New data shows, again (see our report from 2021), that students in public schools are having trouble paying attention and staying focused, which is causing problems across the country. This issue is still affecting schools because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Education Week reports.
Focused students (Nan Doyle/Flickr Creative Commons)According to new information from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), about 26 percent of school leaders said students’ lack of focus had a “severe negative impact” on learning during the 2023-24 school year. When asked if this problem had a “moderate or severe” impact, the number jumped to 75 percent.
Voxitatis reported in 2016 that research had shown the mind’s “natural state” may be to wander. The trick for learning is: How can teachers balance this natural tendency and mitigate the effects of the brain doing what it does best?
This recent survey asked school leaders about different student behaviors that hurt learning. Besides not paying attention, other problems included:
- Students not being ready for school, like forgetting homework or supplies (21%)
- Students being disruptive in class, like talking too much or leaving their seats (19%)
- Students not doing their own work (19%)
- Students not being physically ready for school, like not sleeping well or skipping breakfast (18%)
- Students using phones or computers when they shouldn’t (16%)
From May 14 to 28, 1,714 public schools across the US participated in the survey. School leaders at 83 percent of those schools believe the pandemic is still affecting students’ social and emotional development.
Other issues or impediments to student achievement were also identified in the survey, including weapons (43%), drugs (57%), cyberbullying at least once a week (30%), fighting (20%), and disrespect (36%) or verbal abuse (17%) toward staff.
To handle these problems, school leaders said they need more help, including:
- Better support for student and staff mental health (76%)
- More training on helping students with their emotions (71%)
- More training on managing classrooms (61%)
- Hiring more teachers or staff (52%)
The report also looked at tutoring. It found that 46 percent of schools provided extra tutoring sessions, and nine-tenths of those schools thought it helped students learn better. High-dosage tutoring (HDT) means students get small group or one-on-one help three or more times a week for at least 30 minutes each time. On the other hand, 51 percent of schools that did not provide HDT said finding staff to support such a program was the primary reason they didn’t offer it to students.
The data from the monthly School Pulse Panel was released on July 18. The panel was established to track schools’ recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
