Don’t let your imagination wander too far. Try to refocus on class material by incorporating it into your flights of fantasy. For example, if you’re bored in math class, try to include the day’s lesson in a fantasy about robots to keep you grounded and learning. Do these robots battle each other using the quadratic equation?
Do your homework before class, including all the reading. It can also help you to review your notes from last class when you’re waiting for class to start so you remember where you are. [7] X Expert Source Ashley Pritchard, MASchool Counselor Expert Interview. 4 November 2019. It can also help to be physically ready for class. That means that you’ve eaten a good breakfast or lunch and gotten enough sleep so that you can focus on what’s going on. [8] X Research source
Try to block out other sounds besides what your teacher or other students are saying. That is, try not to listen to the pencil tapping in the back of the round, the student next to you rustling paper, or the car alarm going off outside. Force your attention on the teacher. [11] X Research source
Focus on the main points. It’s impossible to take down everything your teacher says word for word, unless you can bring your laptop to school, and you’re a super-fast typist. That means you need to focus on writing down the main ideas. Your teacher should help you with this by emphasizing what’s most important a few times. They may even say what you should be writing down. [14] X Research source Additionally, pay attention to what your teacher writes on the board or projector. You know those ideas are important.
For instance, if your teacher says, “One of the major wars of the 20th Century was World War II. " You could write, “Big war, 20th century, World War II. " You don’t need to write complete sentences, just enough to get the idea down. In fact, don’t be afraid to use abbreviations you understand so you can get down more information. [16] X Research source
For instance, you could break up periods into “starting class,” “getting information,” “taking notes,” “getting the homework assignment,” and “preparing to leave. " You could even write these sections in your notebook and cross them off as you get through them. Alternatively, you could do specified chunks of time, such as the first 15 minutes, the second 15 minutes, and so on. This is very effective when combined with distractions that will make each 15-minute period go by quickly.
You can’t change everything you dislike about school. However, you can change some things. Don’t be afraid to talk to your teachers about things that would help you. Some teachers may not be willing to change the class up, but others will want to do everything they can to help you. [19] X Research source If you do approach your teacher with a request, make sure to do it when you’re not in class. Try coming after school. You could say something like, “Hi, Mrs. Jones. I came here to ask you to consider a favor. I know the class is already short, but I was wondering if maybe we could take a short stretch break in the middle. Moving around a little can really help me focus better, and I think other students might feel the same. I completely understand if you don’t want to do it, but I’d appreciate it if you thought about it. "
