Of course, we\u2019ve all heard of the rising diagnoses of ADD\/ADHD (66% increase from 2000 to 2010!<\/a>). Perhaps that fact is simply a function growing popular awareness of the problem, and therefore more doctor visits for a diagnosis. But Daniel Goleman, the bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence<\/em> and Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence<\/em>, hypothesizes that we\u2019re recognizing it more because it\u2019s becoming more of a problem, even for us adults. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In his book Focus<\/em> Goleman memorably tells the story of a conversation with a doctor, who recounted how professionals are beginning to self-medicate for attentional issues and narcolepsy. One lawyer was even complaining that he couldn\u2019t write contracts without such drugs, many of which would have required a prescription just a few short years ago (8-9). <\/p>\n\n\n\n A possible cause for our crisis of attention in the modern world is our addiction to the new media and screen time<\/a>. Those glowing orbs in our hands and on our desks are powerful brain manipulators. I\u2019ve heard the attention-grabbing industry estimated at $6 trillion; that\u2019s a lot of money, time and effort from experts focused at diverting our attention. And perhaps by the law of habit the industry’s power\u2014and our giving into it\u2014is turning us and our students into less focused people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The upshot to these dire pronouncements is that there is a\nrich tradition of reflection on the human faculty or habit of attention. Those familiar\nwith Charlotte Mason\u2019s work will recognize it as a theme that she keeps coming\nback to. Yet Charlotte Mason wasn\u2019t the first educational theorist to spend\nsome focused thought on the attention, and she wasn\u2019t the last. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So in this article, we\u2019re going to explore the practical recommendations for training the attention that Charlotte Mason had in common with one of her predecessors, the famous British Enlightenment philosopher John Locke, followed by a slightly younger contemporary, the American educator John Milton Gregory, known in classical education circles for his book The Seven Laws of Teaching<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then we will link up with modern cognitive psychology and neuroscience for how they support and confirm this tradition. This research will provide some greater clarity as to what\u2019s going on in our brains and why Locke, Mason and Gregory\u2019s sage advice still stands today. That will take us through the science of attention then and now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n More than a century before Charlotte Mason, John Locke anticipated her in many of his ideas about education, including his reflections on the nature of young children and the importance of gentle training in habit. The habit of attention, proper accommodations for children, and the need for training in focus are some of those areas of substantial agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his treatise on education<\/a> John Locke begins his reflections by considering the nature of children:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The natural temper of children disposes their minds to wander. Novelty alone takes them\u2026. They quickly grow weary of the same thing, and so have almost their whole delight in change and variety. It is a contradiction to the natural state of childhood for them to fix their fleeting thoughts. (Some Thoughts Concerning Education<\/em> 124)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Unlike many thinkers of his day and earlier, Locke’s reflections on children\u2019s inattentiveness do not lead him to despise children, but instead to accost parents and tutors for their unrealistic expectations. It is absurd to expect a child to have the developed faculty of attention of a grown scholar, and taxing a student far beyond their capacity is, to him, simply an exercise in frustration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He briefly wonders why children might naturally have a short attention span, as a 17th<\/sup> century medical practitioner might be expected to do, before concluding that whatever the cause it is surely the case:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether this be owing to the temper of their brains or the quickness and instability of their animal spirits, over which the mind has not yet got a full command, this is visible, that it is a pain to children to keep their thoughts steady to anything. (124)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Next he moves on to propose the same type of gracious treatment and training that Charlotte Mason enthusiasts have come to appreciate from her:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lasting continued attention is one of the hardest tasks [that] can be imposed on them; and therefore he that requires their application should endeavor to make what he proposes as grateful and agreeable as possible; at least, he ought to take care not to join any displeasing or frightful idea with it. (124)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n John Locke thus recommends a tactic of accommodation and\nunderstanding toward students\u2019 challenges with wandering attention. This is in\ngreat contrast to the usual methods of his day, which employed frequent \u201crebukes\nand corrections, if they find them ever so little wandering\u201d (124). Locke finds\nthese methods ineffective and more likely to stifle attention than develop it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These ideas might make Locke seem like a softy, but he has a place for rigor and aims definitely at a student’s growing excellence in learning. He has just shifted the method of ensuring students\u2019 attention from negative to positive tactics. As he concludes later,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The great skill of a teacher is to get and keep the attention of his scholar; whilst he has that, he is sure to advance as fast as the learner\u2019s abilities will carry him; and without that, all his bustle and pother will be to little or no purpose. (125)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Locke recognizes the necessity of a focused attention for learning and recommends a \u201ccertain tenderness\u201d in the teacher to \u201cmake the child sensible that he loves him and designs nothing but his good\u201d as the surest way to inspire the child to \u201chearken to his lessons and relish what he teachers him\u201d (125). This no doubt develops out of his Christian view of children as made in the image of God<\/a>, a trust to be nurtured and cherished, and not harshly accosted for weaknesses they can’t help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similar to Locke, Charlotte Mason<\/a> focuses on attention as a habit<\/a>, and a chief educational virtue at that. A student\u2019s learning and abilities depend upon it, because it makes them possible. As she explains in Home Education<\/a><\/em>,<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, we put the habit of Attention, because the highest intellectual gifts depend for their value upon the measure in which their owner has cultivated the habit of attention. (97) <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Developing on Locke\u2019s reflections about the natural state of\nchildhood, Charlotte Mason recommended short lessons for younger children and\nvariety in books and subjects; she famously quipped that \u201ca change is as good\nas a rest.\u201d In this, like Locke, she accommodates the attention of young\nstudents, while at the same time recommending a positive program designed to\nimprove and develop students\u2019 attention over time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Her reflections on the nature of the attention are a little more up-to-date than Locke\u2019s \u201canimal spirits,\u201d as she grapples with the faculty theory of her day and attempts to articulate an integrated and interconnected view of the mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Attention is hardly even an operation of the mind, but is simply the act by which the whole mental force is applied to the subject in hand. This act, of bringing the whole mind to bear, may be trained into a habit at the will of the parent or teacher, who attracts and holds the child\u2019s attention by means of a sufficient motive. (102)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Here too she focuses on the parent or teacher providing the proper motive for attention in a way that attracts the child. Of course, the highest intellectual motive is that of curiosity, which should be aroused and cultivated in any way possible. (John Locke had said much the same thing, and came back to the theme of curiosity again and again in his treatise, which is another reason I suspect him as a source for Charlotte Mason’s reflections.) But other motives (like a sense of duty or achievement) are acceptable and sometimes necessary, as long as students are not nourished too intensely on one natural desire such that it ventures into the arena manipulation or unhealthy influence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But perhaps the most important tactic for Charlotte Mason in the cultivation of the habit of attention is that students be expected to know and tell<\/a> after only one reading or exposure. The practice of narration<\/a> is the supreme way of inducing in the child that habit of attention which will make a scholar of him. The expectation that one will have to tell gives the mind the necessary energy to attend fully and completely to the content at hand. This practice, when regularly followed, is of supreme value for moving students along the path of learning just as quickly as their natural abilities will allow them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is a wonder to see so many theorists speaking with one voice on the science of attention. John Milton Gregory\u2019s second law of teaching<\/a> says just what we could expect from Locke or Mason: <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe learner must attend with interest to the fact or truth to be learned.\u201d (The Seven Laws of Teaching<\/em>, Canon Press, 37)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Gregory admits the commonsensical nature of this assertion,\nbut bemoans how often teachers break its principles in practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHowever much teacher may neglect it in practice, they readily admit in theory that without attention the pupil can learn nothing. One may as well talk to the deaf or the dead as to teach a child who is wholly inattentive.\u201d (40)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Like Mason, he prefers to describe the attention as more\nthan an isolated faculty of the mind, latching onto the word \u201cattitude\u201d as a\nhelpful word-picture:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAvoiding as much as possible all metaphysical discussion, we may describe the attention as a mental attitude\u2014the attitude in which the thought-power is actively bent toward, or fastened upon, some object of thought or perception. It is an attitude, not of ease and repose, but of effort and exertion.\u201d (38)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The same activity of the student that we would expect from\nCharlotte Mason\u2019s philosophy is here recommended by Gregory. The student must engage\nin the effort and exertion and the teacher\u2019s job is to entice her to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like Locke, Gregory believes that the method of rebukes and harsh punishments for inattentiveness is counterproductive. But he explains why by making a distinction between compelled and attracted attention:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCompelled attention is short-lived and easily exhausted. Its very painfulness wearies the powers of body and mind\u2026. Attracted attention, on the other hand, is full of power and endurance. Its felt interest calls dormant energies into play, and the pleasure given by its efforts seems to refresh rather than weary the mind.\u201d (39)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Clearly we are to prefer attracting attention whenever\npossible, and compelled attention should only be used when necessary to gather\nthe class back together from some distraction, before attracting their\nattention again by interesting content or, in Charlotte Mason\u2019s words, \u201ca\nsufficient motive.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n A few of Gregory\u2019s practical instructions connect so well\nwith the spirit of Locke and Mason that they are worth reproducing in full: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Locke, Mason and Gregory seem to speak with one voice on the\nsubject of attention. They discuss its over-arching importance for learning and\nattaining excellence. They recommend against negative methods and for the\npositive and caring influence of the teacher. Their goal is to accommodate a\nchild\u2019s natural state, while also developing the focus ability of a scholar in\nhim. The process should involve the slow, faithful inducement of the child to\nattend as long as he can, but no longer, followed by change and variety. Over\nthe years, the attention of the child will grow with practice, and the love of\nlearning and curiosity will flourish in him, leading him to a willing and settled\nintellectual excellence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now let\u2019s turn to modern neuroscience and cognitive psychology<\/a> to see these recommendations confirmed and explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What have we learned about the science of attention since the days of Locke, Mason and Gregory? Research confirms that the ability to focus directly correlates with accomplishment in virtually any domain of learning or life. As bestselling author Daniel Goleman puts it in his book Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence<\/em>,<\/p>\n\n\n\n In very recent years the science of attention has blossomed far beyond vigilance. That science tells us these skills determine how well we perform any task. If they are stunted, we do poorly; if muscular, we can excel. Our very nimbleness in life depends on this subtle faculty. While the link between attention and excellence remains hidden most of the time, it ripples through almost everything we seek to accomplish. (2-3)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Attention is the overarching mental \u201cfaculty\u201d that traditional educational theorists described it as. It\u2019s a \u201csubtle faculty\u201d that hides under our radar and yet is always operating, having far-reaching effects on every activity or task we engage in, especially those involving learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But why is attention so important for learning and skill\ndevelopment to take place? First, it\u2019s worth mentioning that modern\nneuroscience has discovered that there are at least two different modes of attention,\nwhat Barbara Oakley in A Mind for Numbers<\/em>\ncalls the focused mode and the diffuse mode. The focused mode is the experience\nwe normally think of as focusing or attending closely to something. The diffuse\nmode, on the other hand, is when we are relaxed and letting our mind wander.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Daniel Levitin, Professor of Psychology and Behavioral\nNeuroscience at McGill University, nicknames the diffuse mode the\n\u201cmid-wandering mode\u201d (The Organized Mind <\/em>41<\/em>). He remarks that the discovery of\nthis mode as \u201ca special brain network\u2026 was one of the biggest neuroscientific\ndiscoveries of the last twenty years\u201d (38). One of its features is that it\ncontinuously seeks to monopolize your consciousness: \u201cit eagerly shifts the\nbrain into mind-wandering when you\u2019re not engaged in a task, and it hijacks\nyour consciousness if the task you\u2019re doing gets boring\u201d (38). Here we have a\nfuller explanation for Locke\u2019s remark that the natural state of children\u2019s\nminds is to wander. In fact, it\u2019s a natural human brain state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr. Levitin goes on to explain that it is a zero-sum game\nbetween these two modes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen one is active the other is not. During demanding tasks, the central executive kicks in. The more the mind-wandering network is suppressed, the greater the accuracy of performance on the task at hand\u201d (39).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Daniel Goleman describes these two attention systems as\ntop-down and bottom-up, drawing from research in cognitive science. The\nsubcortical brain machinery (bottom-up) is much quicker in brain time, more\nimpulsive, emotional and intuitive, and manages our habitual ways of engaging\nwith the world, as we would say, without really thinking about it. The top-down\nfocused mode is slower, more logical, voluntary, and based in the seat of self-control,\nthe pre-frontal cortex (Focus <\/em>25-26).\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of this we know that too much effort to stay in the focused mode, without the training up of habits of attentive focus, will deplete the brain\u2019s reserves of willpower<\/a>. At this point the brain will automatically switch into diffuse mode to find the needed rest and recreation. This explains the insight from our traditional educators of the fruitlessness of stern corrections for inattentiveness. If a child has reached her limit of attentive focus, the willpower system needs time to refresh; of course, it\u2019s possible to light up the fear and pain centers of the child\u2019s brain, but those will not induce attentiveness to linguistic or abstract learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The growing body of literature on elite performance has also illuminated how integral focus is to the development of complex skills, from liberal arts<\/a> like deep reading<\/a>, to world-class sports or musicianship. Attention is a necessary requirement of what has been variously called deliberate practice (Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers<\/em>) or deep practice (Daniel Coyle in The Talent Code<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, in his book Deep Work<\/a><\/em> Cal Newport mentions two core components of deliberate practice<\/a>, drawing from the research of Anders Ericsson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both of these components, the uninterrupted focus on the\nskill or idea and the feedback, require the focused mode of attention in order\nto optimize skill development or learning. Like Locke explained, when a\nstudent\u2019s attention is focused, that student is sure to progress just as\nquickly as natural ability will allow. But without this focus the time is\nalmost wasted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cal Newport goes on to explain the role of myelination of\nneural circuits in this process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n By focusing intensely on a specific skill, you\u2019re forcing the specific relevant circuit to fire, again and again, in isolation. This repetitive use of a specific circuit triggers cells called oligodendrocytes to begin wrapping layers of myelin around the neurons in the circuits\u2014effectively cementing the skill. The reason, therefore, why it\u2019s important to focus intensely on the task at hand while avoiding distraction is because this is the only way to isolate the relevant neural circuit enough to trigger useful myelination. By contrast, if you\u2019re trying to learn a complex new skill (say, SQL database management) in a state of low concentration (perhaps you also have your Facebook feed open), you\u2019re firing too many circuits simultaneously and haphazardly to isolate the group of neurons you actually want to strengthen. (Deep Work <\/em>36-37)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The modern crisis of attention is explained! The problem is that our brains are receiving too much stimulation from our glowing orbs, and so our ability to learn and develop is hampered. Myelination requires focus of mind and avoidance of distractions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are few experiences this reminds me more of that the peaceful experience of standing in a classroom with a group of attentive students, who are under the thrall of an engaging book<\/a>. As I or a student finishes reading, I quietly ask a student called at random to begin telling back for the class, and he narrates<\/a> what was just read with graphic language, fitting details and a faithful account of the sequence of thought. Other students then add a detail or two and we proceed to discuss the deeper meaning and relevance of the text. This is Charlotte Mason\u2019s practice of narration<\/a>, and its powerful sequence trains students in the habit of attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In my previous role as Academic Dean of Clapham School, I’ve discussed the topic of attention before in a series of articles. I was also interviewed in a webinar for parents. I’ve listed these below in case you’re interested in going further in this topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re interested in learning more about a method for training in habits generally, check out Patrick’s “A Guide to Implementing Habit Training”<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Canva-Mans-Face-Greyscale-Picture.jpg?resize=513%2C371&ssl=1\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe Science of Attention Then<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
John Locke on Attention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>Charlotte Mason on Attention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Charlotte](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/charlotte_mason_1902_frederic_yates-3.jpg?resize=399%2C441&ssl=1\")
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<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nJohn Milton Gregory on Attention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Tips-for-Fostering-Flow-ad.png?resize=558%2C558&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nModern Learning Science on Attention<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Deep](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/deep-work-cal-newport.jpg?resize=238%2C359&ssl=1\")
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