Noise Pollution, Keeping Distractions Down In Homeschool

Noise Pollution

Noise Pollution Homeschooling - Clearing the Air

Noise Pollution, If you are a homeschooler, lots of time and energy goes into the choosing of your curricula. You plan and organize, spend money and time, and when the school year kicks off, you have every intention of helping your child to grow in their studies and master the material at hand. What is often ignored, however, is the distractions in your home that can make your job more difficult and you might not even be aware of them. These disturbances can take many forms, but the "noise pollution" in your own home may be one of your most significant challenges to being an active homeschooler.

Noise Pollution Clear the Air

To clear the air, so to speak, begin by thinking about the noise in your home. Some of it you cannot control, but some you can. For instance, and this is the most significant distraction, do you leave your phone's ringer on during the day? Many homeschoolers do, and it doesn't have to be a bad thing, but the telephone ringing can distract anyone. Most people will instinctively stop what they're doing to hear who's on the call, even if it isn't for them, and they do this without even realizing it. When the phone rings, by its very nature, it's meant to be an interruption. It's said to get your attention, and it indeed does, but that can be a distraction for your homeschool student. Consider alternatives to having the ringer on. Perhaps you put it on silent and carry it around your waist with a belt clip. Or, turn the ringer off and occasionally check your answering machine during the day. If there's a critical call that you need to return, you can call back at that point.

Noise Pollution Distractions

Another source of noise distraction in many homeschooling homes is music or televisions left on in the house. Perhaps you have your spouse at home during part of the day. He or she may want to enjoy some music or catch the news. This noise can distract your children who are working on school because they hear a sound that reminds them that someone else is "playing." Anything that doesn't look like work in their minds is play! Or, perhaps as a homeschooling parent, you are the noise distraction. Maybe you like to leave the television on because you want background noise. To you, it might not be a problem, but to your students, it is. Pay attention to these simple things that take the focus away from your homeschoolers. A little creativity here will make a big difference to them.

Noise Pollution Use Music

One of the ways to be creative with this is the use of targeted music. Numerous studies have shown that quiet music in the background, not loud, can be useful for increasing academic performance. One suggestion is to allow your homeschool students to listen to the background music of their own on headphones. The volume level needs to be low enough that they can still hear you speaking to them when you need them, and quiet enough to avoid hearing damage, but soft, little background music is entirely appropriate to target the undesired noise and cover up the distracting sounds.

Noise Pollution Ambient Noise

Ambient noise is a factor for homeschoolers that many forget to consider. It doesn't have to be a problem in your homeschool program if you take a few proactive steps to ensure that your air is evident at home! Go to them when you need them, and quiet enough to avoid hearing damage, but quiet, the low background music is entirely appropriate to target the desired noise and cover up the distracting sounds.

Noise Pollution Summary

Ambient noise is a factor for homeschoolers that many forget to consider. It doesn't have to be a problem in your homeschool program if you take a few proactive steps to ensure that your air is clean at homeschool!