Stolen Focus: So what/now what? by rebecca castro

Intrinsic Motivation

derekswierczek — 2024-10-28 13:18:53 UTC

How do I add "play" to my classroom environment that promotes more intrinsic motivation? I definitely need to think more about this from a HS perspective.

"Right to Disconnect"

derekswierczek — 2024-10-28 13:22:20 UTC

I need to find a realistic method of "disconnecting" from work each day. Leave my computer at work each night? I've already put "screen limits" on my phone and that seems to be helping me limit my phone usage later at night...

The "Four Day Workweek" Mindset

rebecca_castro — 2024-10-28 15:38:25 UTC

Even if we can't actually have this four day week (yet!), we can structure our week so that it's frontloaded on a Monday and lighter on a Friday.

Reminder of our "Locus of Control"

rebecca_castro — 2024-10-28 15:41:22 UTC

It's important to reframe our thinking around a locus of control. What conditions can we put in place, what structures can we create, and what can we share with our students and peers to foster greater attention and minimizing stressors within our professional spaces?

I think about building independence in our students. Encouraging them to get out there and do things on their own. I've never organized a field trip before, but I'm now thinking about doing one. It doesn't even have to be in my content, but just an opportunity for them to be out and fend for themselves.

mattpadron — 2024-10-29 13:39:11 UTC

Tech-free days?

elyse_hoffman — 2024-11-01 20:07:46 UTC

I'm considering designated one day per 2 week cycle as a tech-free day. Design lessons that don't require use of iPads or phones.

taking action with students

barry_hanrahan — 2024-11-04 17:13:44 UTC

Books on the printed page are a great way to refocus. The WHS library has thousands of books and this response is shameless promoting. Patrons could browse the print material if avoiding a digital look up was important.

more government regulations!

barry_hanrahan — 2024-11-04 17:18:04 UTC

Yep....I said more government regulation of surveillance capitalism. My role would be electing politicians in support of limits on tech companies and their mining our personal data or highly influencing our decisions in ways that violate our privacy.

non tech support in library, tutoring and helpdesk

barry_hanrahan — 2024-11-04 17:32:08 UTC

The library, tutoring and helpdesk can provide more "other" not tech support for students. Ideas for projects or homework, craft type material for creating, book recommendations to read for enjoyment plus more.

not becoming a victim of the algorithm

2024-11-04 20:16:01 UTC

This is true not only for our students. Many adults fall into the endless scroll of the curated content - myself included- on social media. I would like to keep my scrolling to a specific time or place and not be tempted for the "mental break" whenever I have a free moment.

Less work = improved focus

erinhibner — 2024-11-05 21:37:38 UTC

"All this suggests that when people work less, their focus significantly improves" (Hari 190).

I question how much time students are actually focused while in class compared to the old schedule when classes were only 45 minutes long.

With the longer periods, I know I give more independent work time in my class, but question how much work time is too much.

Conscious use of social media/screens

2024-11-06 03:01:14 UTC

I want to choose my use of screens and social media and not just fall into it.

Consciously choose screen time

2024-11-06 03:05:40 UTC

I want to choose my use of screens and social media and not just fall into it.

Give your mind space to roam

2024-11-06 04:16:14 UTC

Put away all devices for just an hour each day and see what kinds of thinking processes emerge in our brains without the constant distractions or diversions that screens bring us.

Too much structure can be inhibiting

2024-11-06 04:17:58 UTC

I think our students are structured to the gills. If there was unstructured time for students to interact with each other (sans devices), it would be interesting to see how that would improve on their ability to interact with each other and themselves without relying on a device to provide that scaffolding.

As an Educator, how do we guide intrinsic motivation...

2024-11-06 13:05:53 UTC

I will to continue to foster my students' independent thinking and assist them to connect with their creativity and imaginations more. No more lemmings!

2024-11-06 13:23:51 UTC

I plan on eliminating food dyes from my diet, getting more sleep, avoiding pollution, working less (but harder), staying off my devices, being more independent, and vacationing in the Alps.

Teach HOW

2024-11-06 13:24:36 UTC

I appreciate the comment about 'being structured to the gills' and 'fostering students' independent thinking,' but we also have to look closely at how to do this. Structure provides good classroom management, and routines give students comfort within the structure, but how do we create meaningful routines? How do we foster students thinking independently while giving them time and space to do so because a lot of my students do not know what to do with time to think. Our teaching ideas and philosophies have to be examined and tweaked to help our students overcome their attention deficits and inability to sustain focus more than ever.

Our Deteriorating Diets

2024-11-06 13:27:12 UTC

"What we eat now harms our focus."

I think of this when I see kids eating breakfast, lunch, & snacks straight from the vending machines.

Being more mindful of phone use - putting it "away" when I get home. Focusing more on my family when we do actually get time together at home.

2024-11-06 13:35:16 UTC

MORE PAPER

2024-11-06 13:37:30 UTC

I often feel like I'm killing all of the trees, but it's so much easier to get my students to produce GOOD work when they've put away all of the devices and just work on paper. This also helps me because instead of making sure they're not on ChatGPT or off task, I can easily scan to make sure they're doing what they're supposed to and then focus more on helping instead of monitoring students.

2024-11-06 13:38:57 UTC

Daily walks with out a device, tech free nights, better eating habits...starting 2025 with more "focus" on these areas.

2024-11-06 13:40:26 UTC

PERSONAL CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES

The possession and use of personal cell phones and other electronic devices are subject to the following protocols:

1. The use of cell phones and other electronic devices is prohibited in academic spaces. Cell phones must be put away

and unused during instructional time.

2. Cell phones must be turned off or silenced during instructional time unless: (a) the teacher grants permission for

them to be used; (b) the use of th

Need a stronger district/building cell phone policy

2024-11-06 13:41:24 UTC

In my experience with the lower-level students, who are MUCH more affected and unfocused due to their cell phones, getting them seperated from their technologu in class has been a huge struggle. Tehy refuse to use the cell phone caddy and continue to take their phones out during class. In the height of my determination against them, I found myself playing "cell phone police" the entire period. And then students and I were simply not getting along. I have since decided to back off on my aggressive nature against cell phones in class.

2024-11-06 13:41:36 UTC

PERSONAL CELL PHONES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES

The possession and use of personal cell phones and other electronic devices are subject to the following protocols:

1. The use of cell phones and other electronic devices is prohibited in academic spaces. Cell phones must be put away

and unused during instructional time.

2. Cell phones must be turned off or silenced during instructional time unless: (a) the teacher grants permission for

them to be used; (b) the use of th

Home v Work

2024-11-06 13:42:17 UTC

I often feel like I have very little control over the structure at work, so I will focus my efforts at home. I want to work on the diet and time for my children. I would like fewer structured activities for them, more play time and family time, and less homework. I have been advocating with their school to reduce homework, and I think that would be beneficial for our students, too.

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

2024-11-06 13:42:36 UTC

It is easier to procrastinate than deal with a problem head on.

Cell phone addiction

2024-11-06 13:43:13 UTC

It’s not you. Phones are designed to be addicting.

2024-11-06 13:44:52 UTC

For me it is not to take the kids unfocused behavior personally. I have to admit that for a while the unfocused behavior of my students really bothered me and I took it as disrespect to me. After reading "Stolen Focus" and other related books I now have a better understanding of this generation of students and their obsession with their devices is not about me as a teacher. I have learned that it literally is hardwired into their brains. So what I am now doing as a result of "Stolen Focus" is taking a more positive approach with students whose focus is being consumed by their devices. I try to talk to them about the realities of not concentrating and being distracted by their phones. I also try to put my advice in the context of the real world and what will happen with their jobs and life if they continue to let their phone distract their focus from the job.

Play

2024-11-06 13:45:19 UTC

Play is often defined as activity done for its own sake, characterized by means rather than ends (the process is more important than any end point or goal)

Even as an adult, I think that this is something to prioritize. I find play in pickleball, playing board/card games, etc. I want to keep looking for ways to cultivate play.

Activities in the classroom

melissaaponte2 — 2024-11-06 13:47:02 UTC

Implementing activities that are student focused or project-based. Where they have roles & a goal that has a purpose is something that would be helpful. It can take some planning but is better for the students. For example: an escape room where they physically have to get up and find clues. I have been doing this more and my students are more connected to the class.

Student Involvement

2024-11-06 13:50:22 UTC

Although unstructured play is ideal, I think that high school students who thrive are the ones involved in some activities or even jobs. How can we encourage this even more?

I really liked the following quote: "To grow and flourish to its full potential, your focus needs certain things to be present: play for children and flow states for adults, to read books, to discover meaningful activities that you want to focus on, to have space to let your mind wander so you can make sense of your life, to exercise, to sleep properly, to eat nutritious food that makes it possible for you to develop a healthy brain, and to have a sense of safety" (Hari 273).

2024-11-06 13:51:39 UTC