Target: Gen: Discouraging Distractions

[JOYCE H NELSON <jhn100g@MAIL.ODU.EDU>]

Hello, LM_NETTER's,
  You folks do a magnificient job offering suggestions and providing
information for those of us who are seeking solutions to our
questions...here's another one I'd like to put before you:
  How do you prevent/handle distractions from occurring during your
lessons?  I'm in a small, retangular-shaped library, with entrance and
exit doors located in such a manner than when one steps inside, he is
standing in the middle of the library. Shelves flank the four walls;
tables, chairs, and computer stations take up all the remaining floor
space.
  Whenever people enter, they find themselves walking into my lessons --
literally -- as the children are seated just feet away!  Much of the time,
the children are engaged with Internet or CD-ROM lessons that have been
planned/scheduled ahead.  The problem occurs when teachers wander in to
check their email accounts. In their eyes, the perfect time to use the
computers is during their planning time; however, I'm counting on using
these same computers with my classes.  Naturally the teachers are
frustrated when they have to come back later, and I'm frustrated when a
student group has to wait for a teacher to finish checking her email.
  I'm hoping you'll provide me with suggestions for handling this delicate
situation.  More than ever, I feel we need to lead our teachers into
technology, not drive them away.
  Sincerely,
  Joyce Nelson, Librarian
  Sanford Elem. School
  Newport News, VA  23602
  jhnelson@whro.org

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