have a 2 tier approach. These noisy souls have individual behaviour goals with the child choosing the incentive (ipad and treasure books being a big hit).  For the children who I have given a 'friendly' fingers to the lips or a buddy tap reminder and offend again they lose their youtube privilege. SO FAR NOT A SOUL has had their their youtube time revoked.  Also a big hit with the relievers so easy to monitor and implement and easy to set goals for each learning time.

A bit of delayed gratification never hurt anyone

"Patience is necessary, and one cannot reap immediately where one has sown."

Soren Kierkegaard

"Good ideas are not adopted automatically. They must be driven into practice with courageous patience."

Hyman Rickover