School Success-Vital Skills for Success -Focus, Attitude and Organization

What else can I do to help my child do well in school?  Here are a few tips to support children’s focus, attitude and organization. Not all children need support in this area, some can manage these skills well on their own. Some however find these areas more challenging and these difficulties get in the way of success. Focusing, being motivated and organized make anyone feel successful. Having trouble focusing, lack of motivation and disorganization makes children overwhelmed. It feels like school is a giant mountain you do not want to even start climbing.

Children who daydream or look at or hear everything else in the room except what they are supposed to be focusing on, have to work harder than those who focus easily.  Everything is so interesting on the desk or outside. Some tips parents can try to help with focus are: using a timer, giving only one short direction at a time, fidget tools, study carrels or starting with the easy tasks first.

Some children find a timer helpful, others find it stressful. Know your child, try it out and see. Set a 1 min timer to see how much the child can do in that time and race against time. This may be useful for younger children and just to get started on a task. Once started, it may be easier to continue with homework. An hourglass with sand works well too, or the timer on your phone.

Breaking the work into small pieces and just focusing on that small part allows a child to accomplish the task sooner, increasing satisfaction and a feeling of success. Fidget tools work best for listening and thinking. They are not helpful for writing and reading and math where having a pencil in your hand is better. A study carrel, a desk against the wall, a bare wall, a box on the desk to block distractions may be helpful. Sitting on a yoga ball or laying on the floor may work better.

Motivation is a trickier item to master. It is very much tied up in emotional states. Feeling like working, finishing tasks and getting started are more common in a child with good self confidence, self-esteem and a growth mindset where they believe they can do this. Finding the underlying reason children are not motivated is critical.

Some children do not feel their parents care, some have been pressured beyond capacity to the point where they only feel like failures or a lie keeping up the belief they are doing well to their parents when they know they are not. Being supportive and encouraging are important. Just point out what they are doing well and not the parts that are wrong. Allow them to feel mostly successful so they are willing to try. Show an interest in their work and their games that is non-judgemental. Be a good listener to your children. Bringing home the folders and materials sent by the teachers shows your children that school is important and that you really care.

Organization is another skill that makes school life easier and feel good. Having materials handy saves time. A special place for colored pencils, scissors, erasures, pencils, pencil sharpeners, art supplies, blank paper and lined paper are important. More time is spent listening to vital directions instead of frantically searching for items needed. Having a dedicated space or shelf models to children that  education is important. If the helpers at home throw things out, move supplies, and misplace books, this does not feel good. Children know their responsibilities and are not feeling supported at home. Getting a small plastic tote tray, tray for papers or magazine holder makes life so much easier! Supporting written organization with the use of graphic organizers for writing or math can make the difference between not being able to get started writing, and organizing thoughts and feeling successful.

Supportive homes make all the difference between average and children reaching their top potential. Show you care, show interest in your child’s learning and be encouraging. Watch your children feel successful and motivated to study and learn! You make a big difference and teachers see this over and over again. Children whose learning is well supported at home thrive better academically.

Vivian Huizenga M. Sc.
Primary Counselor