Disruptive students vs. the student needing quiet
I have found that there are people who work better with noise/loud music, etc and others that need quiet. How do you balance these out in a classroom?
Hi Lisa,
I produce an environment that is quiet in order to promote effective learning and effective teaching for the majority.
Patricia Scales
I would also like some more feedback on this topic as well.
Hi Lisa,
Being one of those people who need it to be relatively quiet in order to study, I too maintain a fairly quiet environment. When I have assigned work or reading which I am allowing in class, I let the students know they are welcome to use their head phones or ear buds, and listen to their music while they work. I find about 50 to 60% will work with some type of back ground noise.
I am including the classrooom sidebar communicator. A terrible pet peeve of mine. I always just stopped my class and looked at the talkers until it stopped. Funny thing was, everyone in the class thought I was looking at them. Without exception among my students sitting around the talker they always thanked me for making the talking stop.
I had professors that told me I was wrong to do that because those people talking while I was teaching may have been having a real learning experience and could not wait to share it.
I feel it is disrespectful and as a learner, it interferes with my learning.
Hi Jana,
When the instructor is lecturing, the students do not need to have side conversations.
Patricia Scales
Before I begin my lecture I ask the students to hold their questions and comments until after the lecture therfore it lets both the quiet and disruptive students join in a open class discussion at the end and they seem to enjoy it very much and it also gets the quiet students involved as well.
Hi Marie,
I let my students ask questions if need be during my lecture so that they understand the entire lecture as I am lecturing. One piece of misinterpreted information during lecture time can make for misunderstanding of the lecture.
Patricia Scales
I have a similar problem when we are doing hands on tasks some people want the radio on some want it quiet and understand both sides when I am working sometimes I prefer quiet and others I like having some background music. I try to accomodate everyone by varing our environment some days the radio will be on but at a resonable volume and others I will leave it off. Other than that I am not sure what else I can do since the students can't were head phones.
Hi Ian,
I do not produce an environment where music is utilized. I am old school, and I keep it quiet at all times.
Patricia Scales
I too have the side bar communicators. Most of the time I stop lecture and ask if they have a question that I can answer. Sometimes I ask if there is something that they would like to share with the class and sometimes I stop and just look at them and say "I can Wait." This usually puts an end to the sidebar.
I agree, I too stop classes and wait for the student to realize what a disruption he, or she has been. I usually find it better than a reprimand as some students, especially the Talkers, take that as an opportunity to give you rebuttle and so it continues to disrupt the class. Sometimes peer pressure gets involved and someone will whisper to the student to be quiet.
Hi Peggy,
I understand. It is good to use calming approaches whenever situations have to be handled.
Patricia Scales
