Suggestions from the KHUSA Child Psychology Team to keep in mind when working with students that have issues with attention…
1) It is not uncommon to bounce around to several different activities during the mentoring hour, and that is just fine. You may want to have a number of ideas or activities “in your back pocket.” If your student struggles to stay on task for even 5 minutes, it is okay to spend the hour doing a number of different things. Spending some time in the gym, whether you use it as an outlet for some energy or as a reward for finishing academics is a great idea.
2) It also might be helpful to encourage your student to engage in activities that require a bit more sustained attention. For example, playing a game of checkers, Sequence, or “Spot It, “ might be appropriate. You may also use long dot-to-dots and origami to build attention span. As you play these games or activities, just remember that the goal would be to keep your student on task for several minutes, but you may never actually finish the game or project. Meanwhile, as you engage, you are continuing to build a solid relationship with your student. The process is more important than the product.
3) Kids who are challenged by attention issues often do well with incentive programs. For that reason, you may try incorporating small rewards (like play time in the gym!) when you are trying to get your student to finish a task. Sometimes, it helps to collaborate with the teacher to develop an incentive program. But, you may choose to come up with your own “sticker chart” to reward your student for a job well done. In order for this to be successful, make sure that the goal is attainable for the student and the incentive actually motivates him.
4) Keep praying and enlist the support of your prayer partner. Often, kids with attention issues feel rather poorly about themselves. It is wonderful for your student to feel the unconditional love of God our Father!