The Sounds of Quiet

I have been getting up really early lately. I love mornings and the quiet that seems so productive and promising. When our house is devoid of voices and activity in the early hours, it seems silent at first. Yet when I tune in, my ears perceive a layer of sound previously unnoticed: the song of a robin outside, a distant car engine, the creak of a floorboard, and the gentle whirring of my computer. These sounds are not intrusive but serve as a gentle backdrop, and I find that my thoughts are clear and focused, and that I am able to accomplish a lot.

I am reminded that quiet doesn’t mean silent, at home or in our classrooms. When I first started teaching, I thought the room had to be silent to be productive. I now know that just like productive struggle is good, productive noise is, too. A Daily 5 classroom has a gentle hum to it. Students may be saying a word aloud as they break it apart in an attempt to spell it correctly. They may be laughing or gasping at a text that caused an emotional response. Or a Read to Someone partner may be softly asking, “Do you want coaching or time?”

So now, before I am tempted to remind students to be quiet, I pay close attention. If the hum is not productive, I understand that stamina is done for the round, and I move slowly to ring the chimes and draw that round of Daily 5 to a close. If I discover it is simply the hum of engagement, I take a breath, smile, and get back to the small group or conference at hand, enjoying the sounds of quiet.