What comes to mind when you read or hear these words? Do your teachers use them often? What tone do they take? Perhaps you’ve heard them more often out of school than in it, from parents, from coaches, and, for those of you who are old enough, from behind-the-wheel driving instructors. As teachers have become more and more knowledgeable about learning differences, they have been advised against using this phrase as often as they once would have. Many have even been told to outright ban it, since attention deficits have just as much to do with what students pay too much attention to as they do with what students don’t pay enough attention to, and, more importantly, since attention deficits, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, are unique to both students and their circumstances, and therefore cannot be solved by simply telling students to pay attention and expecting them to be able to do it.
While being constantly told to pay attention, particularly in the harsh tone that many teachers who favor the term like to use, may well be the last thing that will inspire you to do it, the truth is that never hearing it at all may well be just as detrimental to your success. Just as I said about organizational skills in my last two posts, so I say about paying attention- it comes more naturally to some of you than it does to others, but that does not mean it can’t be taught. If your teachers encourage you to pay attention to them, to your classmates, to your work, and/or when you read by giving you directions, examples, assistance, and/or accommodations to help you do it, instead of simply saying the words in a way that may upset you, that’s great. You should respond to their efforts by doing the best you can to take their advice. If you do that, then over time, just as with so many other study skills, your ability to pay attention should improve.
If, on the other hand, you encounter a teacher or teachers who strictly tell you to pay attention, with no offer of context or assistance that will help you improve your ability to do it, then, as upset as it may make you, you should speak up. Whether that means making sure they understand that it is something you struggle with and are trying your best to improve, or whether that means actually asking for their help may depend on the teacher, or it may depend on your grade level or the subject. It may also depend on whether you haven’t yet been given help with it from other teachers, or whether you have already received help with it and are trying to more consistently apply what you’ve learned. This year, it may also depend on whether you are back in the classroom or are learning virtually – a lot of unexpected distractions have suddenly entered all of our lives. Depending on where you are learning, how your teachers are handling it, and how the change in circumstances has affected your life, you may find yourself less able to pay attention than you used to be. Most teachers should be able to understand this, and many of them may well be giving you and all of your classmates more assistance with it than they would have in the past. If you feel that is not the case, you should speak up, just as you would in a non-pandemic year. Just be respectful, as always, and bear in mind that just like yours, their lives, too, have been affected by this crisis. They may well be feeling more distracted than they ever have before, and they may not think about how they can help you deal with this year’s unique distractions unless you ask.
Whether you are someone who is naturally able to pay attention or someone who really needs to work at it, don’t dismiss those words out of hand. Instead, whenever you hear them, think about how well you are actually paying attention in that moment, and what, if anything, you can do better. Do you simply need to push your wandering thoughts to the back of your mind when you read, or stop looking at your favorite pictures or posters and focus on your teacher’s words during a Zoom class? Or do you need to learn to apply active reading or listening strategies more consistently? If the second scenario is a more accurate description of you than the first one is, then don’t be afraid to admit it. Most teachers will be more than willing to help you if you ask, and in future blogs and strategy posts, I will offer plenty of suggestions as well. On their own, the words “pay attention” may have earned a well-deserved bad rap, but when used in context, they can serve you well on your path to success.