Calling All Teachers, and Anyone Else Who Wants to Contribute.

Anyone out there have any tips on dealing with the overwhelming affects of classroom noise?

My senior classes are not an issue, it is the 8's & 9's who send me for the exits. I don't think I can do these high energy grades anymore, as it takes hours afterwards for my tinnitus to calm down to a point where it is manageable. The cacophony of sound has just become too much and they really are not all that bad in the scheme of things.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Advice?

Thanks in advance.

 

If you're eligible for retirement maybe go that route and find a job at a community college? If not is it possible for you to get a schedule change and only teach senior classes?

 

Unfortunately retirement is at least 5 years away. As for teaching only senior classes... there are not enough to fill my schedule. I need to acquire an admin job or perhaps night shift with the janitorial crew.

 

Is it possible to switch to a librarian position? My mom was a teacher for many years and ended up finishing her time as a librarian, same salary and benefits, didn't effect her retirement either.

 

Unfortunately being a librarian where I am, requires a master's degree in library sciences. My master's is not in library sciences. Oh well...

 

What about "advising" (where you help kids to choose courses to allow them to graduate on time)?

Is it the case that the kids are loud not because you ask them to do loud activities (like group work), but because they won't listen to you even if you ask them to be quiet and listen to you teach? You could try what my mom (who retired from teaching about five years ago) used to do. When kids were loud, she would give them a quiz. It worked well for her.

 

Have you tried raising this issue with your union? They might be able to help you get that admin position (or allow you to work while not having a full schedule).

 

More often than not I have a handle on the kids, it is just the nature of grade 8's and 9's. They simply have a lot of energy and are very interactive with each other and the teacher. Back when I was young it just made for a busy day and I could get to the end of the day feeling I accomplished something. Now I am old and dealing with hearing loss and tinnitus, it has become difficult to attend to all the auditory input in the classroom from run of the mill questions to inappropriate behavior. I have come to the point where I just long for quiet.

 

Could you do a 4 day week giving you a mid week break ?
I work in a school.
Love glynis x

 

Oh not an easy situation there krispin. I often wonder how people survive kids. We don't have any but when at family gatherings...all the noise normal noise from that age group is hard to take.

And unfortunately you cannot tell them you need quiet because that will make them even louder.

Have you thought about a good set of custom made ear plugs? That may help.

 

I suppose the hallways can be loud in between classes. How loud can it get in the class? Is it just sporadic or consistently that loud?

 

Depending on the day and what you are doing, it can range from 40db's to 80+. Hallways between classes, I imagine well above 80. Haven't measured there.

What kills me is the constant din of a normal classroom regardless of volume. Sorting and attending to all the signals in the classroom has become difficult. My primary issue is obviously hearing loss, compounded by tinnitus.