There are few cows in education more holy than the one about the importance of paying attention in class. Our whole education system has been constructed on the simple premise that learning begins when a student pays attention to what a teacher is saying.
The Attention Obsession
Many books and articles have been written about strategies to improve children’s attention in the classroom. Some educators are convinced that paying attention is such an important skill it must be taught and practiced in school. The success of the KIPP charter schools — where students are drilled continuously in techniques to improve their attention — is cited as evidence. KIPP schools have devised a special technique called SLANT: Sit up, Look and Listen, Ask questions, Nod, and Track the teacher.
Diagnosing Distraction
Given the near-obsession with getting kids to pay attention in class, it is no surprise that ADD and ADHD are so frequently diagnosed that they have become mainstream afflictions in children. ADD and ADHD are often treated by medicating children, but in fact the most commonly prescribed drugs like Ritalin and Adderall are really stimulants that make boring and repetitive tasks more bearable.
What If They're Just Bored?
Lack of classroom attention could mean two things: that children are bored and not interested enough to pay attention, or that they have inadvertently “zoned out” — a natural brain phenomenon all of us experience from time to time.
Zoning Out Is Not a Defect
Studies have shown that boredom is not the negative experience most people think it is. The daydreaming we do in this state is extremely conducive to creativity. Researchers say a wandering mind may be important to setting goals, making discoveries, and living a balanced life.
The Real Task of Learning
Children today are far better off because they are not as dependent as we may have been on paying attention in class. By having access to information when they want it and from whom they want it, children can focus on the real task of learning — being creative, working independently or collaboratively with peers, using information to solve problems and navigate the complex world around them.
Letting go of their fear that kids are not always paying attention is an important place for teachers to start. It can be a liberating opportunity for them to make their practice more relevant to the needs of each child — by turning the burden of attention upon themselves and away from the children.