I’ve been Ankur’s study buddy as of late. Now that I’m in school again, we both have reading to do. It has made this lengthy board studying period a lot more manageable for me since I’m occupied too.
Some days, we’ll pack up our stuff and head to Starbucks.
Other days, we’ll go to the Panera in Oak Ridge.
And when the thunder and lightning are outta control, we’ll just curl up on the couch and study at home. (Because I’m a California girl and these Tennessee thunderstorms are SCARY AS SHIT).
Last week, while at a Panera, I was working on a module for one of my courses.
Ankur was saying something to me and I was only half paying attention.
I must have responded with something strange because Ankur touched my hand and said, “Are you even listening to me?”
I looked away from my computer, smiled at him, and said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said. Can you say it again?”
He smirked, “You didn’t hear me? Or you weren’t paying attention?”
I responded sheepishly, “I wasn’t paying attention.”
Classroom Attention-Grabbers
I immediately thought of the different classroom management techniques that I use with my students. How do I usually get their attention when they are deeply entrenched in a task? Usually, I use an attention-grabber or a call-and-response of some sort.
If I’m working with one student, it’s usually enough to say their name and make eye contact before I make a request of them.
If it’s a whole class, I may do something like stand in front of the classroom and shout, “1-2-3, all eyes on me” and wait for the students to chant back, “1-2-eyes on you!” And then I’ll give them the direction.
So, a few seconds after I admitted I wasn’t paying him any attention, I said, “Maybe next time you should try using an attention-grabber so I know you’re saying something to me and I should look up from my work.”
Ankur paused.
He lifted his hands up in front of his face, curled his fingers so they looked like claw-hands, widened his eyes, and said, “ROAR” while inching closer to my face.
He then followed up with, “Can I tell you something now?”
I still don’t know whether he was joking or if he actually thought that THAT’S what I meant when I said to use an attention-grabber. But, regardless, I don’t think I’ve laughed that hard in a L-O-N-G time.
Here’s to more hilarious study sessions with my best friend. Or should I say my dinosaur, attention-grabbing husband.
Question of the Day:
- Okay, be honest. If I said, “Use an attention grabber,” would you think like a teacher? Or would you think like my husband?
Hahaha! Too cute. I’m guilty of doing this to my husband all the time. If it was the other way around though, I’d be thinking more of a “roar!” 🙂
I think I’d assume something teacher-related, but I wouldn’t necessarily have a specific attention-grabber to use. LOL I like the one you use in your classroom. But your husband’s idea is quite hilarious!! I’m the same though; I have such bad hearing, you kind of HAVE to make sure I’m paying attention to you or I won’t hear or understand what you’re saying.
-Lauren
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…Local Tourist: June 2018 (+ Personal Update!)
That is a hilarious technique and one I will definitely use with my own kids!!! I might even use it on my husband as well since he is a great listener but sometimes you have to be sure he is tuned in first LOL
Oh my gosh, his response is too funny! Sometimes I think I need that though too, if my husband and and I are both doing something and he starts talking to me I know I only have pay attention, but if he used an attention grabber it might get me to pause!
Beth recently posted…What’s Up Weekend 6/29/2018
I always think like a teacher since it’s my career, but at home, we sometimes have to use strategies to make sure we are listening to each other too!
This is too cute! I’m super guilty of not paying full attention to my husband all of the time (hey, I’m human!) While I’m an educator, if my husband asked me to use an attention grabber, I would think of the most obnoxious thing I could (depending on how serious the topic of conversation was!)
Thanks for sharing this funny story!
I am dying! Laughing so hard! When in doubt, be a dinosaur and roar! My husband is always getting on me for not listening but I remind him that he has to say something to me first otherwise I don’t know he’s actually talking to me. We both tend to think out loud, so someone is always talking but we aren’t always listening. If that makes sense. Next time, I so gonna roar at him first!
Kim Munoz recently posted…What’s Up Weekend { June 29th }
I actually had a teacher who used this phrase before, so that’s the first thing I thought of. His interpretation of it is pretty funny though. LOL
That is interesting story a wife and husband. I know that was a different think but take it seriously.