Can you hear us now?

After centuries of experimenting with the most effective means of education and arguing over the “ideal” education policies in the United States, there is one thing we can all agree on – students cannot perform at their best if they cannot hear the instructor. Some students may have a hearing disability. Others may have attention deficit disorder. And for the rest – well, they’re simply tired of straining to hear the faint, weak sound waves floating from their teacher’s vocal cords, losing almost all strength by the time they reach students’ ears. Whatever the specific reasons, several school districts nationwide, a large number in Florida, Michigan and New Jersey, are investing thousands of dollars in new amplification systems to ensure all students can hear clearly what their teachers are saying.\nMicrophones for teachers? It sounds absurd, especially for smaller classrooms of, say, 30 students. But even the gentle hum of generators, air conditioners and various other pieces of electronic equipment is sometimes enough to impede the hearing of a student sitting far from the teacher. This becomes an even worse problem with elementary-age students, children who have a difficult time as it is with paying attention. \nThis is not to say we think every school should be equipped with amplification systems in all classrooms. They range from $1,000 to $1,500 per classroom. This hefty price tag may be a worthy investment for some schools, but obviously not for all. In smaller classrooms, giving the teacher an amplified voice may cause an even worse problem – an irritating loud noise sometimes makes it harder to focus than a softer, less decipherable one. Michal Linker, a kindergarten teacher in Millburn, N.J, even turned off her microphone because she found herself actually talking louder with the microphone than without it. She said another reason why she stopped using the mic was because she “would rather (students) stop and pay attention than make it easier for them to hear (her) so they don’t pay as much attention.”\nThis comment seems to support the belief that by amplifying teachers’ voices, schools are only catering to rather than challenging students in an age where they seem as easily distracted as ever before. The Acoustical Society of America even issued a statement in 2006 urging schools to combat noise issues by designing more acoustically sound rooms rather than install amplification systems. \nThis is a valid suggestion. And yes, we all have reason to be hesitant to allow our school districts to spend thousands of dollars – or in the case of a Seattle district, $1.5 million – on high-dollar microphone and speaker systems. But it seems unfair to shun this idea without considering how it may be an opportunity for teachers to better instruct students. Of course, this is not a good idea for every classroom, but if administrators think this would help, it’s worth a try. If our goal is to increase the academic achievement of America’s young pupils, maybe a loud, amplified voice is a good start.