Make it seem like a prize......

[TamiJ]

So I have a very active student who Will hardly work. When I send him to the back table alone I get more work out of him. This morning I Washington telling his mom that he work a better alone. His mom was fine with this but said "let's make it like a prize" that he gets to sit back there. The only thing I se with that is then he doesn't make the connetion that his non stop talking has put him there. It isn't a prize but a consequence and a way to get him to work. What do you guys think.

[waterfall]

I don't think it should be a "prize" but not a consequence either...just an alternative spot to sit if he needs to get more work done. I have a boy who is the exact same way. If I see him messing around I'll ask if he needs to sit in the back. He chooses yes or no. Most of the time he's good about going back there when he needs to. I think it's good to teach him some coping strategies and have him reconize what he can do for himself as a solution to being unfocused. If he still is talking/messing around back there (he usually doesnt') or he chooses not to move but doesn't get back on task either, then I would give him a regular consequence.

[TamiJ]

Originally Posted by waterfall

I don't think it should be a "prize" but not a consequence either...just an alternative spot to sit if he needs to get more work done. I have a boy who is the exact same way. If I see him messing around I'll ask if he needs to sit in the back. He chooses yes or no. Most of the time he's good about going back there when he needs to. I think it's good to teach him some coping strategies and have him reconize what he can do for himself as a solution to being unfocused. If he still is talking/messing around back there (he usually doesnt') or he chooses not to move but doesn't get back on task either, then I would give him a regular consequence.

I think that's the best way to approach it. He absolutely won't work with others around and I just need him to work. It's JAnuary now and he has not made much progress.

[Caesar753]

Originally Posted by waterfall

I don't think it should be a "prize" but not a consequence either...just an alternative spot to sit if he needs to get more work done.

This is what I was thinking, although I didn't quite know how to put it into words.

[a2z]

Originally Posted by TamiJ

So I have a very active student who Will hardly work. When I send him to the back table alone I get more work out of him. This morning I Washington telling his mom that he work a better alone. His mom was fine with this but said "let's make it like a prize" that he gets to sit back there. The only thing I se with that is then he doesn't make the connetion that his non stop talking has put him there. It isn't a prize but a consequence and a way to get him to work. What do you guys think.

Wrote this before I saw the other posts.....

I don't see it as a prize or consequence. I see it as giving this child what he needs. Sounds like he is willing to do his work but really still struggles with groups or with others getting his attention by their movements.

What if you couldn't work in a crowded cafeteria where there was lots of noise but that was where class was being held? Would you find it a punishment to be moved to a quiet area or a relief? Often kids that will work when moved away from what takes their attention away from work see the move a relief because they do want to please, they just can't in the environment that many others can.

I say, it isn't a prize or punishment; just finding a place where he can focus better. The more you make the connection about what he needs to focus without associating it with punishment, the more the child will start to understand what works with him and what doesn't. This will go along way to him growing himself to eventually be able to monitor himself in all situations. He won't feel bad so he will be better set emotionally to EVENTUALLY feel his own internal monitor. For kids that are at all hyper or non-stop talkers from extra energy, they need to learn how to feel their internal monitors. You might even go as far as allowing him to go to the back table when he feels he needs to do so to get his work done when he gets to the point where he is ready to do this on his own.

Not every effective behavior of a child must be met with a "consequence". Sometimes the best thing to do is to understand and help the child understand what is going on and allow them to fix the problem himself with a solution that is workable for all.

[readingrules12]

Originally Posted by waterfall

I don't think it should be a "prize" but not a consequence either...just an alternative spot to sit if he needs to get more work done.

[MissScrimmage]

I have a student like this - I just make it a choice, "Are you going to work at your desk or the table?" Now he often moves himself and gets right to work.

[czacza]

Originally Posted by TamiJ

So I have a very active student who Will hardly work. When I send him to the back table alone I get more work out of him. This morning I Washington telling his mom that he work a better alone. His mom was fine with this but said "let's make it like a prize" that he gets to sit back there. The only thing I se with that is then he doesn't make the connetion that his non stop talking has put him there. It isn't a prize but a consequence and a way to get him to work. What do you guys think.

One doesn't reward bad behavior.
I ave a student who needs a quiet space to get work done...I told him that this was a place for him to go and do his best work...I didn't offer it as a regard or punishment, just as a way to help himself focus.

[pwhatley]

I had a child last year who was super smart, but what I call a quicksilver boy, lol. He can't sit still when he's around other kids, and is way to easily distracted in a table group. I explained to him that I saw huge improvements in both his behavior and his work when he sat by himself. Most of my kiddos were in "table groups" (their desks put together), but he chose to sit by himself! (and his grades went way up!)

[TamiJ]

He's been working by himself this entire work and has done the best he's ever done work-wise.