Have you ever caught yourself daydreaming while reading a book? Did you realize you read an entire page but didn’t really absorb any of the words? Your eyes were open and looking at the words, but perhaps your mental energy was somewhere else.
Often during the day, our thoughts bounce back and forth. We think of one thing, then another, then another and our energy goes all over the place. It can be difficult for students (and adults!) to focus their attention on what’s important. Distractions are everywhere and all students will struggle with this.
You can support and teach students by giving them a tool to help focus their attention and avoid distractions.
What are Three E’s?
Try saying “Give me your Three E’s” anytime you want your students to focus on a person or a task.
This simple phrase empowers students to make the choice to pay attention and reminds them to limit their distractions.
EYES
Keep your eyes on the person you are talking to.
EARS
Ignore all other noise around you. If you are talking to someone, you should try to only hear what they are saying, and block everything else out.
ENERGY
Put all your energy into the person or task you are dealing with. Don’t work on anything else or try to do two things at once.
How It Works
Three E’s is a simple tip to help block out distractions and focus your attention.
EYES
Maintaining eye contact lets the person know you are paying attention while looking down or looking around giving the impression you might be distracted.
EARS
While it may be difficult—especially in loud environments or exciting situations—it’s important to try and block out all other noise and listen intently to the person talking.
ENERGY
Sometimes, multitasking might seem like a good idea, but focusing all of your energy on the person or task at hand leads to better interactions and outcomes.
Using Three E’s with a student might sound like:
If you are talking with a child and he/she is staring out the window, you can simply say, “Three E’s please. Eyes on me.”
When talking to a child in a busy hallway, gently touch the child’s arm and say, “I need your Three E’s. Please give me your ears right now.”
If a child is fiddling with a pencil while you are talking, put your hand over the pencil and say “Three E’s, energy on me please, not the pencil.”
Praise & Modeling
Offer kids clear, specific praise when you see them focusing intently on a task or person. “Good job listening” is nice, but providing more detailed feedback can help reinforce your student’s positive choices and promote skill building: “Thank you for giving me your attention with your eyes, ears, and energy while I was giving the instructions. Using your Three E’s shows me you are really listening and focused on me.”
When you give YOUR eyes, ears, and energy to your students, you’re modeling what focus looks like. Point out when you are using your Three E’s to limit distractions and remain focused—reinforcing this concept with your students.
