It was a two day assignment in the English class at the continuation high school. Thursday they were so good. On task. Making progress.
On Friday...not so much.
They were supposed to be on the computers working on their essays. Some were typing. Others (those behind) were still doing some research. But when I saw the map of California pop up...
The boy was looking for Yosemite. Why? I have no idea. He found it, and he wondered how long it would take to get there.
Well, there's an easy way to figure it out. I prompted him to open Google Maps and ask for directions from our city to Yosemite. Because that always gives an estimated time of travel. (I know I should probably just tell him to get back on task, but I like to teach them other things sometimes, too.)
Question answered, the boy did actually get back to his essay. At least, it appeared like he did.
The girl sitting next to him, however, was now on Google Maps. Looking up past places where she lived.
I had encountered Susan in class before. The other teacher explained that Susan could be easily distracted, so he made sure to isolate her a bit from the rest of the class. Then she'd be on task.
Well, Susan wasn't pleased that I was questioning her. I wasn't talking to the boy. (Because at this point he was on task and she had been off for more than ten minutes.) Why was I picking on her?
Because that's what I do. I pick on Susan. It's my reason for being.
Ah well. Perhaps Susan and I will get along the next time I see her. (Things were fine between us the last three times I saw her.)
Friday, September 19, 2014
11 comments:
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I had a kid like that in my classroom once. He had to sit at the isolation desk a lot because he just couldn't stay focused.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to remain focused and I have been guilty to go off in another direction especially when I had to do something. Nice of you to show him how to look up the directions and distance and time
ReplyDeleteShe probably just assumes that her ten minutes is equal to the boy's two or three. Teenagers, after all.
ReplyDeleteSusan will grow up to be like me. Constantly distracted by funny cat videos instead of doing what I should be doing.
ReplyDeleteProbably. You turned out all right, though...
DeleteMy husband frequently brings up how easier school would have been for him if the Internet would have been around. In a way yes but it also brings so many problems. People tend to focus on the bullying that occurs, perverts lurking on social media, etc. But just how easy it is to get distracted and loose track of time. The girl probably had no idea at first how long she was looking at Google maps.
ReplyDeleteI'm easily distracted! I wondered at one time if I might have ADD. Isn't that what everyone whose attention strays is diagnosed as having now?! Someone once told me, though, that creative people are distracted more easily. Our minds always wander. So maybe she's a future writer!
ReplyDeleteMaybe. That would be wonderful.
DeleteAs a kid, I wasn't easily distracted if engaged in a task, but I used to zone out if a teacher was talking. I'd end up having to ask them to repeat directions, etc.. Thank God there was no internet back then.
ReplyDeleteVR Barkowski
Distraction happen. My second grade teacher caught me gazing out the window at freedom and smacked my desk with a ruler to bring me back to her world. Needless to say, rules were different back then.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm more easily distracted now than when I was younger.
ReplyDelete