Week 6- All about distractions

     Classroom interruptions unfortunately happen. Even more unfortunate is that they can occur more often when many of the students in your classroom are easily distracted. This not only can disrupt the learning of the student distracted, but also other students within the classroom who need to concentrate or listen to directions, peers, etc. I often wonder how students do learn with so many interruptions throughout the course of the day. Even something as small as an intercom message can completely disrupt the flow of the lesson and it's important to be able to pull attention back to the lesson.
     Sadly, a couple of my students are interrupting the classroom enough so the lesson needs to be completely stopped. This can mean students move physical locations within the room or even move to a new location within the school so the situation can be handled in the best way for the student. Those students who depend on schedules and the same routine everyday often find it difficult to continue working in a new setting. Even looking back at myself in elementary school, I know that I, too, did not like changes in routine. If it did occur, I felt that there was something "special" about that school day which meant that my focus did not need to be on the learning, but instead the assembly, field trip, meeting, or event that was occurring.
      Instead of dwelling over the change in events, it is always important to have back-up plans and be flexible enough to accept that just because the lesson did not begin or finish that day does not mean that the day is ruined. Instead, use this teachable moment to practice being flexible and encourage students to remain positive and as focused as possible during the occurrence. Instead of jumping right back in, give a direction that is small in nature to get them back and focused. If certain students are struggling to refocus, try nonverbal clues to let them know what you expect without calling attention of others.
     Also, it is important to try to eliminate as many distractions as possible, such as pencil sharpening or bathroom breaks. Currently, we have a bin that contains sharpened pencils for students to pick up if theirs becomes dull. This eliminates the noise of a pencil sharpener going off during instruction or quiet work time. One issue that I would like to work on within my current classroom is to regulate bathroom/drink trips so students did not use them as avoidance behaviors. Students now are constantly in and out of the room and it becomes very aggravating to myself and my mentor teacher because they ask during instruction and at staggered times. You feel really mean and crummy to tell them no because it's possible that they can't hold it but you never know who is using the excuse and who is being serious. Overall, distractions are something that is always going to be present in the classroom, but more exposure to these distractions can help us plan better ways to both avoid and handle the situations when they occur.