How to Help Your Child Focus on School Work

Children, especially naturally gifted children, often struggle to focus. Whether they’re trying to pay attention to a teacher in the middle of a droning lecture or attempting to stay on task with homework assignments, the struggle can be overwhelming. This can be due to many factors. The most common reasons are unrealistic expectations of how difficult a task will be and concern about letting their parents or teachers down. Here’s how you can help your child get focused and get back on track. 

Take a Moment to Prepare

Preparation looks different for everyone. Some students read through pages of highlighted notes before diving into the task at hand. Others take a few deep breaths to get in the right mindset. It may even mean setting a timer or starting a timed playlist that leaves time for breaks. Once you find a preparation method that works, stick to it. Fitting preparation into the routine will establish a clear line between homework time and relaxation time. 

Break it into Chunks

When it feels like everything is going on all at once, focusing can be difficult. People of all ages struggle with this. The first step is dividing the work into manageable chunks. This means doing one thing at a time. Assignments need to be done one problem at a time, one question at a time or one paragraph at a time. The more your child can focus on what’s right in front of them, the more likely they will be to succeed and get through it with ease.

Remove Distractions

It’s not just multitasking on assignments that slows students down. Your child also needs to avoid trying to multitask between homework and outside activities. They should complete their homework in a space that’s free of distractions. The best case scenario is a dedicated homework space where the TV and other distracting devices are turned off or simply not in the room. Not having distractions present is the easiest way to avoid losing focus.

Schedule Breaks

As much as we may like to think otherwise, we’re simply not wired to hunker down and focus on work for hours at a time. This is especially true for children, who need movement and play to thrive. Once every hour or so, encourage your child to get up and step away from their homework. Each break can be anything from a snack break to a walk around the block. They just need a few minutes to reset, recharge and get right back to it.

Talk to Your Child

When it feels like your child refuses to focus on the task at hand, it can be frustrating. You may feel like they’re intentionally not paying attention or staying focused. However, there may be a deeper underlying issue. Maybe they don’t understand the assignment and are too embarrassed to speak up. They might be struggling because they’re tired or stressed. There are many reasons why people find it difficult to focus, and all possible reasons should be considered.

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa private school, students thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.

Sixth Grade Students Participate in Urban Scavenger Hunt

NTCA Sixth Graders spent Tuesday, November 29th immersed in the history of the beautiful city of St. Petersburg, FL.  Students used literacy and collaborative skills to search for interesting facts and hidden secrets of the city.  For example, did you know that the first newspaper published in St. Pete was called the Evening Independent and that it was free on any day that the sun did not shine?

The Sixth Graders also found out that the Euro is the currency used in Europe. . .unscrambling letters on the famous St. Pete Sundial helped them figure out that one!

A relaxing picnic lunch in the park and Kilwins ice cream for dessert was the favorite part of the day.  All agreed that studying the history of St. Petersburg through an urban scavenger hunt was a fun and creative way to learn!

Preparing for the Holidays as a Family

You want the holidays to be perfect for the whole family. It may feel like the best way to make them that way is to do everything yourself. That way, you know it will get done the right way. However, this can quickly become overwhelming. Those who don’t participate in the planning and execution of holiday plans may not understand how much work goes into them. This leads to one family member being overworked and could lead to frustration among other family members. The more, the merrier still applies when it comes to preparing for the holidays. Here’s how you can get the whole family involved. 

Involve Children from the Start

You may feel like bringing children into planning for holiday preparations would slow down the process. However, you may be surprised by the fresh ideas they have. Teach them about what goes into planning holiday activities, and bring them along for shopping trips. This will give them an appreciation for all the work you do, and they’ll be more compelled to help when the time comes. It could even be a way to introduce them to a new hobby or two.

Decide on What to Delegate

Make a list of everything you have to do, and see what you can delegate to others. Your teen with a driver’s license can help pick up items from the store, but they may need guidance on what exactly to buy. A younger child can help with decorating cookies, but they might not be ready to chop vegetables quite yet. Everyone in the family can help out, and while it may not yield the “perfect” result, it will take a lot of stress off of you and make everyone else feel included.

Divide Writing and Wrapping Duties

Gift wrapping and writing cards doesn’t feel like it takes a long time until you sit down to do it. While writing cards, you often remember people you forgot to add to your list, and the list ends up getting longer. Wrapping gifts can be quick if you’re a pro, but it will definitely be quicker with more people doing it. See if you can assembly-line sorting, wrapping and labeling presents. Have those who have the nicest handwriting write the cards. With a few hands at work, these tasks will be done in no time.

Find New and Old Recipes

Holiday celebrations often focus on food, and there’s no better place for the family to get involved than in the kitchen. You know your family better than anyone, so you’ll know who should be rolling dough, who can decorate and who can focus on tasks like preheating the oven and setting kitchen timers. One way to make the holidays truly special is by finding the recipes grandma used to make or trying something new that everyone in the family can enjoy. No matter how it comes out, your family will appreciate the time spent together.

At North Tampa Christian Academy, a Tampa Christian school, we believe the most important learning starts in the home. Students at our school thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.


Making Math More Fun (and Less Intimidating)

Once in a while, you will find a child who loves numbers and problem solving. However, most children don’t have this innate ability. One study shows that an average of 33% of 15-year-old students feel helpless when trying to solve math problems. From the moments when they’re nervously standing at the board to solve a problem to when they’re at home losing focus while staring at numbers, this anxiety can be intense. Here’s why that is and how you can help your child if this is a problem for them. 

Understanding Math Anxiety

Students deal with math anxiety for many reasons, the main one being that they struggle to get back up to speed if they miss one concept. Math builds on itself, more so than any other subject. Losing track creates low self-confidence for students and makes math intimidating to the point where children dread having to do it or learn about it.

Practicing Math Skills

Before making math fun you need to make it feel attainable. As the old saying goes, “practice makes progress.” Practice math at home with your child to make sure they fully understand what they’re learning. Provide positive reinforcement when your child tackles a new concept and encouragement when they’re still figuring it out. If they fall behind, see if you can help, or find a tutor who can help them catch up. Put a positive interaction no matter the path, however. Anxieties stem from consistent negative interactions around math. 

Making it Real and Relatable

The main question that comes up for children who dislike math is “How will I use this in real life?” One way to make math fun is by showing children how it applies to real life. Go to the store together, and ask your child to estimate discounts or taxes on different products. Bring math into the kitchen by making your child’s favorite baked goods with their help. This is a great way to explore fractions! You can even do a scavenger hunt outdoors and for different geometrical shapes in nature. 

Transforming Problems into Games

Nothing is as fun as playing games! Play math games together with flash cards, board games and other visual aids. If you’re both sports fans, talk to your child about sports in terms of scores, fractions and more. If your child is more into video games, make the connection there, encouraging your child to play math-focused games, as well as games like Minecraft that subtly help them work on their math and engineering skills.

At North Tampa Christian Academy, we focus on project-based learning to make every subject relatable — even math. Our Tampa private school encourages students to thrive creatively, academically and spiritually in a project-based learning environment. Faculty and families work together to inspire leadership through Christian innovation. Contact us today to learn more.