Case Study - Shouting in Class

Introduction

The case study approach of this module has been designed to create an awareness of the general classroom behavioral problems that may be encountered on a day to day basis. The examples here are generalised and may be applied to situations other than the ones given here.

Description of the problem

Mr Cain is teaching a science lesson to the entire first-grade class. While Mr Cain is talking, several students are also taking. Mr Cain reprimands the students and they stop talking. A few minutes later, several other students begin talking. Mr Cain tells them to stop and they stop. When Mr Cain finishes the lecture, he instructs the students to work in small groups on the experiment he has just demonstrated. After a few minutes of group work, the noise level in the room becomes unbearable and Mr Cain has to shout at students to get them to listen. When they are silent, Mr Cain tells them to work on the experiment quietly. After several minutes, the noise level in the room once again becomes unacceptably loud. Mr Cain shouts and scolds his students once again. This pattern continues throughout the day.

Note:
This problem is an indication of a need for overall improvement in classroom management techniques. The plan that's given on this section is only a temporary remedy.

Causes

One reason that students get boisterous and rambunctious is that it's fun for them to do so. It allows them to expend energy and makes them feel completely free from responsibility. Unfortunately, no learning can take place in a classroom filled with extremely rowdy students. Students will usually be as noisy as they are allowed to be, so it becomes the teacher's responsibility to set limits on their behavior.

Another possible reason for excessive noise in the classroom is that the teacher has gotten caught up in the criticism trap. When Mr Cain yells at the students, he thinks he's punishing them for misbehaving, but in fact, he's reinforcing their misbehavior. Students have learned that they can get the teacher's attention easily by making so much noise that the teacher has to tell them to be quiet. Whenever the teacher responds, his or her attention only serves to reinforce the behavior.

It's possible, too, that the level of noise in the classroom has simply risen gradually over a period of time. The noise in the classroom may have begun at an acceptable level, but as a couple of students began to talk louder, other students would have to talk louder also so they could be heard over other students, and so on, and so on. Gradually, the noise in the classroom has become so loud that it's impossible to think or get anything accomplished.

Then there's the matter of punishment. If, in most cases of rowdiness, there is no more consequence other than getting yelled at momentarily by the teacher, students begin to think Why not be noisy? Nothing's going to happen.

Goal

Students will learn to keep classroom noise at an acceptable volume.

The Plan:

Step 1:
Decide how much classroom noise you consider to be acceptable. This is difficult to do but very important. If you don't determine what the borderline is between acceptable and unacceptable noise beforehand, you're likely to be inconsistent in giving students feedback concerning levels of noise.

Step 2:
Establish a signal that will inform students when the volume of noise have gone beyond acceptable limits. Turning out the lights is an efficient signal. Whenever the level of noise becomes unacceptable, calmly walk over and turn off the lights. This signals the students to quiet down. Keep the light turned off until the entire class is completely silent.

Step 3:
Decide what the consequence will be for exceeding the established noise level. The easiest punishment to enforce is to have students owe time form their recess. Whenever the lights go out or some signal is given, students automatically will owe two minutes from their recess. Make note of the amount of time students take to quiet down; add this time to the two minutes already owed. When everyone is silent, record the amount of time owed on the board and resume whatever activity you were engaged in earlier. Do not scold the students to realize that it's their responsibility to maintain a reasonable and acceptable level of noise in their classroom.

When students have become familiar with the lights-out signal, they may try quieting down as soon as you walk toward the light switch, in hopes of avoiding punishment. Don't let them get away with that. Turn off the lights anyway. Turning off the lights indicates that they'll owe two minutes for having been too loud, no matter what.

Don't attempt to differentiate between who's making noise and who isn't, if there's too much noise, it's the responsibility of the whole class. Trying to record which students owe time makes the plan unnecessarily complicated.

Step 4:
Discuss the problem and the plan with the class. Inform students that you have been concerned about the level of noise in the classroom, and that from now on the lights will go out whenever there's too much noise. Make sure students understand that they will owe two minutes anytime the lights are turned off plus the amount of time it takes for them to become quiet.

Practice using the light-switch signal for half an hour so the students can learn the borderline between acceptable and unacceptable noise levels. During the practice session, conduct an activity in which the students are typically noise. Tell the students that you will use the light-switch signal, and that you will record the minutes owed on the board. However, this is just a practice session, Tell them that from now on, it's going to be the real thing. If the lights go out, they'll owe time off recess.

Step 5:
Whenever the students keep their noise within a acceptable range, praise them. Let the students know what you're aware of and pleased with their success.

Periodically, when the students make it through an entire day without owing any time, award them a special privilege, like some free time for the entire class. This kind of special reinforcement lets them know that you appreciate their efforts and their cooperation.