Classroom noise is to be expected during the day. Children chat among themselves, confer answers with their friends, and teachers discuss the lesson plan. Of course, you need to manage the noise appropriately. Fortunately, classroom noise monitor apps can be a useful tool to keep things under wrap. These handy apps use the microphone in your computer and let the children know when things are too much.
Too Noisy Lite is a great app that is free and easy to use. A noise meter appears at the bottom of the computer screen and starts with a happy face emoji and blue bar. When the noise increases and becomes too loud, clouds form and let the class know when things need to calm down. It’s a great tool, and there is a free or paid version available. Of course, with the paid version, you can download it onto your smartphone and get access to additional features. Once you register with EdTech Monster, you’re good to go.
Once this app starts to run, bouncy balls are found at the bottom of the screen. When the noise increases, the balls bounce higher and higher and will send out a warning to the students. It can beep or say shh to the students. It’s a nice way to encourage children to monitor their noise levels and behavior.
If you don’t like the bouncy balls, you can change them to eyeballs, bubbles, or emojis. You can visit the Bouncy Balls site and get started from there. Your microphone setting will become active and will send out alerts once the noise becomes too loud.
Calm Counter is a simple but effective way to manage and monitor the noise levels in your classroom. So, you have a meter that turns green when the noise levels are low. When the noise increases, the meter turns red. One of the more impressive elements about Calm Counter is that it’s a simple app; there aren’t any fancy features to worry about. That’s a good thing because it does what it says. It’s easy to use, and once you visit the Calm Counter site, you can adjust the sensitivity of your microphone and get started.
Classcraft Classroom Noise Monitor
This is a nice and easy app to work with. It comes with a volume meter and changes depending on the noise levels in the classroom. A pop-up appears on the screen when the class is loud. The only drawback is that Classcraft Classroom Noise Monitor doesn’t have an audible alert; however, it does have a few interesting features. For instance, you can find buried treasure while trying to keep the noise levels low. It’s a simple game to keep students entertained. Once you visit the Classcraft site, you can choose your max volume and get started.
Zero Noise Classroom by Google Chrome
The app monitors the noise level in the classroom and turns to a dark gray when things become loud. If the class quietens down, light shades appear on the screen. Since this doesn’t have an audible alert, red stripes appear on the screen when the maximum noise level is passed. Zero Noise Classroom does have a noise history feature which shows how often your class breaks the noise threshold. So, turn it into a game. See how long your class can go without hitting the noise threshold. For every day they succeed, they earn a prize.
To run Zero Noise Classroom, you need to use a Chrome browser as it runs as a Chrome extension. You will need to install Chrome on your computer if you haven’t got it already. If you have Chrome, however, you can just launch the Zero Noise Classroom app.
How to Successfully Use Classroom Noise Monitor Apps in Class?
- Don’t spring it on the student.
Children don’t want to feel ambushed or uneasy, so you need to let them know you’re going to use the app. For example, let the class know you want to use a noise monitoring app. Say you’re going to start using it next week, but talk the app through. Let the child know how the app works and what rewards and consequences will be introduced. Children have time to get used to the idea, and they understand what it is too.
- Give Children Time to Get Used to the App
Children aren’t perfect. They often forget things and act out in the wrong way, and with a noise monitoring app, it might get off to a bumpy start. So, instead of punishing the child, give them ample opportunity to get used to the app. It’s new, so children aren’t immediately going to like it, and some might push things to the limit. Give them a few days to let them push the boundaries, and then stamp your authority. Let the children know why the noise monitoring apps are being used.
- Use Different Apps on Different Days
Rotate the apps as often as you can. This will keep the children entertained, and it’ll allow you to find the best app for the class too.
Get a Handle on the Noise
Children are loud, whether they are four or fourteen. It’s a very natural part of their growing up, and a classroom is never a place full of silence – not 24/7 anyway. So, noise monitoring apps can be used to encourage a class to keep things at a suitable level. It’s educational too because children, as they get used to the app, begin to learn to monitor how loud they are in the classroom. Noise monitoring apps can help on so many levels.
