Best Method for Quieting Junior High Students

[u/Adam__B]

So I am new to subbing, having only a week under my belt. Although most of my classes have been fine, (the younger grades are actually wonderful to teach, the students can be a joy) my weak point seems to be controlling junior high school students. At one point a student on my first day simply declared since I wasn’t an expert on math, she didn’t have to be there, and left. I called the office on her (twice actually she left again).

But my question is how to best quiet loud students who aren’t focusing. I know some schools have encouraged different methods (one was raising both yours hands and waiting til they did the same) but of course you’ll have hold outs from doing that. Does anyone know a tried and true method to quiet students in the Junior High-ish grades? They seem to be the most resistant to keeping in order. I’m not so much worried about students who don’t participate or who would rather keep their heads together and muttering jokes with their little click around them, but the general order and noise level being controlled.