Have you ever found yourself saying something like this to your class?
“Focus! We could use a whole lot more focus in this classroom. Just put your head down and get the job done.”
Why not ask them this question: “How many of you know how to FOCUS? I mean, really FOCUS.” Let them raise their hands.
“How many of you focus really well on video games? Minecraft? Fortnite?” Let them raise their hands.
“For how long can you focus?”
“4 hours! All night! How come you focus for so long?” Let them answer with “they want to win, beat the next level, find their friend in the game, etc.
“Can you take that same intense focus and apply it to your writing, your penmanship, your careful spelling?”
“Can you take that same ‘got to win’ determination and put apply it to your multiplication facts?”
“Don’t you get better the longer you play your video game? Do you think that the more you practice your math, the better you will get?”
“What you focus on you will get more of. And just like I want you to win in your video games and to have fun playing, I want to see you win in your school work and to have the most fun learning. I really care about you.”
“When you feel a bit distracted and lose focus, will you remember the amazing focus that you have when you play video games? Will you put in that same kind of focus here in our classroom?”
Now, I would love to hear from you.
How does this script help you to encourage focus in your students?
Let us know how it goes!
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It’s important that you hear this: Sometimes our students and children don’t realize that it’s possible to focus just as well on math and reading as they do on their video games. It’s not the same kind of fun, but math and reading can still be fun. Help them to learn that they can achieve success in their math, reading, and video games if they are willing to put in great FOCUS!
With enormous love,
Kimberly
