Since it's the start of a new year and new school term, I'm trying a fresh tack with Kit to get him mainstreamed with his class learning level. On our way to running some errands, after school, I asked him what he'd learned today. Just one thing. He could't think of anything. After we got home he did his homework, 7 math questions, and after I looked them over I asked if he thought he understood the material. He said he did and I agreed. It was basic numeric ordering from high to low. But he got 4 of the 7 wrong. I asked why he thought that happened and after a couple of 'I don't knows' he said that maybe he wasn't paying attention. "Bingo!" says I and asked what he was thinking while he worked. "When it would be over, my new rock group name, you know - stuff."
"What about in math class today?" i asked.
"Same thing."
I don't know if it clicked strongly with him but he did realize there was a connections between his concentration and understanding his class. When I put him to bed he asked me if I really had to go to the parent teacher meeting this month. "You know, you really could use a day off," he said encouragingly, as if my not going would mean his teacher would think he was doing better.
I'm not sure, but I'm hopeful that he's beginning to see the solution to this problem lies with him, and that paying more attention in class could really help. If he's willing to try to take on some of the heavy lifting to get through this, half the battle is won.
