The challenges we face in classrooms are NOT random.
They are signals. And they point towards what is needed next. One of the clearest signals in modern education is distraction.
Kids staring out of windows, lost in thought. Pulled by conversations, stationary, jokes.
As teachers, we redirect, remind, encourage. Yet only a few minutes later, their attention has wandered once again.
But none of this is a problem.
It’s simply showing us that the square peg of classroom management no longer fits the round hole of student distraction.
Sure, we could try to force it.
We could keep hammering away at the students with the same old strategies.
“1, 2, 3…eyes on me!”
“Focus”
“Listen!
“Come on!”
But that just shows its US who’s not paying attention. Because the students don’t know it, but they’re showing us something:
The only way to improve distraction is to train attention directly.
That means devoting classroom time to teaching the skill of concentration.
Until we accept this, and move in the direction that student behavior is leading us towards, we’ll continue as we are: tired of managing student's who don’t seem to want to learn.
There is a better way and our students are pointing towards it.
I say, we take the hint.
