Blog 5

Maybe I will write about the difficulities in educating to the Hyper Attention generation. It is becoming increasingly hard to teach to students who loose attention so quickly. When I sub- teach in the 1st to 4th grade classes the students are always looking for something to keep them entertained but this is the classes you set the foundation of reading, writing, and math especially in the first grade. We do want the children to be computer literate but what about reading and writing literate. The things you attain in the class room are the things a computer can not give you or teach you. The basic penmanship, encoding, decoding, phonics and show the connection of all skills to make you a stronger student. And as a teacher you want the children to be interested in the subject. I do not want to compete with a computer.

Just yesterday my kids said "mom you should go out more" I said "after all the things I do during the week (chauffeuring you and your sister to different events, going to school myself, cooking, cleaning, doing homework, keeping my marriage interesting, do you really think I want to add something else on my plate? So on the weekends I just want to stay home and get some me time." they said "that's boring" and I said " why do you guys feel the need to be entertained all the time and why does that mean boredom"? I said "I just like to soaking in the tub for an hour and hear my thoughts. I just like being alone". My kids equate being alone as being bored and that is far from the truth. This is just one example of the younger generation believing that there must always be a stimulus. Another example, is that I have to keep reminding them that dinner time is family conversation time. We can't eat together every day but a least 3 times a week and a must on Sunday. But even though they know this, I still see a psp or cell phone in handwhen coming to the dinner table, and I have to say turn it off. I want them to know the importance of talking and listening and learning physical gestures when people talk and looking at someone when they speak. I value that just having a good conversatation, and I feel that is being lost with this digital generation. I adjust also, I play video games with them (Grand theft auto is to busy for me, but I do like the football and basketball but I love pacman). So I share in the transition. I just don't ask them to change, I try to change also.

This is one of many problems I see with Hyper Attention always having stimulus. Deep attention also has its disadvantages (as the article states). With deep attention it is hard to be flexible and in this time you must be flexible.

Both Hyper and Deep attention has its advantages and disadvantages.

I dont know what I will post on Wikipedia, when I look at the website its a dictionary and encyclopedia all wrapped up in one. I would include some ways to lessen the generational gap between digital and print in the house like JUST TURING OFF THE COMPUTER. I am still thinking about what else I want to put on their. It would have to connect to hyper and deep attention.