Managing a very noisy class

[Fallingstar13]

I have a class of 30 mixed Year 1/2 children and I am finding they are soooo noisy. First of all on the carpet, they are incredibly chatty. They will literally talk over everybody and continue their conversations even as you are telling them. I've tried tambourines, clapping, calm music, chimes, moving carpet spaces etc. Some of them just get up and wander off to sit and chat to their friend or as you are talking to the class randomly shout things out like "what are we doing later, can i do show and tell, I've got a new dog" - literally randomly as you are talking (and they do do have time built in the day to share this kind of stuff. We follow a restorative approach with regards to behaviour, but I'm really struggling to make any progress with getting them to stop interrupting or chatting. Sometimes it is literally after everything we do. For example in maths, we will work through a question together, then we have to stop and resettle again before we can go to the next one.

Then we have to work with a group whilst the rest (like 20 children) are in provision in the classroom. I am finding this really tough because the group can't focus as they are watching their friends in provision. Then the children in provision are so noisy too. I've tried reminding them to use their quiet voices, putting calm music on, bribing with reward points but they can't help but shout everything to each other. I'm then having to literally shout for my group to actually be able to hear me, which is ridiculous.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

I teach secondary so might not have the best suggestions for you but with classes like this you need to train them, repeat your expectations often and use lots of motivational praise. E.g Year 7 I noticed were a little noisy coming in so I'm going to give you another chance to get it right. Let's see how quietly you can line up. We'll done Jack, lovely and quiet this time etc". Don't talk over them, wait for silence and if they begin talking go silent again. Try setting up a reward "The first 5 people sitting straight and silent on the carpet get a merit". Be really clear with instructions and warnings.

I teach older kids so I don’t know if this will work with yours, but when I was training I was told to try:
“Bobby, I’m surprised to hear you still talking after I asked you to be quiet”.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Worth a try.

Years ago, I had a similar mixed Y1/2 class. Someone suggested to me I try this (I can't remember what we called it!) You have a book of raffle tickets, and any time you catch someone doing someone good, you give them a ticket. Use loads! At the end of the day, you draw three (or however many) tickets out of all the ones you've given out, and the winners can choose a prize out of a box (pencils, rubbers etc). Loads of praise, loads of 'Ooh, who will get my next raffle ticket?'
Have you also tried yoga / mindfulness? Lots of brain breaks too with those dance and sing videos to let them release energy at the start of each activity. Good luck!

One of my class rules is 'I am calm in the classroom', I discuss at the beginning of term what this means - e.g. quiet voices, not racing around, being silly etc. I get them to practice talking quietly and model. We repeat and discuss this rule quite a lot over time & I remind 'noisy culprits' - what is the rule & getting them to say it. Lots of praise then for behaviour you want to see 'you remembered to put your hand & not shout out', ;thank you for using a quiet voice'. This works quite well for me - but also remembering that the nature of Continuous provision is more noise & not too get too stressed by it within reason. I have a really small classroom & 30 children so I get where your coming from!

I teach Y3/4 and we also use a restorative approach but are you actually being firm enough? If a child stands up when they should be on the carpet, I tell them to sit down pretty sharply (and did the same when I taught infants). All the tambourines and clapping in the world won't work if the children don't think you're serious. That and going over the class rules or charter or whatever again and again and using massive amounts of praise.