To my knowledge it really hasn't been a problem at our school, at least not with the K-5. I'vbe stopped by the lunch room on occasion (gym), and it's loud, but nothing out of control, and besides--it's a gym. The lunch aides are fairly tolerant--the ones that aren't are usually crabby and yell, but I think most are cognizant of the fact that they're kids and it's lunch time.
The clapping thing made me laugh--our kindergarten teacher teaches that to her classes, and at a birthday party once in friend's basement the kids got insane and weren't listening. In desperation I clapped the clap--the kids stopped dead in their tracks (2nd Graders at this point), clapped back and shut up before they even realized what they were doing! It was amazing illustration of the Pavlovian response!
Our school has a small cafeteria that has been very noisy. Over the past 2 years the PTO has had almost $4K in sound attenuation panels installed, and although they did make a small differnce, the problem remained. We just had a Talk Light installed and it seems to have made much more of a difference and was a lot cheaper. Our Talk Light is used with both a rewards system and a dicipline system, which I feel is very effective! Kids need to talk during lunch and should be allowed to and the talk light gives them a consistant reminder of the noise level without anyone having to yell!
Our school purchased a Talk Light 3 years ago and it has worked very well for us. The traffic light provides the students with a visual indication of how loud the room is. They know when the light starts flashing yellow that they need to quiet down so that it doesn't turn red. I work the lunchroom 1-2 days a week and I don't have to say anything negative to the students anymore. They actually manage themselves. This way I am not the "mean person" in the lunchroom!
I must comment on this, not only am I the PTO Pres. but I also work in my school lunch room. The noise level is definitly a problem for the principal to take care of not the PTO. My PTO also bought traffic lights and we turn the light on red when lunch is over an the kids need to line up, rarely we turn it to red and leave it there. We keep a note book and write down the kids names who are taking on red and give the list to the approriate teacher for disipline.
I am one that believes that childern need to talk and socialize, they are sitting in class for along time and this is one time of the day they have to talk to their friends. When it gets really loud we do a clap sequence and the kids repeat it back, they know when we do this that they are too loud and it seems to work well. Sometimes we will play music, the telephone game, or hangman (we have a chalkboard) and this seems to keep them quieter. On Fridays if they behave we will let them get up and do performances, they love this and everyone is quiet to listen. Kids love to be rewarded, maybe some type of reward system may work for you. Well, I hope this helps - Good Luck! Trish
im new to the boards and after I wrote it I figured I posted in the wrong spot!
Anyway -You have gave some good insight. Im speculating that as we are a small school, that it is a combination of loudness and adult intolerance.
I think it really needs to be "investigated" before jumping in and spending money especially if it is NOT needed. I also am curious that this should be a school problem and not one for PTO.
I would be interested in finding out what you come up with, if you get a chance email me and I too will share what I find out. [img]smile.gif[/img]
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I ate lunch with my son after a field trip a few weeks ago and this is the first time since we started at the new school. My son had said they were really mean about talking but I assumed he was exaggerating because I know that the kids can get loud. He wasn't. I honestly wouldn't know if sound really is a problem because it didn't get that loud, kids were talking normally and it wasn't painful or unusual, but the lunch lady began yelling at all the kids and turned the lights off a couple of times. The kids basically have to sit in near complete silence. In this situation, it's definately a few people who have the problem, not the children.
