Protecting Your Hearing: Practical Tips for Teachers
From morning announcements to dismissal, schools are lively at every grade level. In a single day, you might lead kindergarten centres and reading circles, teach in a bustling science lab, coach in a loud gym, supervise recess or yard duty, rotate through music, tech, or art rooms, and support assemblies, concerts, pep rallies, or after-school events. Cafeterias, hallways, and bus loops add their own background hum. This vibrant soundscape is part of school life, but frequent or sustained noise—plus the habit of speaking over it—can strain your voice and ears. Over time, it can contribute to temporary ringing (tinnitus), listening fatigue, and gradual, cumulative hearing damage. This blog post shares quick and realistic strategies for elementary and secondary settings so you can protect your hearing without dampening the energy of learning. Studies measuring occupied K–12 classrooms routinely report substantial ambient levels, with higher spikes in specialized spaces such as music rooms, gyms, and shops (Bradley & Sato, 2021).
Why Teacher Hearing Health Matters
Typical classrooms often sit around 60–70 dBA, and levels can spike much higher in music rooms, gyms, tech shops, cafeterias, and hallways (Bradley & Sato, 2021). Prolonged or repeated exposure near or above ~85 dBA increases the risk of noise-induced hearing changes; in Ontario, the workplace exposure limit is 85 dBA Lex,8 (8-hour TWA) under O. Reg. 381/15 (Government of Ontario, 2021). Industrial settings use formal hearing-conservation programs; educators usually don’t, even though the daily dose from classes, supervision, and extracurriculars accumulates over years. Early effects make classroom management and communication harder; over time, untreated exposure can affect well-being and career satisfaction.
Practical Protection Strategies
- Monitor Noise – Use a free sound-level app (e.g., NIOSH SLM, Decibel X, Apple Watch Noise) to spot spikes near/above ~85 dBA (about when you must raise your voice at arm’s length). Track early warnings like voice strain, ringing, or sounds seeming muffled later in the day.
- Position Wisely – Increase distance from speakers, instruments, shop tools, treadmills, blowers and face students to reduce shouting. In assemblies/performances, sit off-axis from speakers or farther back. For short loud moments (music rehearsals, tech/shop demos, pep rallies), consider filtered “musician” earplugs (≈12–20 dB) to lower volume while keeping speech clear.
- Amplify, Not Shout – Use a portable mic/voice amplifier or classroom audio system so you can speak at a comfortable level. Pair with non-verbal cues (hand signals, call-and-response, timers) so directions don’t rely on volume.
- Build Quiet Routines – Teach voice levels, post visual cues, and practise quick reset signals. Add soft starts/independent work blocks, and use noise meters (visual apps or simple classroom tools) plus sound-dampening (felt pads on chairs, rugs, bulletin boards) where possible.
- Take Quiet Breaks – Step into a quieter space between classes/duties, avoid stacking multiple noisy tasks back-to-back when you can, and give your ears brief “rest” periods after louder activities.
- Check Hearing Regularly – Get a baseline hearing test and periodic checks (e.g., annually or if you notice changes). Seek an audiologist if ringing or muffled hearing lasts into the next day, and loop in administration for support (speaker placement, duty rotation, room acoustics, classroom amp).
Final Thoughts
Teaching thrives on listening and being heard. Protecting your hearing—and your voice—today helps you sustain clear communication, reduce fatigue, and stay fully present for students in every setting. Small habits (monitoring noise, smart positioning, brief quiet breaks, and regular checks) add up; by modelling these healthy practices, you safeguard your well-being and the vibrant learning communities you lead.
Blog Post Prepared by By Z. Wang (Master of Clinical Science in Audiology Student at University of Western Ontario)
References
Bradley, J. S., & Sato, H. (2021). Speech and noise levels measured in occupied K–12 classrooms. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 150(2), 864–875.
Government of Ontario. (2021, October 28). A guide to the Noise Regulation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (O. Reg. 381/15). https://www.ontario.ca/document/guide-noise-regulation-under-occupational-health-and-safety-act/regulation
Kristiansen, J., Persson Waye, K., Smith, A., et al. (2023). The effects of classroom acoustic conditions on teachers’ health and well-being. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 66(12), 4544–4562.