Pre-chewed pencils teach a valuable lesson

Schoolteachers can face an uphill battle to maintain their students’ attention, and will often go to great lengths to ensure they don’t get distracted.

A British company called Concentrate has capitalised on the concept of distracted schoolchildren, offering a range of products designed to get children to focus in class.

Concentrate arms school students with all the tools they need to get through their day, including lunchboxes, pencil cases and pre-chewed pencils.

According to the company, students are less likely to “snack” on a pre-chewed pencil, therefore leaving them more inclined to pay attention.

“We know it is a bit daft but hey! No need to spend time chewing your pencil – just get down to some concentrated thinking and who knows what you might come up with,” the company says.

Pre-chewed pencils might sound like an absurd idea but there’s certainly some merit in Concentrate’s overarching concept; some children need all the help they can get when it comes to knuckling down and getting on with their work.

Perhaps there’s a lesson there for Australian entrepreneurs. Rather than rack your brain for products that will appeal to adults, look no further than learning aids in the school classroom for your next big idea.