8 Things Teachers Do To Cause Boredom
When students get bored their
minds drift.
And while some settle on
daydreaming, tile-counting, and general inattentiveness, other students are
drawn to more…ahem…destructive pursuits.
For where there is boredom,
there is misbehavior percolating
just under the surface, ready to pounce.
Although there is a lot you can
do to counter the onset of boredom, understanding what not to do is the first
step to avoiding its negative effects.
What follows is a list of the
most common things teachers do to cause boredom. By steering clear of these
eight attention killers, your students will spend more time on task and be far
better behaved.
And you’ll be a more effective
teacher.
1. Sitting too long.
Although it’s important to increase your students’ stamina for
both paying attention during lessons and focusing during independent work, if
they’re made to sit too long, you’re asking for trouble. Good teachers are
observant and thus learn to know precisely when to switch gears and get their students up and
moving.
2. Talking too much.
Students need room to breathe or they’ll form an unspoken mutiny
and turn your classroom upside down. Talking
too much is
especially smothering. It communicates that you don’t trust them, teaches them
to tune you out, and causes their eyes to glaze over. The more economical and
concise you are with your words, however, the more attentive your students will
be.
3. Making the simple, complex.
Many teachers misunderstand the oft-heard mandate for more
rigor. They take it to mean that they need to make their instruction more
complex, more involved, more verbose—which is a major reason why students don’t progress. Our job, if we are to do it
well, is to do the opposite. The most effective teachers simplify, break down,
and cut away the non-essentials—making content easier for students to grasp.
4. Making the interesting, uninteresting.
Most standard grade-level subject matter is interesting, but your students don’t
know that. In fact, many assume, based on their learning experiences in the
past, that it’s boring. It’s your job to show them otherwise. It’s your job to
give them a reason to care about what you’re teaching. So many teachers just
talk at their students, forgetting the most critical element: selling it.
5. Talking about behavior instead of doing something about it.
Teachers who struggle with
classroom management tend to talk endlessly about behavior. They hold class
meetings. They hash things out. They revisit the same tired topic over and
over, much to their students’ eye-rolling chagrin. Effective classroom
management is about action. It’s about doing and following through and holding
students accountable. It isn’t about talking.
6. Directing too much, observing too less.
Most teachers are in constant
motion—directing, guiding, handholding, and micromanaging students from one
moment to the next. This is not only remarkably inefficient, but it dampens enthusiasm
for school. Instead, rely on sharp, well-taught routines to keep your students
awake, alive, and responsible through every transition and repeatable moment of
your day—while you observe calmly from a distance.
7. Leading a slow, sloppy, slip-shod pace.
Good teaching strives for a
focus and efficiency of time, movement, and energy. The day crackles and glides
cleanly from one lesson or activity to the next. As soon as one objective is
met, it’s on to the next without delay. Moving sharply and purposefully forces
students to stay on their toes, their minds engaged. Boredom never enters the
picture.
8. Failing to adjust.
Regardless of what you’re trying to squeeze in by the end of the
day, or how important it seems, the moment you notice heads wilting, you must
make an adjustment. It’s never worth it to plow through. Sometimes all your
students need is a moment to stretch their legs or say
hello to a friend. Other times, you’ll simply move on to something else.
Learning In The
Spotlight
The ability to concentrate over
time is a critical and often-overlooked aspect of learning, and so pushing the
time-on-task envelop is a good thing.
But there is a fine line.
And when students cross that
line and into boredom, misbehavior is sure to follow. The good news is that by
avoiding the common mistakes listed above, you can keep boredom at bay…
And inspired learning in the
spotlight.
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