Peirce has always been a rules guy. I never worried about him in school because you could always count on Peirce to do what he was supposed to do. He paid careful attention to what the routines were and what the rules were and he was always right on it.
Well, until now.
Now he's become a socializer at school. We get notes from school that he has to be reminded several times to get to work, and he speaks in English too much, and other things like that. Recently we put a system in place where his teacher gives him a score between 1 and 5 each day on his behavior. He gives himself a score too. Quite often he's right on track with how his teacher thought he did. It worked for a while, but then we had to up the ante and add some incentives to it. We decided that if he gets a 2 he is banned from all forms of electronic entertainment. A 3 means the only form of electronic entertainment he can enjoy is his DS, a 4 means he can also use the computer, and if he gets a 5 he can also watch TV....and Peirce loves TV.....but he hasn't been able to watch it for weeks now.
Something strange has happened though. He rides his bike. He plays outside. He's working on a garden with Jill. And recently, he can often be caught reading! We have make him put his book away as we push him out the door to swimming. And at night I have to ask him a number of times to shut off his light and go to sleep while I get, "I'm almost finished the chapter mom!" He reads on the bus. He reads in the car. He's really learning to love reading!
But he still talks too much in school.
Oh well. So did I.
Well, until now.
Now he's become a socializer at school. We get notes from school that he has to be reminded several times to get to work, and he speaks in English too much, and other things like that. Recently we put a system in place where his teacher gives him a score between 1 and 5 each day on his behavior. He gives himself a score too. Quite often he's right on track with how his teacher thought he did. It worked for a while, but then we had to up the ante and add some incentives to it. We decided that if he gets a 2 he is banned from all forms of electronic entertainment. A 3 means the only form of electronic entertainment he can enjoy is his DS, a 4 means he can also use the computer, and if he gets a 5 he can also watch TV....and Peirce loves TV.....but he hasn't been able to watch it for weeks now.
Something strange has happened though. He rides his bike. He plays outside. He's working on a garden with Jill. And recently, he can often be caught reading! We have make him put his book away as we push him out the door to swimming. And at night I have to ask him a number of times to shut off his light and go to sleep while I get, "I'm almost finished the chapter mom!" He reads on the bus. He reads in the car. He's really learning to love reading!
But he still talks too much in school.
Oh well. So did I.
2 comments:
What great side products of the incentive system! I sometimes think elementary school is all about being quiet and writing neatly! I think a little talking is just fine.
Ya. I'm with you there. The longer my kids are in school the more relaxed I get about it. I don't want my kids to be a bother or a nuisance - but I don't get too worked up about it. I suppose if he struggled in school I might feel differently - but he's right on track with the academic stuff, and he reads quite well. Being a teacher is hard....and for kids being in school can be kind of boring. I have ideas about the perfect school for my kids...just not sure where to find it :0) (and don't want to face the idea that it might involve home schooling in order to get the flexibility and creative opportunities I know they'd really love!) LOL
Post a Comment