Focus on task

[JollyGG]

I got an email from DS's teacher yesterday. She reports that she is having real problems with him focusing on his work. She says he is finding stuff to play with and bugging his neighbors and basically doing everything but his work. We've been having the same issues at home with homework (homework he has because he didn't complete it in class). He manages to stretch 20 minutes of homework out hours.

My husband is allergic to Wheat, so other than school lunch most of his food is homemade from scratch by me. So I doubt it's diet. I did try to make sure he had a high protein breakfast this morning and I hope that will help.

He goes to bed between 8-9 and typically wakes up before our alarms so I don't think lack of sleep is a huge issue.

I don't believe he has any condition such as ADHD.

The school work is neither too hard nor to easy. He has to think about it but can certainly do it without undo difficulty.

He's been being kept in from recess to complete work when he's messing around instead of doing work. I have asked his teacher to refrain from keeping him in so he can run off some energy. I've also asked her to have him take a quick walk around the classroom and see if when he returns to his seat he is better able to focus.

We got him an exercise ball to sit on at homework today. We will see if that helps any.

Any else have and suggestions for things he can do to help himself focus on task? Any tips for things I or his teacher can try?

[ollyoxenfree]

You don't think it's an ADHD problem, suggesting that he can focus on some tasks. Did the teacher give you a little more insight into the types of tasks that are problematic?

I'm not sure of your ds' age. When my ds was in 2nd and 3rd grade, he started having difficulty with written assignments. At that point, the expectations increased for the length and depth of writing required in language arts/social science, but also in math, thanks to problem-based math curriculum. DS understood the material quite well (is identified gifted actually), and could give lengthy verbal answers to anything assigned.

He had written expression difficulties (problems with writing his thoughts onto paper) though, so he struggled to complete homework. It was quite painful for everyone until we figured out what was going on. Some helpful solutions - oral presentations and assessments, posterboard assignments where he collected information and photos or made artwork and presented the information, scribing (he would dictate, I would write or type) and keyboarding rather than writing.

I've seen other children who have low muscle tone and poor core body muscle strength. Their core muscles fatigue quickly. They tend to slouch and have trouble maintaining a good sitting posture. They lean up against the wall rather than standing independently. If they have to sit for a long period, they start to fidget, then become distracted. It looks like an attention problem, but core muscle toning and strengthening exercises are the real solution. The exercise ball is good. Swimming is another good way to develop core muscles.

One other potential problem that occurs to me is eyesight. As a kid, I had very poor eyesight but didn't realize why I couldn't see what was written on the board. I would get up from my seat in order to see better. I'd also try to look at other students' books to see what we were supposed to be working on. If I wasn't such a quiet, obedient kid, it probably would have looked like I was distracted. I don't know why my teachers and parents didn't recognize the problem earlier.

[JollyGG]

The teacher emailed me back. She said she would try to avoid keeping him in at recess. He is in second grade (doing 2-3 grade work). He is very young for grade, 6 1/2. The teacher said that she does think part of the problem is that he is simply so young.

It good to know that it might be an age thing. But that doesn't solve the problem. So even if it is an age thing, I still need tips for helping him develop a better focus.

He does wear glasses and it probably is time to get his eyes checked again.

He also does have some fine motor skill issues. He has horrible handwriting. I have considered requesting an OT evaluation for the handwriting. Perhaps one would also help with the focus problems.

Thanks for the ideas. Please keep them coming.

[Linnette]

I don't really have any suggestions but wanted to let you know that you aren't alone. My son is just 6 and in Gr. 1. He is a quiet and happy child so the teacher doesn't notice that he is quietly taking apart his eraser instead of working on worksheets. He will find 'busy work' to do instead of doing his desk work. I think a lot of it has to do with his fine motor skills, he really isn't confident when writing the letters without tracing dots. Makes me wish that my Province had full day Jr. K and Sr. K so that he could have gotten more practice on that before going into Gr. 1 and suddenly being expected to write sentences and read when he only printed an alphabet book last year and learned his letter sounds. Thank goodness I was doing Phonics with him over the summer.

Good for you for standing up for your son. I can't see how staying in a recess and not being able to burn of energy would make it easier for him to focus on his work later. Keep after the teacher, you know your son best. Make sure the teacher knows what the different behaviors mean when he does them at home so that he can be redirected at school when they show up.

[karne]

I agree, age might be a big factor. The demands in terms of ability to sit, stay on task, increased academic demands, etc. add up to a lot. The exercise ball may help if he could have access to it in class. Where he sits in the class might impact him. Some kids (mine included) benefit from something to fiddle with at their desks-something that gives tactile/sensory input, and can help with focus. Something weighted, like a lap pad, might help during times when sitting and focusing is really necessary. Exercise during the school day! It should never be taken away.

[Owen'nZoe]

My son is 5 1/2, and is having the same problems (in Kindy, though). His teacher has said that he has missed out on free-play time to finish a project once this past week because he was watching what the other kids were doing instead of doing his own work. He just loves to people watch - he always has - and prefers quietly observing others to doing his own work. If there is no one else around, he can focus on a project for much, much longer than most kids his age. I like to think I just have a future Jane Goodall on my hands. Now to convince his teacher...