The secret to raising an academic child

[mrz]

www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9458290/Teaching-toddlers-to-pay-attention-is-the-key-to-academic-success.html

Makes sense to me.

Shame I can't encourage either DS to sit still for a task for longer than 5 minutes!

glad to hear that. DS1 while academically average has very good concentration levels.

How can we encourage concentration levels though?

I do try to encourage both DSs (4 and 2) to focus on one thing at a time, to finish tasks that they start.

Interesting article!

Hmmmmmmm.

Well, if your child is naturally good at concentrating and persisting, that does sound likely to carry over into later life. The article is a little light on HOW to teach a naturally ditsy child how to concentrate, though.

DD1 who was a member of Mensa age 3 still can't concentrate for more than a few mins at a time

it sounds a bit chicken and egg to me
Yes we can ask are they able to concentrate because they are "clever" or are they "clever" because they were able to concentrate

Noisy toys, how do children apply to be in Mensa so young? When I looked in to it I thought they had to be at least 10 and sit the 'test'?

I think they take much younger children in the US than they do here sixp ... they don't test until 10 and a half in the UK (not sure where noisytoys is though)

Interesting I played many hours of pairs and snap with DD when she was a pre-schooler, but did nothing beyond reading to her and counting steps etc about the more academic stuff. She is at a school with a group of whom were deemed gifted in infants as they read at 2.5years.

Now at the end of year 3 my lovely girl has come right at the top of the class in Maths, english and science exams. She commented that the people who had done so well it was because they never concentrated or stuck at anything.

Sixp we are in the south east. They accept from any age. DD had a referral to an ed psych in London after her 2 and half year check by her health visitor because it was noticed by her she was ahead of her peers (I had no idea). At the time of her joining there were 28 members under age 10 x

That would prove teaching a child good concentration leads to increased academic ability only if you forced her to play hours of snap
What!
you have a very odd idea of teaching tiggy

How do you teach that?

DS was always a "mover" - in to everything, crawling and walking early etc. as he got a bit older he can concentrate on things but he also likes to flit about, mess about and cause trouble. He's very boisterous etc. I can see he's quite sharp and intelligent (I think) but at only 2.10 who knows if he'll be academic. I suspect he'll be more sporty.

I'm not sure being academic is a great thing - I prefer imaginative thinking etc whereas academic just means you're good at learning facts in a traditional setting (which I was). I'd like my children to be all rounders ad will encourage them to be sporty and creative as well as academic if they show such potential.

No but you seem to assume that playing with a child isn't teaching and that it only becomes teaching if the child doesn't want to do it

I think I must be reading a completely different report to the one you have read

You do not improve a child's concentration by forcing

I understand what you mean tiggy

Basically it's a forgone conclusion - if your child concentrates easily then yes they'll be easier to encourage academically.

Can you turn every child into an academic one by getting them to concentrate? I doubt it.

I think you can improve concentration.

Limit screen time(endless screens and flickering images can't help),egg timer activities,learning an instrument they love,enjoying a hobby they love,Lego etc.Must be loads more.

I have twins 8.1 always happy to sit for hours looking at books and puzzling things out,always very able.His twin never sat still for 2 mins in the womb let alone out.He was a nightmare re concentration but I think he's overtaking his twin to some degree in the concentration stakes.

Several people have told me learning an instrument really helps with concentration and it has massively with dtwin1.He adores the piano and has really started concentrating more in everything since starting.He's loves fishing which he's doing more of and Lego. He's quite self disciplined now.

I just think it takes effort and encouragement to improve concentration but it can be done.

What happens if they don't have an instrument they adore? My older son has very poor concentration levels if he is not interested in things (most school work) but will if it's something he enjoys (Lego)

I think you need to find something he'll stick at that he enjoys for long/longer periods of time then if that is the case.Egg timer activities,rewards etc can extend periods of time.Family board games can help.

I do think screens have a lot to answer for.

Also we tried 2 other instruments before settling on the keyboard which is great as it's fairly easy to learn and short tunes are great for confidence.

For most children the key is find something they see as "fun" and they will spend longer focusing (more so if you share the fun with them)

My ADHD son will watch TV and play computer games for hours if allowed ...