Key points:

• Students can’t learn if they’re having trouble listening
• Tech tools and sound amplification can help combat classroom noise pollution

Learning depends on listening. But classroom noise pollution is making hearing in the classroom harder. Finding simple and effective ways to dial down classroom noise levels can help increase focus and stamina.

The World Health Organization recommends classroom sound levels of no more than 35 decibels. The average volume of a classroom, however, rings in at more than twice that level. At 77 decibels, the average classroom produces the same level of noise as freeway traffic or other “annoyingly loud” sounds.

What’s causing all this noise? Changes in the classroom that brought many advantages, such as interactive technologies, more small group work, and flexible classrooms, have contributed to noise levels. Some schools may also experience environmental noise such as city traffic, construction, or noise from ventilation systems.

The result is classroom noise pollution that causes distraction and discomfort for students and teachers. From learning loss and lower standardized test scores to student distraction and teachers losing their voices, noise has significant impacts in the classroom. Research reveals that 40 percent of students say they can’t understand their teacher due to background noise. Meanwhile, three-quarters of teachers say their jobs make their voices hoarse or strained.

Everybody’s talking about ChatGPT and how it’s going to impact K-12–and generally not in positive terms!

Granted, ChatGPT might make writing that 11th-grade essay on symbolism in “The Great Gatsby” a whole lot easier (which, to be fair, does make grading a whole lot harder). Aside from that, there are real positives to our new AI pal, and overworked teachers can embrace it as the gift that it is: a free personal teaching aide. The one who sketches out the lesson plans and assessments, finds source materials, and just generally carries out the grunt work.

In other words, ChatGPT can save teachers a whole lot of time.

1.     ChatGPT Helps with Writing Lesson Plans

Teachers can use ChatGPT to get a jump on lesson-planning.

Let’s say I’m teaching symbolism in literature. First, I’m going to ask ChatGPT for five creative ideas for teaching symbolism in “The Great Gatsby.” One of the amazing things about ChatGPT is that we’re actually chatting – we’re in dialogue together. I want to include some additional primary resources along with the teaching activity. So, my next question is: What are some primary sources I could teach along with those suggestions? ChatGPT suggests some great resources, but who has time to go digging those up?! Oh yeah! ChatGPT does. I ask it for links for each of the resources it suggested.

Ask me what technology I’d most like to see implemented in every single K–12 classroom and I’d say instructional audio. As a long-time audiologist, I’m admittedly biased. But research bears out the benefits and I’ve seen the results firsthand in my 27 years (and counting!) working in public schools.

Here are some of the ways we know instructional audio technology helps build students’ confidence and benefits all student groups—as well as a few suggestions on how to get started.

Amplifying students’ voices

Did you know a fear of public speaking affects an estimated 73 percent of the population? Unfortunately, that stress and fear can start in the classroom at a young age. Whether presenting a project, raising a hand to answer a question, or reading a passage out loud in front of others, students are often hesitant to put themselves out there.

At Rio Rancho Public Schools in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, we’ve seen how some students can be reluctant to participate and engage in the classroom. However, we’ve found that microphones can help boost confidence and classroom participation. Students often struggle to hear their soft-spoken classmates, someone with an unfamiliar accent, or someone talking from the opposite side of the room. Audio clarity particularly impacts the ability of non-native English speakers to follow discussions.

Modern technological advancements can make education noticeably more exciting and entertaining, but accompanied by all its benefits, uncontrolled use of technology in schools can divert students’ attention to unwanted places. That is why efficient school management is important.

Most American children’s daily screen time averages around five to seven hours. Consequently, and considering today’s widespread use of smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices among children, monitoring and managing children’s screen time is essential for protecting their physical and mental well-being. Unhealthy usage (may it be time-based or content-based) can lead to physical health issues, feelings of isolation, disconnection from the real world, and a number of other problems.

That is why the problem must be also faced in schools, where students spend a big part of their day. Thus, teachers must be able to monitor student screen time in the classroom. Educators can use several strategies to limit students’ screen usage and efficiently foster engagement.

#1: Establish Clear Classroom Rules

Establishing classroom norms defines the atmosphere of the class and is essential for creating a thriving learning environment. Make sure to decide which behavior in the classroom is acceptable and which isn’t. Communicate your expectations and allow students to partake in setting the norms. This will give them the confidence to share their opinions. Once some ground rules are established, offer explicit instructions and discuss them with students. Clearly outline the expectations to ensure the classroom remains a safe and productive learning space. And with that, also plainly define the consequences for breaking the rules.

#2: Make Sure the Expectations Are Reasonable

When you are setting limits for student screen time, the limits must be realistic. It is best to consider various factors, such as how much screen time is required for fluent schoolwork, how much time students spend behind screens besides that, etc. While establishing these expectations, again, ensure that students know what is expected of them.

Related:
5 ways tech helps create calmer learning environments
4 tips to build a strong classroom culture this year

When I started as a school counselor more than 15 years ago, technology in the classroom looked much different than it does today. Only a handful of students had their own personal device and the concept of one-to-one models, meaning every student is given a school-issued laptop or tablet, had not yet taken hold. At that time, students were accessing the internet or using digital tools sparingly throughout the school day, and typically only in tech-focused classes. Today, most teens have access to a smartphone and more than 80 percent of K-12 students use a school-issued device as part of their learning. Students are clearly more connected than ever, both inside and outside of the classroom.

This increased access to technology in school has had both positive and negative impacts on students. For some, the internet has proven to be an incredibly engaging and useful learning tool, while for others, the constant stream of information can be overwhelming. Because of this, it is important for educators to help students use technology in a purposeful way that supports learning.

While it might seem counterintuitive, technology and certain digital tools can actually help provide students with a sense of calm while enhancing in-the-moment thinking.

Here are five ways I have seen technology serve as a remedy for brain overload:

1. Mental health check-ins to start class

The short time between class periods is often hectic, with many students physically moving to different classrooms or mentally preparing to dive into a new subject. Hallway passing time can also be filled with stressful social interactions or glances at social media.

Well-being check-ins at the beginning of class can be a great way to help students regain focus and center their thoughts. Simple online tools that let you survey your class – like Pear Deck, Google Forms, or Kahoot – can be used to support these emotional checks. Asking questions along the lines of “How are you feeling today?” or “What color would best describe your mood today and why?” and allowing students to respond anonymously can be a game changer in the classroom.

2. Mindfulness apps

Helping students practice mindfulness, or the ability to be present in the moment and aware of thoughts, feelings, and sensations, can greatly benefit mental health far beyond the classroom. In addition to non-tech strategies like paper mood boards, mindfulness dice, or breathing exercises, there are free digital tools and apps like Calm, Headspace, and more that can guide students through mindfulness exercises in both a group or individual setting.

Related:
How to identify student anxiety in the classroom
Teachers can’t keep up with the need for SEL

3. Private, digital feedback

Some students are not comfortable raising their hands in class or asking for feedback in a group setting. Leveraging solutions that have chat features or allow for real-time digital feedback on student work is a great way to engage students who prefer more private communication.

There are also certain classroom discussions where anonymity is key. If there is a conversation of a sensitive nature, where not even the teacher needs to know whose answer is whose, anonymous feedback will help educators facilitate an honest, open discourse. This way, students will feel more comfortable sharing their responses knowing that they are anonymous. Try utilizing digital tools that support this kind of safe engagement.

4. Audio & visual tools

Classroom environments can directly impact students’ ability to learn. Adding calming music, videos, or lighting can help put students at ease and create a more peaceful learning space. Music has shown to help improve focus, and there are endless playlists with classroom-appropriate songs available through services like Spotify or YouTube. Projecting videos of a fireplace, waves on a beach, or slow-moving clouds to the front of the classroom during work time can also help create a more relaxing atmosphere.

5. Digital guardrails

When students are using their school-issued devices, it can be helpful to set thoughtful guardrails or parameters around which web pages they can or cannot access during class. Certain filtering solutions or classroom management products can help narrow or broaden internet access depending on what is needed for the day’s lesson. This helps students focus on the task at hand and reduces information overload or distractions.

For today’s students who often find themselves overloaded, a calming learning environment can serve as a much-needed moment of stillness. As classroom technology continues to evolve, educators and school mental health professionals can use strategies like the above to help students navigate their digital world with purpose.

The past two years have been immensely difficult for our nation’s students and teachers. In the wake of the isolation and trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health and behavioral challenges are on the rise as students continue to process unprecedented amounts of stress, anxiety, and grief. The decline in child and adolescent mental health has been so great that the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association have declared it a national emergency.

These mental health issues have translated into increased disengagement, conflict, and bullying — and as a result, disciplinary action — in school classrooms and hallways across the country. 

As a Dean of Culture at a public school in Queens, New York, until recently, I saw these challenges first-hand. I also know that traditional discipline methods fail to address the root cause of behavioral issues. Many forms of disciplinary action are doing more harm than good. This is especially true when research shows that Black students are disciplined far more than White students for the same offenses, perpetuating and sustaining cycles of inequity in our schools.

Rather than continue to create a culture of punishment, I worked with my school to enact a unique blend of mindfulness strategies and social-emotional learning–informed by Breathe For Change, a 200-hour Wellness, SEL and Yoga Teacher Training for educators–to create a safe and inviting space for kids. 

As we educators–exhausted from two years of our own stress, fear, and uncertainty–begin a new school year, it can be tempting to default to punitive discipline measures. But it’s critical that we start the year on a positive note. Here are four strategies that can help create a positive classroom culture as we begin the school year: 

Create a Calming Environment
It’s important to set up a welcoming space that invites feelings of calm and safety for students. This can include adjusting the lighting, setting out aromatic scents, and playing tranquil music without lyrics. When a student is struggling, teachers can bring them to this space to deescalate the situation and provide them with time to process what they are feeling. Before bombarding them with questions about what happened, offer students the opportunity to journal, guiding them through the process with thoughtful prompts. The student may also just want to sit quietly for a moment, and that’s okay too. When discussing what happened with the student, be sure to validate their perspective with compassion and understanding–even if you personally disagree. 

Related:

One district’s push to help students feel like they belong
How to transform your school culture

A rise in harassment and violence against teachers is taking a toll on already-exhausted educators. A recent survey from the American Psychological Association found that 6 in 10 teachers reported student violence or verbal aggression during the pandemic, with nearly half expressing a desire or plan to quit or transfer schools.

To create a teaching environment where educators feel safe, school leaders may want to consider adding evidence-based behavior management strategies to their back-to-school plan. The more preventative maintenance teachers can do through proactive strategies, the less likely they will encounter problem behavior.

Here are five classroom management strategies to help educators regain control of their classrooms: 

1. Understanding students 

Getting to know each student individually will enable teachers to better evaluate the nature of the problem behavior when it occurs and respond appropriately. Additionally, challenging behaviors are much less likely when a teacher and student build a rapport based on trust and understanding. To build this rapport, teachers’ nonverbal behavior and paraverbal communication need to reflect their compassion for each student.

2. Practicing patience

An important de-escalation skill is what the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) terms “Rational Detachment”–the ability to manage one’s behavior and attitude and not take the behavior of others personally. When faced with student misbehavior, instead of thinking something like, “I can’t take this disrespect anymore,” teachers can use positive self-talk such as, “I’ve seen this before. This behavior is not about me. What is it about, and how can I help?”

The 2021-2022 school year began full of promise. Students, families, and educators were ready to get back to pre-pandemic learning routines. Almost no one was prepared for how the landscape had changed – many educators had left the profession, staffing needs were at an all-time high, and students were engaging in more frequent and more severe challenging behaviors.

The disruption wreaked by Covid dramatically impacted our students, especially those who were at-risk or experiencing behavior challenges prior to the pandemic. School leadership often struggled to meet the training needs of their staff–many of whom were brand new–especially needs related to behavior support. 

The influx of staffing issues coupled with the uptick in challenging behaviors highlights the need for dedicated, integrated behavior support systems that are proactive, responsive to students’ individual needs, and grounded in evidence-based practices proven to increase prosocial behaviors.

Systems are what support staff behaviors and include training, ongoing coaching and performance feedback, efficient data collection processes, and opportunities for professional development. Models like schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) provide a framework for creating sustainable systems that can be brought to scale.