I'm worried about Doodle...

So we had our parent-teacher conference today. Her preschool teacher gave me mostly the same feedback we always get for Alex - that she is a very special girl, a pleasure to have in the classroom, very curious and motivated to learn, asks really pointed, intelligent questions, is a leader, and strives to be a "helper". She also told us that Alex is a very "tactile", "creative" child... she likes to do projects, and really work with her hands. They have an art easel set up just for her in the corner of the classroom so that, when she finishes class projects or work early, she can go over there and get dirty with her hands.

The only feedback which was disconcerting was that she has some trouble staying focused. I've always known this - Alex is just like her daddy - easily distracted. It really is very difficult to get her to stay on track on one task at a time and I have to constantly give her verbal reminders. She doesn't do it purposefully - it's just how she operates. Her teacher says that she does seem to respond very well to verbal reminders in class as well.

So, I know it's not the end of the world, of course, but it does worry me because this is the primary reason why DH didn't do so well in school. He is one of the smartest people I know, but he is a very "out of the box" thinker who gets distracted easily, but what he ends up creating in the end, if he's given the freedom to go off track, is just mind boggling. He didn't have that freedom in school, though, to go off track, and felt restricted, bored and just lost any interest in the classroom.

So, any suggestions on other ways I can assist her in focusing? We are so lucky that she has such a wonderful teacher this year, but I worry if she ends up having any teachers who are less patient with her...

Re: I'm worried about Doodle...

Noah has challenges with focus. It's super difficult to overcome but basically we do a lot of one on one work with him and keep bringing him back whenever he wanders off. Trying to keep the topic interesting is the best way to keep him focused. We see the signs that he's ready to daydream and then we pull something out that will snap him to attention. For example.. we'll talk about crocodiles and where they live and blah blah blah.. he starts to get disinterested and I'll say "Did I tell you about the crocodile who ATE a man??"

It's difficult with school but his teachers are great and he gets one on one attention when needed. He's actually learned to adapt as he's gotten older and has gone from being a 2-3 student to a 3-4 student (out of 4).

I think Alex is just very bright and likely gets bored once she knows something. She'll find her flow.. and no matter what I know she'll be a success!

Re: I'm worried about Doodle...

Re: I'm worried about Doodle...

I am convinced our "spirited" children are twins

We literally are having the SAME issue. Our teacher has actually been more proactive in seeking us out, which was emitting mixed signals at first, but now we have been working on it this week and the change has been wonderful.

We have the simllar comments. Bella is really bright, exhibits what will be extraordinary leadship qualities (I read this as a bit bossy, but ) but easily distracted from task. She may get distracted while the teacher is giving directions and then is unsure of what to do for the assignment. OR she will rush through her work because she wants to be done first. OR she gets distracted by something else the other 24 kids are doing and has to be reminded to get back to work.

In digging deeper, because I wondered if she was talking back or not listening in a malicious manner....we were told she is very respectful and goes right back to task once "reminded"...but she often needs reminders because often times she has her own "agenda".

They implemented a smiley face system. She gets a smiley face every day that she is a "good listener" and stays "on task". She has successfully earned 2 this week for two days. Makes me feel better and she LOVES it.

Her teacher has less patience for "out of the box" thinking, hence her proactiveness. I see Bella being easily distracted at home, so I am all for trying to keep her on task, and I worry that there may be teachers that will not be able to see her potential.

So for now, the rewards thing is working and we are doing it at home as well. First go around, it will be 10 smiley faces and she gets a small Melissa and Doug arts and craft set. Then 15. Then 17. ETC.
Trying to make this second nature for her...

We'll see. I see a lot of myself in her...so hopefully I can guide her in ways I was never really guided as a child.

Re: I'm worried about Doodle...

Posted by mommy2bella
We'll see. I see a lot of myself in her...so hopefully I can guide her in ways I was never really guided as a child.

Re: I'm worried about Doodle...

Posted by Bxgell2

Posted by mommy2bella
We'll see. I see a lot of myself in her...so hopefully I can guide her in ways I was never really guided as a child.

That's funny - we have the SAME children, just opposite situation, because I'm SO task oriented and focused to a fault! I've always been the "in-the-box" thinker. It's DH that Alex takes after, like a T. And my goal, like you, is to give her the encouragement and guidance that he never received from his teachers as a child

I asked her teacher for ideas to encourage her to focus at home, and that was the exact thing she suggested, to use a reward chart. She also suggested to use an hourglass so she can see that she has X amount of time to accomplish a task. Whatever we do, the teacher strongly encouraged that we develop something with Alex so that she buys into and takes ownership over it, so maybe I'll develope some kind of reward chart WITH Alex so she can decide which behaviors are rewarded, by how much, and how many stars equal a reward.

Thanks!!!

Re: I'm worried about Doodle...

Posted by mommy2bella

Posted by Bxgell2

Posted by mommy2bella
We'll see. I see a lot of myself in her...so hopefully I can guide her in ways I was never really guided as a child.

That's funny - we have the SAME children, just opposite situation, because I'm SO task oriented and focused to a fault! I've always been the "in-the-box" thinker. It's DH that Alex takes after, like a T. And my goal, like you, is to give her the encouragement and guidance that he never received from his teachers as a child

I asked her teacher for ideas to encourage her to focus at home, and that was the exact thing she suggested, to use a reward chart. She also suggested to use an hourglass so she can see that she has X amount of time to accomplish a task. Whatever we do, the teacher strongly encouraged that we develop something with Alex so that she buys into and takes ownership over it, so maybe I'll develope some kind of reward chart WITH Alex so she can decide which behaviors are rewarded, by how much, and how many stars equal a reward.

Thanks!!!

Ha! We are doing a smiley match program. She can get the same smile she gets at school...at home. I was afraid of the rewarding setting a bad precedent, but I was also wary of penalizing behavior as well. She is the type of kid that if I took away her TV, she would read a book...because she isn't really into TV all that much. And if I took away her book, she would find a puzzle, etc.

She got ANOTHER smiley face today and DH said she is absolutely wonderful today