Keeping a 2Nd Graders Attendtion at School

As an teachers aid I have noticed some children just don't do well in an large class room enviroment. My daughter is one of them. I just thought she wasn't paying attention, but come to find out she has an hearing processing problem and in the class room the background noises keep her attention on other things besides her teacher or her work. This may not be what is going on with your child, but feel free to talk to his teacher and with the special ed. department and maybe do a hearing screening with an dr.. He may just need the one on one teaching. Good Luck.

I had a similar problem with my son. Ask your doctor about ADD/ADHD. My son was doing poorly in school but I knew he was very smart and did not understand why he was not getting good grades. His Dr put him on medication in second grade and on his very next report card he went from C's and D's to A's and B's. he told me that its not that a child with ADD/ADHD is slow or not as smart as other children it is that they are smarter and get bored easily and try to find something else to keep them amused instead of the teacher. Good Luck, By the way my son is now 11 (youngest in his class because his birthday is early August) and in 6th grade and still making all a's and B's and has been in the gifted and talented class for three years now

Have you thought about shadowing him at school for a few days? ...Just a thought

My daughter would not pay attention at school in 2nd grade. We tried everything to no avail. She was bored. We placed her into a private school in 3rd grade where the classes were more advanced and the schedule was rigid. She ended up being tested for the Gifted and Talented program and was found to have a reading level of an 11th grader. She was placed in advanced courses and a Gifted and Talented program. She is now in 8th grade in public school and is taking all AP courses and still participating in GT. I was so glad that we opted for private school education when we did, as the teachers in the public school were insisting that she was ADD/ADHD. Your son is more than likely advanced and horribly bored at school. If he is willing to do the work at home he probably does not feel challenged enough in his school environment. I would suggest to you to speak with a school counselor and ask to have him tested for Gifted/Talented. I would also encourage you to speak with his school counselor about what options are available to your child at this stage in his learning development. If your son's school is not willing to help you/your son by making accommodations and recommending more challenging programs, perhaps you should look into private schools in your area. Private schools are expensive, but we were able to qualify for a scholarship for our daughter to attend. Private schools are very willing to work with you financially, as their interest lies in the best interest of your child.

I hope this was helpful, and I wish you much luck.

A.

I am a second grade teacher and my suggestion is to try to find out what is his distraction. I have had to move students around from one end of the class to the other because they kept talking and their grades started suffering.
Also, maybe you can ask the teacher if he is the first to answer a question. If he is the first, he may need to be challenged, if he is the last, he might have difficulty understanding and needs more help. Sometimes when I have a child who "knows it all," I send them to help someone who doesn't. This also helps for the one who doesn't know it. I have sent them to someone even weaker to build their confidence up and then by discussing it another weaker student, they have a better understanding and the skills come quicker.
Ask your teacher, if you feel comfortable approaching, about setting your child with a buddy. He might not understand. I talk really fast from being in the south and I loose a lot in my own translation.
And like one of the responses, if he is answering the questions, have him tested for gifted. Springwood is just around the corner.
Hope this helps!
(Used to teach in Valley, better pay in Lagrange!)

I too have a second grader (girl) that is the same way. She is fine with me and my husband at home, doing homework, and working on other things. But she constantly brings home bad reports (i.e. won't stay in chair, won't do work in class,have to consistantly re-direct). I've talked to other teachers, and her daycare providers and they have all told me that she does not act like that when she is around them. We are at our wit's end with this teacher and the school. Please pass along any advice that you may receive? Thank-you.

Maybe your child has A.D.D. and needs one on one attention for him to learn. Have you had him tested? Children with A.D.D. have a hard time paying attention unless it is one on one. C. B.

My son tried that last year when he was second grade. I found out the one thing that he really wanted. I told him I would buy it for him but he had to pay attention and he had to be on the honor roll. Now here is the catch. He had to do this all year and then I would buy him the item he wanted after the last report card came out in May. It worked and now he has a motorcross motorcycle. This year I told him if he wanted to be able to ride it he had to do the same thing pay attention and keep his grades up. I know it sounds like you are buying your kids off but it worked and know he trys on his work on his own. I don't have to stand over him anymore and even one day he came to me and brought his keys to me and said he did not pay attention today at school. It all worked out in the end.

I had a find go to school with their and kid and made them answer all the questions the teacher asked that day. And when he got it wrong she made him do extra work.

I hope this helps.
God Bless and Good Luck

Sarah Jane

Do you have trouble with keeping on track doing homework? We did at home and school. I had him tested at School the Counselor stated he did not have a problem. By Christmas break the teacher told me I might need to take him somewhere to be tested. I did and he was ADD he took the medication and work great for that problem, but the side effects was so bad. Then I learned about 504 where the School has to make modifacations we got off the meds and with some modifacations and staying on top of him and school it is 6 years later. If you would like more information about 504 let me know.

well i was having the same problem with my child he could concentrate at home but it's a closed environment and it was easier for me to keep his attention... i took him to his pediatrician and let him diagnose him with ADD now he has been on the superintendent's list every since i thank god i took the advice that was given me and took him in b/c it's no longer a struggle with his grades and he is more confident in himself also

What kind of teacher does he have? It could be that school is not interesting enough to hold his attention. I have a daughter in 2nd grade and we go through phases of her not getting her work done or she's talking too much. We keep talking to her about her behavior and we also try to stay ahead of the game and she feels smart when she already knows what the teacher is talking about. And when the teacher praises her for that, that's even better.

Hey I have a 2nd grader as well. I have found that to hold his attention at school, we as the parents have had to work a little ahead of the class b/c he is much more excited and willing to listen when he is familiar with the topic. 2ndly, you definitely want to be sure the teacher isn't capable of holding his attention b/c he is bored. Many times, the kids are more advanced in an area so they choose not to pay attention and choose not to do the work.

I would set up a chart and tell him for each day his teacher does not call or send a note him saying he do not play attention in class. He will get a star and when the whole chart is full he will get a teat, kept them small. Then I would call his teacher and let her in on what is going on. She should be willing to help.

R.,

I know the problem. I suffered from it at school and so has my daughter.

One thing that might be causeing it is that he is too intellegent and he is bored out of his mind. In that case, you will need the teacher to give him extra things to do or think about changing schools.

The other thing is that he might be ADD. Please don't believe that untruths that you hear in the media about ADD. IF your child has it, then it is a "chemical imbalance" in the neuron transmitter gaps that can't be fixed except with medication. I believed all of the false rumors about "drugging your kids" until a couple years ago. Now I am on Concerta and so is my daughter and life is great!

I hope this helps.

K.

Is it possible he is bored?Is the work too easy for him? My son hates to do work that is too easy for him.Is there something going on in class that is distracting him?Another kid that is disruptive?Is it that he is a hands on learner(tactile ,kinesthetic)?Is he tired at school(is he getting a good rest at night).Is he hyper at school?Food allergies can make kids distracted and hyper.Does he like his teacher?Could it be something medical?My oldest daughter went to a private school.She brought home tons of homework.When I asked the teacher what she was doing all day(was she talking ,goofing off),she said she was starring into space.We took her to the doctor and she was having starring spell seizures last only seconds .But, you can have hundreds all day long.You can even talk during them.you just don't remember.Does he like school?I hope something helps.
blessings,
M.