Definition of Multi-tasking: the performance of one or more tasks at the same time.
When I drive in a city, I turn the music down. This is because I am not a great at multi-tasking. I cannot drive safely in a city I do not know well and be-bop to the music. The music becomes annoying, distracting, frustrating. So I turn it down.
Multi-tasking at school is a terribly difficult task. And yet we ask students who are ready to and not yet ready to multi-task every day. School asks students to have long term projects live beside homework, which take up space near in-class work and then include learning lines for the play. To prepare for these tasks, school asks students to pack a backpack, a snack, a water bottle, clothes for practice, and their musical instrument. A game, a test, a friend who is in need can turn a planned day into chaos.
Trying to do it all is hard. Let's think about multi-tasking and what it really is asking us to do:
Teen brains have a CEO: its called the prefrontal cortex. It may have gotten the CEO job, but it is not trained and needs a mentor. The prefrontal cortex has a big job as it regulates behaviors, organized thoughts, and assesses risks. But it is not developed as a teen.
Males develop this part of their brain more slowly than females. This is tricky because bodies develop faster than their ability to manage all the things asked of them. They look like they are maturing, and they are, but its not linear. Their bodies and brains might not develop at the same time. We (adults and institutions) cannot assume they do!
If teens try to multi-task, they are doing a lot of things, with only partial attention to each one. The results or outputs are less than what is expected. Parents and teachers may feel disappointed that the student's potential isn't reached. "But you can do it! Why aren't you?" The stories begin here - the teen is lazy or unmotivated. They might not know how to get started! The teen might feel frustrated that they are not in control of the situation and so they get moody. "Why didn't you tell me I had a game today? I would have gone to sleep earlier last night!" Important events become surprises.
Multi-tasking has a counterpart - single tasking. Developing a system for teens to focus and finish one task before starting another is critical in finding success. If we ask teens to make small changes in organization, there may be big impact to their success.
Small change #1: Have your student do all homework that is NOT on a device first. Devices beg for distractions. If they can accomplish what is NOT online, then they will have felt the feelings of success and checked one thing off the list.
Small change #2: Instrumental music only. If a student insists that they need music (and some definitely do!), make the music instrumental. No words.
Let me know how it goes!