Why Noise Isn’t Always a Bad Thing in the Classroom
Educational and Fun Activities
Written by Thomas Walker
7 May 2025
🕓14 min
For decades, the image of a successful classroom has often been one of calm, focused silence—students quietly working while the teacher delivers instruction in hushed tones. But in today’s dynamic learning environments, especially in primary schools across Croydon and South London, educators are starting to challenge that long-standing ideal. Could it be that a certain level of classroom noise isn’t a disruption—but a sign of deep engagement?
While there’s no denying that structure and focus are important, classrooms filled with low-level productive noise—whether from group discussions, problem-solving debates, or hands-on STEM tasks—can actually indicate active learning. In many cases, noise is a natural byproduct of collaboration, experimentation, and curiosity in action.
This blog explores why noise in the classroom shouldn’t always be seen as a sign of chaos. Instead, we’ll reframe it as an opportunity to understand how students engage, express, and connect during the learning process—especially when participating in interactive activities like science experiments, project-based learning, or enrichment workshops.
1: Productive Noise vs. Disruptive Noise
Not all classroom noise is created equal. There’s a big difference between off-task chatter that distracts learning and purposeful discussion that supports it. In STEM workshops, science assemblies, or group activities, students are often encouraged to ask questions aloud, share observations, and react with wonder. That type of sound isn’t disruption—it’s evidence of cognitive engagement.
When a group of children is building a marble run to understand gravity, or debating which materials best insulate ice, they’re likely to get loud. But that volume signals collaboration, critical thinking, and excitement. Teachers who learn to distinguish between “busy noise” and “buzzy noise” can respond more appropriately—guiding rather than shutting down the energy.
Encouraging appropriate classroom noise also models important social-emotional skills. Children learn to take turns speaking, to listen actively, and to respect one another’s contributions. It builds communication skills that go far beyond academic learning, preparing students for teamwork in real-world contexts. Teachers can also use strategies like noise-level monitoring tools, verbal cues, or visual signals to keep energy within productive limits without silencing enthusiasm. Instead of aiming for silence, the goal becomes managing volume in a way that sustains focus while honouring the lively nature of inquiry-based learning.STEM fundraising also positions the school as forward-thinking and innovative.
2: The Role of Sound in Memory and Learning
Sound isn’t just a side effect of active learning—it can actually enhance it. Studies have shown that talking through ideas, using rhythm, or engaging in auditory repetition helps students process and retain new information. That’s why songs, chants, or even narrated experiments are powerful tools in the primary classroom. In science workshops, for instance, students might repeat key vocabulary terms together, or use a call-and-response technique to remember the steps of an investigation. This kind of collective participation reinforces memory through multi-sensory learning. Movement, speech, and sound are all layered together, activating different parts of the brain.
Moreover, noise associated with enthusiasm—gasps, laughter, “aha!” moments—can signal that students are emotionally invested. Emotional engagement is a key factor in long-term memory retention. When students are excited, their brains release chemicals that make the learning experience more memorable.
Educators in Croydon schools who embrace structured sound as a learning tool report higher levels of student participation and deeper conceptual understanding. They also find that students who are typically quiet or hesitant to raise their hands are more willing to engage when the environment allows for expressive learning.
3: Celebrating Collaboration Over Compliance
Traditional notions of classroom control often favour compliance—quiet students sitting in rows, responding only when called upon. But in a 21st-century learning environment, collaboration is far more valuable. And collaboration is, by nature, noisy. When children work together on STEM tasks, they negotiate roles, explain their reasoning, and problem-solve in real time. These verbal interactions are as educational as the lesson itself. A student explaining how they coded a robot’s path or why their balloon rocket flew furthest isn’t just reviewing facts—they’re developing reasoning, resilience, and leadership.
Noise also supports inclusion. Neurodiverse learners, especially those who thrive on sensory input or prefer to verbalise their thinking process, often do better in environments where quiet isn’t the expectation. A more flexible, expressive classroom model ensures all learners feel welcome.
Instead of seeing noise as an obstacle to learning, schools can view it as a vehicle for learning. With the right boundaries and clear expectations, students can be given the freedom to express themselves, explore together, and enjoy the process of discovery.
4: How Science Workshops Model Controlled Chaos
Science enrichment providers and workshop leaders often excel at turning noisy excitement into structured learning. The secret lies in setting clear expectations while allowing space for natural reactions. It’s perfectly acceptable—and often necessary—for a room to erupt in cheers when a volcano erupts or a rocket takes flight. At the same time, good workshop design ensures that every moment of “chaos” is purposeful. Activities are timed, roles are assigned, and key learning points are revisited in quieter reflection. This ebb and flow between noise and focus mirrors how children naturally learn and process the world around them.
Croydon schools that have hosted science days, assemblies, or after-school STEM clubs often remark on how well students respond to these high-energy experiences. Children come alive when given the chance to talk, test, and tinker. They may not be quiet, but they’re engaged—and that’s the sound of learning.
These workshops offer an important lesson for teachers too: learning doesn’t have to look tidy to be effective. Sometimes, the most meaningful breakthroughs come in moments of apparent messiness. With the right guidance, even a noisy classroom can be a place of incredible growth.
5: Creating a Classroom Culture That Embraces Expression
If we want to help children become confident, curious learners, we need to give them the space to express themselves. That means rethinking how we respond to classroom noise. Instead of policing silence, let’s guide students toward constructive conversation, energetic collaboration, and active engagement. Building a classroom culture that accepts a bit of noise also requires trust. Teachers must trust their students to manage their energy, and students must trust that their ideas will be heard. That trust transforms the classroom from a place of passive instruction into a space of shared discovery.
Start small: allow discussion breaks, peer feedback sessions, or cooperative tasks that involve speaking and movement. Introduce science-based activities that encourage expression—like building challenges or hypothesis debates. Over time, students learn to self-regulate their volume while staying fully engaged.
The classroom becomes not just a place of academic learning, but a hub for social growth, emotional development, and self-confidence. And yes—it might be louder. But that sound? That’s the future of learning in action.
Conclusion
In the end, a noisy classroom isn’t a sign that something is going wrong—it’s often a sign that something wonderful is happening. Students are engaging, experimenting, and expanding their understanding of the world. They’re asking questions, expressing ideas, and reacting with joy to new discoveries.
Especially in Croydon schools that prioritise science enrichment and creativity, a little noise is a small price to pay for the excitement of real learning. When sound is purposeful, it becomes part of the learning itself—adding rhythm, energy, and a sense of community to the classroom. So next time your classroom gets a bit loud during a science investigation or group project, pause and listen. What you hear might just be the sound of confident, curious learners taking charge of their own education.
Explore our exciting range of science workshops, STEM days, and sensory learning experiences for schools across Croydon and beyond. Our team understands how to harness energy and turn it into purposeful, unforgettable learning.
