Helping Your Child Pay Attention
Q. Do kids really have deficits in
their ability to pay attention in class? Or is it something the schools are
Both. Let's face it: kids are naturally deficient in the ability to pay
attention, because they're kids! None
of us is able to sustain a hyper-focus 24/7, nor would we want to. We all need
some down time. The trick is to help your child learn how NOT to have that down
time in the classroom!
Because schools believe in the "child-centered classroom," which is less
authoritarian than in the past, it's tougher for many children to stay on task.
The desks are no longer in rows with all eyes at the front of the room, on the
teacher, because the teacher tries not to be the center of attention any more. If
there are desks at all, they're likely to be clustered in groups, so that
children's eyes are pointing all over the room, and at each other. The focus is
often on small-group projects, too, which creates a lot of opportunities for
distractions and conversations. And teachers know that many students need to
move, during the school day, so getting up and walking around is often
permissible. All of these work together to create a more distractible
environment than ever before.
But here's how parents and teachers can maximize a child's ability to
focus, concentrate and learn. These "oldie but goodie" tips are from a 1936-37
document, "Manual of the Common Schools" of LaSalle County, Ill., found by an
education activist in an antique shop:
into the habit of putting yourself into "the ready" position while in class.
Keep your eyes looking toward the teacher, keep your hands together and keep
your elbows on your desk.
the teacher by keeping your eyes on him or her at all times, unless you're
working on a hands-on project, reading a book or participating in a small-group
discussion or project.
and direct your thinking so that your mind "pays attention" only to the
things that belong to the lesson.
study hall and at home, shut everything else out except your homework or
reading material, and that habit will translate to class.
start of each class, think through what you learned in the last class. At the
end of each class, pay attention to the two or three main points you learned to
fix them in your mind.
speak aloud the main points of a class period, you are much more likely to
remember them. Train yourself to tell what you "know new," in an orderly
fashion, even if it's privately to the bathroom mirror every night after school.
active listener, keep your mind alert to what's being taught, and contribute
every class period to the discussion by making comments or asking questions.
of others and be considerate to fellow students and your teachers, and you will
help everyone pay attention better.
Homework: For more pearls from the past,
download the manual: