Help me give up shouting please!

[peonysandhotcrossbuns]

In my mind I'm Miss Honey but these days I'm more Mrs Trunchbull and I really want to change.

I have a mixed R/Y1/2 class and at the moment the behaviour management is literally all I feel I do all day.

I start off calm but when children who know better are talking over you when you're teaching you just can't help but feel really exasperated!
Any tips greatly appreciated!

A wind chime which when rung they have to stop and listen? Counting down? A call and response song? Also look after your voice. Support your voice from the diaphragm and it will project further without shouting.

Focus on tone of voice and consistency.

Instead of shouting, use a firm tone that's well supported.

Pick one way to get their attention and use it consistently. Any who choose not to follow It (excluding any with send who would struggle), have a consistent sanction.
The key isn't the severity of the time of voice or the sanction but the consistency that it will happen.

I know someone who uses a really quiet voice. Also types instructions on the board -obviously not so great when they are little but non verbal instructions maybe? Her class are famously quiet.
I think it’s a counter intuitive thing but they have to be quiet to know what’s happening and it’s become a habit.

Thank you so much h I really appreciate it!
I have tried all of these things but by the end of the day I always revert back to raising my voice.
I will try the counting down idea and be consistent with it.
It's strange because all in all I have a very good class of lovely children- it's all quite low level stuff.
I'll post after Friday to tell you how it went.

I hear you! My class of 6's are loud in everything they do and I have found my voice rising. Going to make a concerted effort to wait for quiet (feels like ages!) Also to speak quietly. I have a large class of 35 so even if they are all only a bit loud it's too loud!

When you shout, you have lost control and the kids know it. Keep reminding yourself of this - I used to shout but this has really helped me and I never shout (except for across the field to get the kids in after break!)

I’m secondary but some my colleagues in practical subjects use clapping patterns to get their Key Stage 3 classes’ attention after noisy practical work. So they clap a pattern and the kids clap it back at them.
In terms of kids talking over me I just stop and say something like “I’m just waiting for one or two people to remember their manners” whilst staying as smiley and pleasant as I can. If a child then talks over me again I’ll stop again and say their name and then “is everything OK?”. If they talk over me again then they’ll get a sharper response and then a sanction. I find that “are you OK?” is a way of keeping things non-confrontational and pleasant whilst still making it clear that I’m not continuing whilst people talk over me.

Mixed R/1/2 class?!? Is that a thing? Sounds like hell on earth!

Can you win them over with positive reward systems. So maybe....I've got 10 house points (or pasta etc whatever your school uses) to give out but you have to be listening, sitting beautifully etc. I've also used Class Dojo in the past and the kids love the little monsters and the sound it makes when they get a point. Might work for your age group.

Thanks all, o think I've just been really inconsistent. I'll go in tomorrow and try the same method all day.
Thank you x

Not just all day, decide your method and stick to it for a good week.

In my experience:
Day 1 - this is new so we'll follow it
Day 2-5 - still quite new so getting the hang of it
Day 5-10 - now test to see if they'll stick to it

I only work part-time so I can't do it all week. Maybe that's why there is so much disruptive behaviour because of inconsistency in approaches from me and my other half?

Thanks though, there's hope!

Lots of different ways to do this. Lots of people are proponents of the "hands up" method. You raise your hand, and every child follows suit when they notice. They should shush their classmates of their own accord. I'm not personally a fan.

Another approach is to say in a normal speaking voice "If you can hear me, clap once." The kids nearest to you should clap. Repeat, again in a normal speaking voice "If you can hear me, clap twice". The kids nearest to the first couple of kids should have looked round and paid attention to why someone was clapping, and they'll join in. This should be enough people clapping twice to get the majority of the class to look round, at which point you can again say in a normal speaking voice "Clap three times if you can hear me" and pretty much the whole class should clap. Pick up individuals by name if one or two still aren't paying attention.

It takes a little longer than shouting "Be quiet" but it saves your voice and uses some of their energy with the clapping.

Another method is the call and response, which you can vary day to day, or week to week, from the traditional "Oggy oggy oggy - OY OY OY" to "Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS" or anything selected from recent kids culture. My personal favourite is I just shout "Luke!" and they call back "I am your father!" but I'm a sci fi geek.

Your mileage may vary with any of the above.

Day 1 of no shouting went really well I already feel really hopeful that I can be one a non shouty teacher!
Thanks all.

I absolutely love "Luke, I am your father!" That's lovely. I am secondary and do exactly as Dumbledore'sapprentice does. I find the "X, are you alright?" embarrasses them into silence. Wouldn't work for Reception though, my DS2 would just say "yes thanks!" and carry right on talking.

A guy at a training session used one of those meditation bowls, it sounded lovely and soothing.

I totally get you with the children talking over you, it's infuriating! I hold my hand up in front of them and say (as calmly as I can!) 'Wait'. If I have time and energy I will then, once I've finished, explain to that child that I couldn't talk to them at the same time as x and that they were being rude and interrupting. Its not easy though! Good luck.

In my years of teaching I have found these tips to be really useful.

Say thank you after a command not please, It's far more forceful and makes it much harder not to comply.

Ignore the behaviour you don't want to see (within reason) and praise the behaviour you do.

Word instructions in a positive way. Instead of saying, "don't run," say "show me sensible walking."

Keep instructions short and simple. Instead of saying. "Okay first I want you to tidy up, then put your English books in the middle of your tables and then go sit in your Maths places," say, "tidy up, books in middle, maths places, dojos/merits for the quickest table, GO!

Don't fall into argument traps and use the language of choice too.

Typically this is what happens.

"Callum stop talking and get on with your work."

"I wasn't talking!"

"Oh yes you were, I saw you!!"

"NO I wasn't!!!"

"ARE YOU ARGUING WITH ME??!!!"

Instead.

"Callum, if continue talking you will be choosing (sanction), now get on with your work."

"But I wasn't talking."

"I'm not arguing with you, I'm simply telling you what is going to happen, either choose to get on with your work quietly or choose (sanction), now make the right choice, thank you."

Hope it helps.

"Callum, if continue talking you will be choosing (sanction), now get on with your work."

"But I wasn't talking."

"I'm not arguing with you, I'm simply telling you what is going to happen, either choose to get on with your work quietly or choose (sanction), now make the right choice, thank you."
I love this approach.

"Sarah, we are doing silent independent work. If you choose to ignore those instructions then (sanction)"
"But I wasn't..."
"You can discuss this at break if you feel I'm being unfair. Right now, I want you to get on with you independent work in silence. Thank you".