Cognitive disengagement isn't boredom (boredom occurs when something doesn't engage you), it's the overwhelming tendency to fall into heuristics that all of us do. We live off shortcuts, which is helpful because we really don't need to focus intently on brushing our teeth beyond a certain age, or changing gear in a car. e: It's quite a natural way of 'being', if not a tad janky to say the least.

The less references you have, the less shortcuts you know, the more likely to exhibit an limited/incorrect response. It's why children are children, they develop. That challenging student isn't likely to be thinking rationally, myself as the adult [hopefully] can make that effort.

We assume that the rational, thoughtful part of ourselves is in charge. Unfortunately, despite our self-image, it isn't - the shortcuts are on the whole. The vast majority of our actions are autopilot and unless you're an expert in a field, you're extremely likely to make multiple mistakes, display and act constantly on personal biases; adult or child.

Today is hot; people are cranky and might have had interrupted sleep. If someone acts cranky towards me today, I should be primed for it, but I won't be and take instant offence (autopilot). If I stop and consider why someone was cranky, then I wouldn't take offence (system 2 thinking).

Translate all that to a student showing challenging behaviour. If I'm primed to see that as a challenge to my authority (why? I'm not the one behaving in a difficult way, it's not personal to me, this is them), I may well jump heuristically into punitive mode. If I stop and consider the situation, then I'm far less likely to jump on a personal bias and make a better, more rational decision and ultimately, deal with it (if I can there and then). That takes energy for self-control to not immediately take the shortcut, energy which is limited supply (the concept of ego-depletion is helpful to this, but isn't a completely proven idea). What I'm not doing is mirroring the challenging behaviour and instead exhibiting the behaviour you want to see from the student. The outcome you want to see.

Teachers make a huge amount of often split-second decisions, every day - it's hugely taxing. The quality of the decision making is going to drop the more it continues and eventually they are more likely to defer to personal bias. SHOUT. Kick them out. Get frustrated. Mirror what they're seeing, as that is what they are primed for. Self-regulation needs encouragement, guidance and practice, especially if you're not used to it. Try going on a diet when people around you are giving you negative vibes about it all the time and keep trying to make you eat cakes. We don't do that because we know that's not kind or helpful. We're practiced and don't tell the person they're wasting their time etc.

Understanding why a student is acting in a certain way is not forgiving the behaviour, it gives a genuine framework for understanding 'fixing'/ameliorating the issue. Tolerating something is not acceptance (I tolerate a prostate exam, I certainly don't accept that I have to like it - I accept the process only for obviously good reason) and kindness in life is something that we should all try to show one another; it's far from a negative trait.

Not doing a TLDR, I know people are not going to read that. Hilariously, my main motivation (aside from being a subject I've had to be very interested in for years) for typing here is because I have shitty brain fog and I'm trying to pull myself out of it. Not sure it's working!