It’s a question that has been brought up again and again among SCM readers.
And now sits near the top of the article suggestion list.
Should you or shouldn’t you enforce a consequence when you notice a student daydreaming?
Or staring off into space.
Or otherwise not paying attention.
The source of the confusion is the rule ‘Listen and Follow Directions.’
At first glance, it would appear that it does indeed cover inattentiveness.
Because, technically, if a student is daydreaming, then they’re not listening. Thus, it would seem that this behavior transgresses the rule.
Not so fast.
In fact, it would be a mistake to enforce a consequence.
Here’s why:
Inattentiveness is impossible to judge accurately.
Children learn in different ways, and just because they’re not looking at you doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re not listening.
The fact is, you have no way of knowing.
Therefore, if you give a warning, for example, when you observe a student gazing out the window, there is a chance you’ll get it wrong—which then causes distrust and resentment.
To effectively manage your classroom, you must always know where the line is. You must know precisely what does and doesn’t constitute breaking your rules so you can enforce them fairly and accurately.
Inattentiveness isn’t misbehavior.
A classroom management plan is designed to address misbehavior only. When you extend it beyond it’s intended job, you anger and confuse your students and make it difficult to know when to enforce a consequence.
If a behavior doesn’t interfere with your freedom to teach or your students’ right to learn and enjoy school, then it shouldn’t be included in your class rules.
To put it another way, you should never enforce a consequence—or create a rule—unless the behavior in question is disruptive or potentially disruptive.
Inattentiveness falls on you.
When you notice students yawning, sighing, and looking around the room, it’s a clear sign that they’re bored. They’re giving you feedback that your lesson isn’t hitting its mark or that they need a break.
The truth is, we can’t force students to listen. We can teach it, encourage it, inspire it, ingrain it, and stress how important it is.
But we can’t force it.
Learning how to create compelling lessons and to speak in a way that students want to listen and pay attention is a primary part of our job. The responsibility falls on us.
Although students are responsible for the grades they earn, which inattentiveness may affect, a lack of interest is a sign that we need to step up our game.
Note: For a deep dive into these important topics, please see the Attentiveness and Learning & Independence categories of the archive (sidebar at right).
The Rule Defined
So then, what does “Listen and follow directions’ actually mean? How can it be defined for students (and understood ourselves) in a way that makes it clear and easy to enforce?
It’s best to think of it as a failure to follow a direct instruction.
It could be a routine you taught months ago. “When I say ‘go’ you’re going to get into your literature circle groups.” Or it could be something more immediate. “Please stand quietly and give me your attention.”
Either way, if the instruction isn’t followed efficiently or the way it was taught—in which case it slows down and disrupts learning—then the rule has been broken.
You see, the words “listen” and “follow” go together.
They are a single unit that makes the rule clear, easy to understand, and easy for you to know when to enforce a consequence.
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Thanks for your information.
You’re welcome!
Do you begin enforcing rules and consequences on day 1 or give them a day or 2 to get used to the routine?
You can begin after giving an overview of the plan during the first day of school. More on this in a future article.
A former colleague of mine liked to state in the exact same voice he’d been using… “raise your hand if you are hearing what I am saying” during a read aloud or lesson. He really knew who was inattentive then!! Ironically, the kids thought it was hilarious and took on the challenge of never being in the non listener group!
That’s a great idea! I’m going to use it!
How about laying head down or sleeping in classroom? Inattentive, but also potentially distracting to others. Thoughts?
Hi Robert,
If you expressly say that there is no sleeping in class (because it’s disruptive), then yes it breaks the rule. In this sense, the rule allows the individual teacher to determine what’s right for their own classroom, grade level, students, etc. More on this and the variables that may affect how your rules are defined will be covered in a future article.
Thank you Michael. Looking forward to it!
I love this and I’m showing my administration! I was marked down on my appraisal lesson because a student was looking at his hands in his lap and fiddling with them. He did it all the time, but was able to answer questions on material I had covered. Thank you for posting this!
You’re welcome, Sara!
SO many behaviors I see being nagged to death in the schools I go as a guest teacher fit into this category—- most “dress code violations” are not distracting one iota- until someone decides to make it so. Most “phone violations” as well. I can tell as soon as I walk into a new school whether I will have a good class and a good day. It is SO often about the Principal. Very few Principals seem to have ever heard the message you’re spreading. In fact, the last school I was at before summer break- that list you published lately about what NOT to do in the next school year? Every point was exactly that Principal’s M.O. This makes a classroom feel a very lonely place, where I am seen as weak and unqualified because I try so hard to follow your method. Her M.O. makes me all the more likely to keep my classroom like Vegas- what happens there stays there.
The saddest part is that they admit they can’t ever get anyone to sub there and I was a godsend to show up every day the last 3 weeks of school. But some nights I cried myself to sleep!!!
This makes perfect sense. Would you say that kids talking or playing a poking game while I’m teaching is breaking “Listening and Following Directions” or “Be respectful of your classmates and teachers.”? I guess I’m asking, is Listening and Following Directions specifically about directions? Thanks!
Hi Kate,
If you say they may not engage in those behaviors, then yes. But it may also violate Keep Hands and Feet to Yourself, Respect Your Classmates and Your Teacher, and/or Raise Your Hand Before Speaking or Leaving Your Seat. The situation often dictates which one is most appropriate or best suited to the behavior.
How do you handle high schoolers who daily sleep in class once you have called home?
Hi Karen,
This is too big a question for the time and space I have here, but I’ll include it in a future article.
I changed the wording on my rule to “follow directions promptly” so there was less ambiguity. It fit across the board better for me and it meant that a student who waited to follow directions couldn’t say, “But I did follow directions but in my own time.”
Thanks. I have trouble with this exact thing. What do you think about the kids that are “playing” in their desk? If they are facing forward and not talking would you consider this a behavior that distracts the class?
This year I have a child in my class with Absence seizures which is a mild form of epilepsy. The child stares into space for 10 – 15 seconds and then has no recollection of it. Before he was diagnosed his teachers thought he was just not paying attention and he would be scolded for inattention. Since going on medication his staring episodes have decreased dramatically. So I agree, there is no way we can tell if the inattentive child is paying attention or not. And we certainly would not want to demean a child for a medical condition they can’t control.
Thank you. I’m wondering how to deal with a similar problem: “work refusal”. Comparably, the student is inattentive and may be staring into space – clearly not following directions to answer the questions in his/her workbook, etc. – but also hard to judge with certainty because the student may not know/comprehend properly what to do or technically can have another reason. Obviously, there are ways to address the needing help with work, but on occasion I have had an oppositional student with borderlining academic capabilities who will use this technique in class.
Does this fall under the same category? I find that in many instances it can spread to others so would that fall under “interfere with your freedom to teach or your students’ right to learn and enjoy school?”
Thanks again!
Hi Mike,
This is an interesting issue that I have often thought about.
In one of my high school classes, I have a girl who will often pull a strand of her hairand look at it it closely, during class while I’m addressing the class.
My question is:
Would you give a conseqence for this behaviour?
I do have a rule that stipulates that students must listen carefully while I’m addressing the class.
Hi Mike,
I have a high school student in one of my classes who often pulls a strand of her hair and studies it while I’m addressing the class. I find this behaviour annoying and distracting
I have a rule that states that students must listen carefully when I’m adressing them.
My question is:
Do you think it would be unreasonable for me to give a consequence to the student each time she exhibits this behaviour?
Thank you
I wish all teachers would read your article. I always find myself agreeing with what you say. I suggest all teachers looking for classroom management strategies to come here.
Please write an article about high school students sleeping in class. I cannot stand this! It is so disrespectful. I know that many of my students also have work or play sports, but they need to learn to stay awake while in school. What is a teacher to do?
Hi there, I tried to send a private message but it boomeranged.
Its your former colleague of yours from Fay:) I just wanted to let you know that I have appreciated your “right on” advice for years. I am a Education Specialist 🙂
Thank you for your never-ending state of the art words of advice for us all.
I always loved talking with you in the short moments that we had.
Happy Summer:)
Christine
Hi Christine,
It’s good to hear from you! Thanks for connecting and letting me know you’re still reading SCM. I hope we run into each other soon.
I thank you for this and want to add, as I was this in elementary school, that students who look off and daydream very likely are hearing impaired. It is really hard work to listen when you really can’t hear well enough to make our what the teacher or speaker is saying. That was me. They caught me right away in 2nd grade and from that year on I was always placed at the front of the class. Another possibility is that the student suffers ADHD without hyperactivity. They don’t have the synapse “snapping” quickly enough to stay attentive.
Thanks a lot for this advice
You’re welcome, Ali.
We specifically talk to students about using “active listening strategies,” and “attending skills,” which includes tracking the speaker, showing appropriate body language and eye contact. As a whole school body (middle school) we demonstrate this a TON in the first week of school, and have students role play with us. This way everyone knows what’s expected, and what it looks like.
Í teach high school, and I have had great success with students who attempt to sleep in class. I have simply started having them stand during class. They cannot sleep if they are standing. It is surprising to them at first, and usually the ¨sleeper¨ does not want to stand for 75 minutes again, and the problem goes away. So easy!
I have been teaching for 18 years now, but I feel like I learn something new from each of your articles. I love them and I think that the advice that they give is wonderful!
Thanks Michelle! I appreciate you being a regular reader. 🙂
I agree that inattentiveness and lesson quality go together. We can’t, as teachers, expect to lecture for long periods and have every student focused the whole time. And, in the end, our relationship with each student is the most crucial thing for them to be able to learn most effectively, so we need to be very careful about what is “rule-breaking.”
The last thing I want to do is shame a student.
I am a fan, Michael, and have encouraged others to follow you. Keep up the good work.
Will do, Tom! Thank you.
Thank you so much. It helps me a lot.