How do you keep attention to the teacher and the lesson? Here are some tips to help you do just that. Keeping your focus in class is one key to successful learning. It helps if the topic is something you are really interested in, but that’s likely not the case with all subjects.
It’s easy for your mind to wander if the topic doesn’t appeal to you. And when the class starts getting boring, we expect the teachers to find ways to turn it around. That’s fair to expect, but there are also things you can do to keep yourself focused on the lesson even when it doesn’t interest you. And you might as well pay attention because you never know when there’s a pop quiz.
If you’re one to drift off easily in the middle of a lesson, there are five things you can do to prevent that from happening, according to the editor from Paperwritings.com, a popular resource for students.
source:oxfordlearning.com
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1. Relate the lesson to your passion
Do you care for music but not so much for mathematics? True musicians know the value of mathematics in music. Counts, rhythms, time signature, and practically all elements of a music sheet is founded in mathematics.
And what do Asian studies have to do with your passion in entrepreneurship? Knowing your market, of course! In the age of global trade and multinational corporations, it’s easy to appreciate lessons about foreign geography, traditions, and culture.
You can make associations like this with all your lessons take to help you find your interest in that subject. Some connections are harder to form than others, but there’s always a way you can make sense of why you’re studying that lesson.
2. Sit close to the front and center
Your sitting position inside the classroom can help engage or disengage you in the lesson. Sitting in the peripheries, you can easily get distracted by what you see outside or a daydream. Your equally bored classmate could start chatting you up and take your attention away. Sitting where you know the teacher could easily spot you could keep your focus at the moment.
Some might find that uncomfortable, and would rather sit as far away from the teacher’s line of vision as possible. As long as you are seated where there’s little distraction, and you can hear the teacher loud and clear, it should be fine. But maybe challenge yourself a little and perhaps you could even build up your self-confidence along the way.
source:edutopia.org
3. Doodle
This might sound counterproductive but some of you may have heard that doodling actually helps in processing the information you are receiving.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, doodling could be an attempt by the brain to stay awake and attentive. It may relieve you of unknown psychological stress, making it easy for you to attend to matters that need your focus.
4. Use technology in learning and assessments
We are the digital native generation. Technology is a huge part of our lives and our acuity with things digital could work to our advantage in education.
Technology can help you focus on your lesson by making it fun. Watch videos about the subject as an introduction or to supplement the lesson. Take your short quizzes online for a more engaging assessment instead of the dull, dreadful paper tests.
This may mean that you have to suggest this to your teacher or professor. Don’t be shy to do so. Educators appreciate that you are proactive in making the lesson more engaging for you and the rest of the class, something they try to do themselves.
source:learningtousetechnologytoteach.blogspot.com
5. Be prepared to learn
Come to class with the intention of learning something new. You must prepare yourself mentally and physically to maximize the chance to learn.
Make sure to do your homework so you can participate in class discussions. Not knowing what your teacher is talking about and keeping silent is a surefire way to get you uninterested. Get involved in the discussion. Ask questions. Check your syllabus and prior notes before coming to class to know what to expect.
Also, remember to take your meals. Don’t skip breakfast or lunch to keep your attention on the class and not your rumbling stomach.
It takes conscious effort and practice until you can truly master your focus. You may have heard that focus is the key to achieving success, so it’s best to practice that now while you are a student. Learn it and knowledge will soon follow naturally.
