I have a few students who resist focus, concentration, and completing the task--this kind of task is not easy or natural for their quick brains and active bodies, yet this kind of task is important since it will help these students to gain strategies to develop more pointed, targeted reading and critical thinking skills.
Hence, I'll make the time to watch them carefully. When they are having trouble with focus, I'll say the following: I've chosen this activity carefully since I know you will profit from the detail and precision in this activity--it will exercise your brain and help you with specific reading and writing strategies, how can I help you excel at this activity?
Then I'll follow up with some of these questions:
- What do you think a "good job" on this assignment looks like?
- What part of that "good job" is challenging for you? Can I help you? (This is an opportunity to adapt tools and strategies with the child.)
- Do you think you've chosen the best place in the room to complete this task, why or why not?
- Did you realize that you can "skip around with this task" rather than complete it in order?
- Why don't you finish two sections, then check in with me so that we can discuss how you're doing?
At the start of the year observation and focus coaching is very important--right now teachers everywhere are setting the stage for the learning to come, and our attention to learner's styles, needs, and challenges are important to notice and respond to with detail.
