Flashy Face Syndrome is an actual occurrence plaguing the internet since the beginning of online classes, and it will NEVER go away. Yet, oddly enough, it only seems to rear its ugly head while sitting with a teacher for an online course.
FFS, for short, is the reflection of light from the computer screen onto the user's face when any brightness or color change occurs. In other words, your face is a mirror that shows what is happening in front of you. Suppose you are a student, for example, on camera. In that case, the person on the other side, a teacher perhaps, can witness the flashing lights on that person's face. FFS occurs when watching a video, surfing the web, playing games, or during times like pop-ups or wifi problems that may arise. So, of course, not all light is from FFS, just like not all coughing means a person has COVID-19.
Wifi speed problems.
Messaging your friends.
Web surfing.
Watching a movie.
Playing computer games.
Any activity on your computer will give you FFS at any time of the day or night. You cannot hide it, and there is no way to avoid detection. Yet, of the thousands of students I taught online, none have ever been able to cover it up. In fact, FFS can even lead to Creative Excuse Syndrome, or CES, a much more severe and debilitating condition. CES, is the uncanny ability to think of bizarre reasons or excuses for anything school related, in this case, why there are flashing lights on their faces.
FFS might cause temporary paralysis or loss of senses. When questioned about it, students sometimes act like they don't know what's happening; their eyes and ears, like Helen Keller for a moment, seem to stop functioning at the teacher's questions, particularly--"Are you playing on the computer during our class?" Then, they might attempt to say something to the effect of, "It's a pop-up, Mr. Dee." And as I always like to express, there is always a solution to ANY problem a student might try to excuse themselves of. So if there was a pop-up I'd give a solution, so they don't keep interrupting our class. But almost hardly NEVER, they might say, "My mother sent me a message."
They know this is dangerous information because the teacher can easily fact-check this answer, which bright students learn quickly to the fact. Hence, they avoid any like these. But in any case, whenever Flashy Face Syndrome occurs, a solution from the teacher is always offered. But, unfortunately, for some students, no matter what you suggest and attempt, FFS never lets up and never completely goes away.
Note: A wifi problem should only occur once before a parent is called or notified immediately. That means that second, and not after class. Optimizing class time is the goal for all of us (Moms included) and letting a parent know could aid and assist, as the presence of a parent around can immediately make FFS go away, at least temporarily.
Sometimes, it is just a flat-out, I'm-never-going-to-get-caught attitude when misbehaving in class. But, of course, students will deny it if questioned. Suppose they fail to 100% convince the teacher throughout the class that they are paying attention. In that case, they have another fail-safe mechanism: they've practiced their non-truth answers in the mirror ahead of time. They are confident they will get this by the teacher, too, if it gets to this stage. They think they can outthink the teacher or are too sly to get caught. Nobody can outthink science. Take that, little Johny.
And even odder enough, some students know what they’re doing, and others don’t. Some become so hypnotized by their electronic devices, a different syndrome in and of itself, that their focus mindlessly trails off from the class. They might not actively or consciously do it, like blinking or breathing. The minds of mini-adults are easily distracted, persuaded, and quickly lose focus when they see a glimpse of an unusual flashing color, creative animation, or cartoonish sketch. It normal! Kids are kids. We can't fault them for that, and they will also be kids when caught.
Most of the time, it is a knee-jerk reaction, something they don't know they are doing about being questioned about not knowing what they WERE doing. In other words, sometimes kids just... don't know what they do! It depends on the student's maturity and possibly other factors, but it takes a calm, brave student to fess up on the spot. However, if students try to cover up their actions, it doesn't necessarily make them dishonest. Instead, it might make them embarrassed. They wake up from this dream-like trance to the teacher scolding them for something they did not intentionally do. Those animations and pretty lights lead them away from their focus, which is unacceptable in their worlds. To avoid more embarrassment, they try to cover it up. These feelings and emotions happen at the speed of light, so it is essential to understand them before they occur. It’s important to understand your child’s personality as all students are affected by different stimuli.
In this day and age, parents and teachers have to know and understand the challenges of internet learning. Nowadays, everyone is staying home more and more with angst about pandemics, and internet classes are becoming the standard for children. Parents must be aware that their little "angel" is still their little angel, but not as angelic as they seem. This is all completely normal. There will be extremes on both ends of the spectrum, but again, NORMAL.
How can teachers and parents overcome the challenge of Flashy Face Syndrome?
Overcoming challenges for internet learning is not only interesting and confusing but also baffling and astounding to me. The answers to some problems are apparent, straightforward, and clear as day. SIMPLE. Like, completely simple. For example, Billy, the student, is playing on his phone too much. Both mother and teacher agree that Billy spends too much time on his phone in and around his schoolwork, and he'd rather play games than focus on his work. His mother has tried to take the phone away, but she claims her son is too powerful for her. His mother doesn't know what to do. The answer? TAKE AWAY THE PHONE. Remember: you are the parent, but also, your child understands from there that dealing with an authoritative figure has a structure, and their role in that process is to follow things that that authoritative figure asks/requests/demands/suggest/requires.
It seems like the sure-fire, no-miss way of dealing with the problem. Right? Or is the best possible outcome for a responsible student who learns to adapt to the necessities of the digital era by following the rules for the essence of health to not acquire Flashy Face Syndrome? Also, is this the right way to deal with the problem? What if they need the phone to call a ride, use it for an emergency, or have features on it for school work, like a phone or a calculator? How will you balance the ultimate question of can my son has a phone and NOT play a game? Taking away a child's phone, cutting the chord of their Playstation, or hiding their most precious controllers are all solutions but come with their own problems. Future blog posts will handle these, but for now, let's keep going with the issue at hand.
If you're a teacher, explain to your student that you can see that you are noticing some early symptoms of FFS. Early detection is the most effective way to fix FFS. Let them know that it is occurring and ask them why they think that is. It can be as benign as simply stating, "Hey, I see flashing going on your face from your computer." For first time signs of FFS, next, identify and explain the side effects of FFS such as being hit by your mother (depending on the country), having adults around you concerned, possibly yelling, and a short-term memory that will never be able to fully memorize, thus, fully understanding new concepts and ideas. If steps one and two are conducted, next, offer a solution to whatever the student gives as an excuse. They might have been searching for a word or the basis of an idea on the internet, so kindly remind them to not search during discussions unless they ask first. Possibly not searching for a word. It is always a good idea to believe what the student tells you first because this could lead to trust issues and class micromanagement. But what if the problem persists?
If the problem persists, I like to take a moment to pause and explain to any student who may be in question about FFS how there is no cure to get rid of it while learning, there is no remedy for it. There is not any brightness level you can adjust on your computer. No shade, extra light, less light, timer, screenshot, recording, or flashy background color can camouflage FFS. Unless you turn your computer screen entirely off, which defeats the purpose of online classes. Even if your skin is oily enough, it can show it so clearly that it is identifiable. I once asked a student why they were watching “Finding Nemo” in my class. You should’ve seen their eyes when they knew I knew. They thought I was a mind reader. Again, nothing students can do. You can't hide from the CDC in China with COVID-19, just like you cannot hide Flashy Face Syndrome on your face.
*disclaimer--I'm not a licensed therapist or psychologist. I only try to report what I see and playfully analyze the data. My opinions are just that--statements from unlicensed medical professionals should not be confused with medical advice from a licensed doctor or nurse practitioner. Flashy Face Syndrome and Creative Excuse Syndrome are both real, natural phenomena and should not be overlooked as cute, funny, or a reason to practice being convincing to a teacher or parent.