Can the teachers on MN help a parent helper?

[freakyzebra]

I go into DS's class (Y1) for one afternoon/week.

First afternoon I did a Lego exercise with a small group (6-7 children); it was really hard work to keep them all concentrating on the task & not faffing around building/doing something else.

Last 2 afternoons I have taken them for a little walk around the school, talking about landmarks, taking digital photos, and "nice" or "nasty" places. One boy especially, but he wasn't the only one, tended to try to run off and do other things, not pay attention to me.

I will try to ask DS's teacher this as I like her a lot, but she's very busy, so can anyone suggest to me...

HOW do I get the little blighters to mind me? I am not a domineering personality, and always knew that I never wanted to be a teacher; I have all the charisma of a snail. The "good" kids are good as gold and lovely to talk to, take turns. Most of the less-well-behaved I can manipulate into minding, but there are a few scatty afternoon-tired boys I struggle to prevent from running off or wrestling with each other; they only mind when they are getting 1-to-1 attention.

Tell me, what are the secrets of the trade?!!

i don't teach this age group but IME praise, praise, praise works with any age group. EG when a scatty one runs off, you call him back and he comes, praise immediately. It's a bit like training puppies. try to call back his attention asap when the first one is 'off task' for the tiniest reason. praise infront of the whole group.

I think as a volunteer parent helper expecting you to have 6-7 children at once, especially if some are rather disruptive, is unrealistic; and you may need to discuss with the teacher what is being asked of you.

If I were you I would make it clear to the children that being with you is a privilege. Take in some stickers to give them at the end.
Then make sure they are very clear what the boundaries are: you stay with me, you do not run off, you do not wrestle with each other.
And make it clear that if they do so they will be returned promptly to the classroom.
Then, most importantly, implement the consequences as and when necessary.

If one of them has his afternoon with you interrupted early, then the rest come back with stickers and tales of a fun time with the digital camera, he will think again about misbehaving for you next time. AND the teacher may think again about giving him to you.

See how it goes for a few weeks, and if it's still really hard work, then suggest to the teacher that you take a smaller group.

Agree with roisin - 6 to 7 children is quite a lot for a parent helper to deal with. Stickers as a reward - yes. Return any child who is persistently misbehaving back to the teacher - as roisin says, spending time with you needs to be viewed as a privilege.

Lashings of praise for anything you notice them doing well (walking sensibly, sharing, listening attentively, asking questions etc etc).

If you feel concentration is being lost, stop the activity for a few moments. Ask the children to touch their toes, heads, knees etc, do a little wiggle, take some deep breaths, close eyes quietly, and then say, "ok. we're ready to get back to work" .

That's really good stuff. I love the puppies anaology. Will talk to the teach today; I think she reckons that she is giving me the "easy" ones to mind. Stickers is good idea.
Any more ideas?