The Noise Out!
Submitted: April 24, 2003
transitioning to a new subject area, the students are sometimes rowdy or sometimes
lathargic. If the students are rowdy, I stand in front of the room and wait until
I get their attention. Then I point to my eyes as a signal to "watch"
and point to my chest to signal "me." I then clap, stomp, or shake a
body part in a series of patterns and it is their job to repeat my lead. This
is done in complete silence, so they do not clap aloud but would simulate clapping,
for example. The last signal I give them is to sit down quietly. I do this by
holding my hands out in front of me, palms down, and bringing my hands from my
mid-chest to hip level. I then begin teaching in a whisper voice as I walk among
days when the students are lethargic, I give out the instructions verbally and
with great enthusiasm. I have them stomp, clap, tap, and shake a body part in
a pattern that mimics mine with as much noise as they can make. They especially
like pounding their desks, with open palms, as hard as they can. Toward the end
of the activity, I slowly lower the noise of the clapping, etc., so that the students
calm down and are awake and ready to work without being hyped up.