It doesn’t matter if it’s Monday or Friday, September or June, a half-day or a whole, students are always going to find excuses to be distracted. Especially the younger students. Staying focused and on task is any student’s least favorite thing to do, yet it is imperative for them and the teacher to succeed.

So, besides requiring high amounts of adderall on their list of back to school supplies, how do you keep students attention?

Keep them actively engaged. Motivate through compliments, rewards, or confrontation if necessary. Coax them. Fool them. Strike nerves. An angry student is a passionate student, and as long as that passion is pushed in the direction of the subject matter, it should be interpreted as a positive.

And don’t forget to work hard yourself… or at least give off the impression that you are. Students who interpret their educators as lethargic are likely to mimic these actions. Even just faking your own enthusiasm can help to motivate your students.

When making a list of educational school supplies, include some incentive charts. Young minds get motivated when they see their progress and advancement in front of them. Additionally, a little competition between students is okay as long as it leads them in the direction of progress and education.