Students being distracted in class is a very real problem and of course has always been a problem in my opinion for all teachers. Just because kids did not have phones back in the day doesn’t mean they weren’t distracted as staring off into space and zoning out will always be the easiest method of not paying attention in class. Phones are just the easiest way to get caught being distracted as well as being the easiest thing you can distract yourself with, unless of course your laptop is out than its a free for all on distraction. It is most definitely easier now for kids to get distracted than ever before of course ignoring the staring off into space angle so the question for new and old teachers is what to do?
I agree with the reading that while it is not always the teachers fault that a student wont pay attention (what I affectionally call the “Little Monster” situation) if the majority of students aren’t engaged in class than that falls upon me as an instructor. I am either teaching the topic wrong or am doing it in a way that while might seem right on paper is boring my kids to tears. So that is a good indicator that a lesson needs an overhaul. The best way to put it is one kid once during the lesson is scrolling instead of paying attention that’s the little monster variable. If I look out and half the kids are on there phone, zoned out, or staring at there laptop like it owes them money than I know that I as an educator am not meeting the standards I need to meet for engagement. Ultimately I do believe that to be my fault as well.
