I tell my students quite often that it helps to understand what you're taking a picture of. Now, that may sound silly, but it is not. I assure you. Once you know what you're trying to photograph, what the main subject is, what you want the photo to look  like, you can then start to eliminate any distractions, so that your main subject is presented in its environment, standing out, and clear to see.

Once you know and understand what you're photographing, you can make sure to have as few distractions as possible and as much harmony as you can make happen. And I can guarantee you that you'll like that photo. A lot.

That being said, you may find yourself in a location with a subject that is hard to photograph. You can't get a clean composition, there's no harmony available, or the lighting is unfavorable. Or even all 3. That's when you walk away and find something else where things are not all stacked against you.

Brace yourself for another tiny bit of wisdom:
I keep telling my students too, that if they want to improve their photography, they should stop taking bad pictures. And again you may find that silly. But I often see a student trying to make a beautiful photo happen where things just won't come together for them. And rather than abandon an unfavorable situation they'll try beating a dead horse.

The question then is, what things need to come together, and how will you know when they don't. And that is the subject of the subsequent classes, giving you the tools, guidance, and (hopefully) experience to retrain your eyes. 

For you to practice:
Take a look at some of your photos. Notice what you like about them and what elements you may find distracting. For extra credit, think about what you would do differently, given the chance. You are now much better prepared for a next time, should the opportunity present itself.