Classroom Management: Quieting the Classroom

There are four main quiet signals that we will be using this year. We choose these methods because students can SEE them from anywhere in the room, students can HEAR them when they’re interacting in teams, they’re not overly annoying when used throughout the day, and they all work within five seconds.

Windchime

There's something soothing about the sound and it lingers before it fades so it isn't a signal that will be missed. Students raise their hand to signal others to get quiet.

Hand Up and Count

Mrs. Glidden or Ms. Brown holds up one hand and slowly counts to 3. Students look at teacher and hold up one hand to signal others. We expect the room to be quiet by the count of 3.

Clapping Patterns

Mrs. Glidden or Ms. Brown claps 2 times slowly. Students respond by clapping 3 times quickly (which means they have to stop working and put things down that they are holding).

Rainstick

Mrs. Glidden or Ms. Brown holds up the rainstick and shakes it. Students raise one hand to signal others; the room must be quiet by the time the stones in the rainstick fall to the bottom.

An online stopwatch is one additional tool that we utilize in rooms with Smartboards. We will spend plenty of time rehearsing our quiet signals at the beginning of the year so that they become automatic.