Re: boy with poor work

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My eldest dd did that as well as her now 6 year old son who is in
full day K. Both could write outside of school. My dd was a
perfectionist and throughout her years in school, if she didn't
feel she could do something perfect, it was easier to just goof
off, do poorly on paperwork, daydream, whatever it took to avoid
doing what the adult wanted her to do. Also with both, if they
just were not interested in doing what the adult was asking of
them, they did the holes in the paper, scribbles, poor
printing..Actually now that I remember her oldest dd was also a
hole poker until second grade. In third she is a very good match
with the teacher she has and has gradually improved her work.

The dgs is also improving in quality of work as his skill level
and interest has increased. His K classroom still has a lot of
developmentally appropriate activities which has allowed him to
mature and catch up in skill levels with his peers without
pressure.

I had found over the years that when children came from homes
where the parents expected school type activities at home, too,
they were less interested in doing the same things at school. We
get a lot of children pressured at home to achieve academically
and that push is at home to the extent that the child just wants
to have fun when not under that pressure. That's a natural
response.

I just think if a child is really interested in doing what he is
doing and it is developmentally appropriate (and seatwork is not
really what a lot of five and six year olds need), they can
focus. Are you balancing the seatwork with a LOT of other active,
movement type work to break up the expectation for sitting for x
amount of time?

You are probably correct in your thinking this is related to
maturity, rather then an attention problem. What activities have
you seen him be super interested in and how can you adapt an
assignment that could relate to that interest? That is where I
would start.

If you don't have an aide, then why isn't your school promoting
volunteers in the classroom? I am a retired teacher and I
volunteer twice a week in my dgs's class for an hour or so. I
know there are other parents who also help regularly in the
classroom. Surely out of the entire school population there are
very capable adult helpers that can be recruited. Have you asked?
Also, there are often college students hoping to be teachers who
come in and work in the classroom once a week for a semester.
Usually they can only do this type of "student teaching" if there
are special needs children in the classroom. You said you do.

Good luck and your young man is fortunate to have someone in his
corner wanting the best for him and making the effort.

On 2/02/13, Fewer writing assignments, more play time wrote:
> At his age, you can best help him by not pressuring him all the
> time. He clearly doesn't want to be there, so the biggest
> challenge he'll have to overcome now is disliking school.
>
>
> On 2/02/13, i need suggestions wrote:
>> I have a boy who is super distracted. He is not paying
>> attention and plays with his pencil etc. His written work
>> is very poor. Holes in his paper, horrible printing etc.
>>
>> Mom notices it too and has him practice printing at home
>> and she says he does beautifully but knows he is
>> distracted. She sees it when he is trying to do work with
>> his siblings.
>>
>> She can imagine how he is in a class of 20 kids!
>>
>> So she is asking me what we can do about it. She sees it is
>> affecting his work.
>>
>> I dont think he is ADHD. I think it is immaturity . Mom
>> calls him the "spacey "one, always drifting off.
>>
>> so what can I do in the classroom to help him? I tried
>> headphones., oh he did not like that ( our Sped teacher
>> uses them for an autistic kid)
>>
>> I had him sit by himself but he felt it was punishment as
>> he is social.
>>
>> MOm showed me his printing he did at home so now I KNOW he
>> can do it... but doesnt for me. It this distractibility
>> thing.
>>
>> But I have 20 others kids all by myself and several very
>> needy and low kids. This boy is more average. I wish I had
>> more 1-1 time with him... but with budget cuts, we lost our
>> aides and have more sped kids in the room with no support.
>>
>> Please give suggestions. I really want to help him.

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