Technolandy

Day 43 (of 2026/27) I thought I noticed you noticing (inspired by @chrkennedy and cultureofyes.ca and @CaseySchultz) 

Shortly after I read Chris Kennedy’s second piece around ‘noticing things’ https://cultureofyes.ca/2026/11/04/building-our-noticing-muscles/. (Earlier blog what we notice: https://cultureofyes.ca/2026/10/14/what-we-notice/) 

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I noticed another person noticing stuff:

Casey Schultz K-5 Educational Consultant: ELA curriculum design, writing, editing, & professional development:

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My 14-year-old recently told me that nothing feels better than finishing his homework and opening YouTube to find the perfect “For You” page.

I think we can all relate. But it got me thinking: the algorithm is really good at something teachers need, which is noticing what a kid cares about. The difference is what it does with that information. YouTube uses it to keep kids watching, but we can use it to build knowledge, vocabulary, and the stamina to stick with harder things.

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So I’ve started a Substack called Paying Attention. I focus on attention, reading, and what kids are becoming. The first post asks: What if we built a better “For You” page?

It includes ideas for building interest in any curriculum, a free unit planning template (with a filled-in example), and a list of text set resources for teachers and families. 

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I’d love to hear your thoughts! Link in comments.

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It made me think back to Johann Hari’s Lost Connections

Because it made me ponder a bit

We like to blame screens for distractions

But we don’t like to dive into ‘why’…

One of my takeaways from Lost Connections though

Was when people don’t find their ‘need’ in real life

They will find it asynchronously and online…

Friends in different time zones

Not being limited to connections in your neighbourhood

Both positives and negative.

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But maybe more…

It’s always been that adults have a different perspective

That is different from youth

Who are lazier than we were…

Blah blah blah

When in reality – the kids are doing more 

And expected to do more

Than any generation in history

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And too often ‘we’ want them to live life how we had to…

There’s a disconnect.

And when there’s a disconnect in one place,

It’ll lead to a connection somewhere else…

And if you don’t like it, you have to do (not just say) something…

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But AI and algorithms…?

They are noticing

They are paying attention

They are connecting

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It’s not the way we did though…

Are we jealous?

Did some of us not get enough positive reinforcement growing up?

I just shared a #movember message about friendships (or lack thereof especially for men: https://technolandy.com/2026/11/03/day-39-of-2026-27-movember-look-at-men-without-friends/)

And maybe this is why I’m noticing…

A lot more people talking about it.

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Reminds me that when we aren’t noticing/paying attention to youth

In the way that THEY wish it (need/want/whatever)

…often any attention is better than no attention…

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So once again, instead of focusing on the distraction – the social medias… the screens… the phones… yada yada yada – ask the harder questions and dig into the ‘why’ the dopamine cravings… the special interest… the connections… are different from the way you hoped youth would engage… be curious, not judgemental. Social Media… Screens.. Personal phones… they aren’t going away

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I’d rather teach a/effective use rather than hope some experiments lead kids in the right direction – y’know – how we do it with a listing of other potentially dangerous learning things

Reading in general

Writing

Mathing

Social studies

Science

PE

Critical and creative thinking

Student voice….

• All are problematic, but we don’t just ban.

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But it’s sure easier to not notice more than just what is gleaming on the surface…

That’s what I noticed this past week-ish! Now… do I just keep doomscrolling real life? Or should I do a thing…?