How to Be Quiet During Class

Co-authored by Katie Styzek

Last Updated: December 29, 2022 References Approved

If you are a social person, you may like talking to your friends during class. If you are a restless person, it may be hard to stop yourself from playing on your phone, rummaging through your bag, or playing in your desk. If these behaviors go unchecked, however, it can hurt your grades, your reputation with teachers and can ultimately hold you back from learning. You can work to stop making noise in class by finding a way to negotiate the “social” side of class, practicing self-discipline, and focusing on your studies.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cutting Down on Socializing in Class

1
Inform your friends. Don't tell your friends to stop talking to you. Rather, gently explain your reasons for wanting to make this big change. This way, your friends won't feel hurt and they will support you.^{[1]
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- For example, you could say: "Hey, as a heads up, I'm trying to improve my grade this semester. I won't be able to chat as much during class anymore."
2
Ask your friends to stop talking to you. If your friends keep talking you and you feel forced to respond, explain that you do not want to get in trouble anymore for talking during class. Make it clear that your studies are important to you, and that you would be happy to talk later.^{[2]
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- For example, you could say: "I miss joking with you during class too, but I really need to bring my grade up. Why don't we chat after class when we have more time?"
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3
Move your seat. If somebody continually disrespects your request, change seats. If you have assigned seating, ask your teacher after class if you can move desks. Tell your teacher that you are becoming distracted in your current spot.^{[3]
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- Teachers are often willing to move you to a different seat if they know that it will help you focus more in class.
4
Start an open journal. If things you would like to say to your friends keep coming up during class, consider writing them down! It can be a fun idea to start an “open journal” with a few of your friends. An open journal is a journal that a few people share and pass between them. This can be a lot of fun, and it also helps you to communicate without breaking the rules in class.^{[4]
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- Some teachers don't like it when you pass journals back and forth. Make sure that this won't be a distraction to other students, including yourself.
- If you can't pass the journal back and forth during class, just write your thoughts and comments in the journal, then give it to your friends after class.
5
Practice tolerance in class. If you talk a lot because you are angry or upset with others, learn to control how you respond. The next time somebody says something rude, simply stay quiet and nod toward the teacher to indicate that you are trying to pay attention. Raise your hand and speak to the teacher if the other person does not stop.
- If the situation is delicate and you would prefer not to make a scene, speak to your teacher after class instead. If there's no time after class, visit them during their office hours.
6
Silence your phone and put it away before class begins. If texting, playing games, or checking social media during class is still too tempting, consider turning your phone off. Alternatively, leave it in your locker.
- Notifications and other audio sounds coming from your cell phone can be a huge distraction to your teacher, classmates, and even yourself.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Exercising Some Discipline

1
Make a commitment. Every morning before you go to school, remind yourself not to talk or make noise in class. Just say it aloud before you get out of bed, or while in the bathroom. By reaffirming your dedication every day, you will be solidifying it in your mind.^{[5]
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- Don't expect this to happen overnight. It may take at least a week before you start noticing any results.
2
Avoid eating in class. Another way that you can exercise discipline and increase your ability to be quiet is to avoid eating during class. Eating during class involves the rustling of packages, sounds of chewing, and a general distraction for yourself and those around you. Instead, try to eat a balanced breakfast and to snack between classes only.^{[6]
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- This does not include drinking water, especially if it is hot. Staying hydrated is important, and many teachers do allow water bottles in the classroom.
3
Set small goals. It may be too big of stretch to simply switch to not making noise in any of your classes. Instead, start with smaller goals and work your way up. For example, if you tend to be very chatty in a particular class, work to stay quiet in just that one class. After a few days, maybe you can add 1-2 more classes to your “quiet list.” Keep moving in this direction until you can maintain this behavior throughout the day.^{[7]
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4
Use a reward system. You may consider implementing a reward system for yourself. Tell yourself you will only watch your favorite show or play your favorite game if you manage to go a specific length of time without talking or making noise out of turn. This is a great practice for developing a sense of self-discipline and pride in your work.^{[8]
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- If you don't watch TV or play games, you could reward yourself with your favorite treat during lunch time or after school.
5
Pay attention to the behavior of others. Your entire life will be full of all kinds of different situations. In some of them, you will be free to talk and make noise as you please; in most, you will not. It is important to know what behavior is appropriate in which situation, as well as how to control your behavior.
- Take a look at the students who are talking and acting up in class. Chances are, they aren’t portraying a very positive image.
- Look instead for positive role models, such as the students who pay attention and take notes, and model your behavior after them.^{[9]
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  Katie Styzek
  Professional School Counselor
  Expert Interview. 28 October 2020.}
6
Let loose during breaks. Of course, nobody wants to be quiet all the time. It wouldn’t be healthy to do so! Instead, get all your talking out during the appropriate times, such as lunch, passing periods, or other break times. Use these moments to blow off steam, so that when class begins again you can focus.^{[10]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Focusing on Your Studies

1
Come to class prepared. You are going to have a much easier time refraining from making noise in class if you are paying attention, and if you understand what you are learning. One way to help ensure this is to come to class fully prepared. This means doing any assigned reading or other homework, bringing the proper books or other materials, and just making sure that you understand the unit you are covering. If you are not sure about what you’re learning, take some time to speak to your teacher and get caught up.^{[11]
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- Part of being prepared also means arriving on time.
- Get to class a few minutes early, so that you can get out any books, notebooks, or other materials, and avoid rummaging through your bag during class. (This is another way to stay quiet.)
2
Pay attention in class.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Katie Styzek
Professional School Counselor
Expert Interview. 28 October 2020.} If you talk because you are bored, you are missing out on your education. Even a slow lecture can be filled with interesting information. By keeping your mind on the class, you’’ll be reducing the temptation to talk just to pass the time.^{[13]
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- Another benefit to paying attention in class is that you may learn information that may come up on a test; not everything will come from the textbook!
3
Take notes in class.^{[14]
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Katie Styzek
Professional School Counselor
Expert Interview. 28 October 2020.} One tactic to help you stay engaged during class is to take notes. Write down what your teacher says in a way that will make sense to you later. Also, write down any questions you may have. Even doodling on a piece of scrap paper will occupy you enough to help keep you from talking or making noise, while still leaving you with enough focus to understand the teacher.
- There are lots of different ways to take notes, so experiment with them until you find one that works the best for you.
4
Participate in class. Aside from just listening to what your teacher says, you can stay engaged and prevent yourself from making too much noise by actually participating in class. Whenever you think of a question or comment, raise your hand and state it. In addition to preventing you from talking, this is sure to improve your grade.^{[15]
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- Sometimes, participating in class is all you need to satisfy the urge to talk. This means that you'll be able to get that chatter out while racking up those participation points.
5
Find a way to engage with the material. Any class is going to be more interesting to you if you can find a way to engage with the material and apply it to your life. Ask yourself questions like "How does this affect my life?" and "How will I be able to use this information outside of class?" For example:^{[16]
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- You can use some of the algebra you’ve been learning to calculate how much gas money you’ll need for an upcoming road trip.
- If your friends are having an argument, you can use some of the communication theories you’ve learned in sociology to help them resolve it.
- The book that you are reading in English can become a great analogy for your life, and help you overcome some hardships.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do I motivate myself to focus during class?

Katie Styzek
Professional School Counselor
Katie Styzek is a Professional School Counselor for Chicago Public Schools. Katie earned a BS in Elementary Education with a Concentration in Mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She served as a middle school mathematics, science, and social studies teacher for three years prior to becoming a counselor. She holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in School Counseling from DePaul University and an MA in Educational Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University. Katie holds an Illinois School Counselor Endorsement License (Type 73 Service Personnel), an Illinois Principal License (formerly Type 75), and an Illinois Elementary Education Teaching License (Type 03, K – 9). She is also Nationally Board Certified in School Counseling from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.

Katie Styzek

Professional School Counselor

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Try making friends with other students who do well in class. Having those role models can help motivate you to do better.
Question

What if you talk a lot and want to stop, but you can't?

Community Answer

Being quiet in class will take practice. Start small, like staying quiet in one class per day, and then increase. With patience and discipline, you will learn to stay quiet in class.
Question

I want my teacher to notice that I am being quiet. What can I do?

Community Answer

Just be patient. Your teacher may not notice in one day, but in time they will respect the positive change you have made.

Warnings

Classmates and teachers may be surprised by the change in your behavior; however, it is likely to be a pleasant surprise for them, so don't worry too much about it.

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Friends may briefly get mad at you for not talking to them. Once you explain yourself, there should be no problem.

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