What a good laugh I had this morning when I read about the Ministry's new directives to reduce noise in classrooms. If you haven't seen the article, here is a summary of the Ministry's directives together with my comments about each one: 1. "Avoid dragging chairs on floors and attach rubber gliders to their legs". Well now, that's a wonderful idea because when a pupil throws a chair across the room at another pupil, the impact will be softened due to the rubber gliders! 2. "Limit the use of recorded music during classes". There go the songs, listening comprehensions etc., etc. and now we'll be able to listen to the stimulating music transmitted by the students' cellphone ring tones. 3. "Reduce the volume of the school's public address system". I have never worked in a school that had a public address system, have you? I suppose now, we'll have to install a public address system so that we can reduce the volume! 4. "Properly maintain air conditioners, do not install near chalkboard". O.K., I know some of you have air conditioners in your classrooms but in my school, which is a good JHS/HS in the centre of Jerusalem, we don't even have fans let alone air conditioners! Furthermore, when was the last time YOU had a chalkboard in your class! I suppose we'll have to reinstall them as well!!!! 5. "Seal windows in order to keep out external noise". O.K. now, it's time to stop laughing and pick yourself up off the floor. So, we should seal the windows in our already stifling classrooms! I think my husband's idea is the best (he's not a teacher, obviously) he thinks we should "seal" the pupils' mouths, then "seal" their hands to the desk and their feet to the floor!!! Excellent idea, don't you think? That would keep the classroom quiet and we wouldn't need directives 1-5!! Mavis ----------------------------------------------- ** Etni homepage - http://www.etni.org or - http://www.etni.org.il ** ** for help - ask@xxxxxxxx ** ** to post to this list - etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** -----------------------------------------------