Let’s play … Name … That … Distraction!!!

Sometimes the hardest part of homework is everything competing with it:

1. Friends texting
2. Video games downstairs
3. Thinking about anything other than schoolwork

Instead of just telling students to “focus” (which, unsurprisingly, rarely works), have them pause and name the distraction out loud:

1. “I need to know what my friend just texted.”
2. “I want to play Xbox.”
3. “I should probably find my uniform.”

Why does naming it help? Naming the distraction makes it concrete. Once it’s identified, students can make a decision about it instead of pretending it’s not there. 

1. “I will put the phone outside the room until I finish this assignment.”
2. “I can use XBox after I finish these two assignments.”
3. “I’ll look for my uniform during my break.” 

The goal is to help students notice what’s pulling their attention away and make more intentional choices about where their focus goes.