Pre-Lesson
Tips & Notes
Pre-Lesson Profile & Post-Lesson Profiles
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Using IdeaChain Outside the Lesson
Client Exchange
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Tips & Notes -- Lesson 1
Student Activity/Movement
Motivated And Unmotivated Students
Student Motivation - To Begin
Student Motivation - Ongoing
What is the single most important
factor in a successful application of MindPrime's IdeaChain™
program?
Getting Other Members Of The
Family Involved When Appropriate
Student Activity and Movement
If your student is a calm and easy-to-work-with individual, skip this
note.
Though not all children who are candidates for MindPrime's IdeaChain
program are physically active, very may are. They are active as in
jumping, rolling, turning cartwheels, tapping, thumping, shaking things,
etc. How can you work under these conditions? The answer is that you
can work WELL under these conditions. In many instances the physical
movement allows the student to focus on what you are saying. When
you ask the student to come to the table and sit still, much his or
her energy is focused on being still (and as you well know, this doesn't
last long.) When the student moves, the movement consumes physical
energy, which frees the mind to take in your information.
If you have an extremely active student, talk with your student about
movement. Ask if the movement helps him or her to concentrate. If
the answer is yes, discuss how the student can move and still listen
to you. Let the student know that it is OK to move around or do something
rhythmic (tossing a ball from hand to hand, twirling a pen, etc.)
as long as the student is listening and responding. You may be surprised
at how effective this is at removing an item of contention and keeping
the student's attention.
On occasion, a student's activity does become a distraction. When
this happens, gently interrupt the activity. Put you hand on the pen
the student is flipping, touch the students leg as he or she rolls
by, etc. and say something like, "Susan, you got distracted for
a minute. Stop flipping the pen for a moment (whatever the student
was doing.) Let's finish this (whatever it is) and you can go back
to your activity." This is usually enough to break the student's
concentration on the activity and bring the student back to listening
or responding. When the student finishes that set of responses, allow
the student to go back to whatever the student was doing.
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Motivated and Unmotivated Students
Generally there are two types of student involved in MindPrime's IdeaChain
program. The first type of student is agreeable and willing to attack
a new program that may help him pr her work more effectively in school.
In a best case situation this student is even enthusiastic about starting
something new. If this describes your student, skip to the next item.
The second type of student that we see is at best neutral, frequently
cautious, sometimes reluctant and, in a worse case scenario, resistant
to doing 'another program.' You could call them turned off or burnt
out. Up to now these students have frequently experienced much frustration
both in school and in efforts that have attempted to improve learning
or reading. They are usually discouraged and many times angry.
We will do our very best to help you with both types of students.
The willing student is usually engaged by the program and moves along
evenly. The reluctant student is a little more difficult to work with,
but please let us assure you that we have worked effectively with
this type of student in the past. We have seen unenthusiastic, reluctant,
and resistant learners become engaged and actually excited about the
learning process once they begin to believe that they can hold on
to and understand what they need to learn.
The profile that we usually see is this. There is reluctance at the
beginning of the program. By Lesson 3 and 4 the student begins to
get a glimpse of how MindPrime's IdeaChain program may be able to
help. By Lesson 5 and 6 the student may very well be experiencing
improvement at school and, at that time, the student's attitude becomes
more positive. Students who, at the start, were practically drug to
the table begin to remind their parents that it's time to do their
program. We have seen a number of students follow this pattern. Take
heart. Firm up your commitment and begin!
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Student Motivation -- To Begin
The Student Orientation at the beginning of the first Session in Lesson
1 is extremely important. Background information is provided for you.
However, you know your student and you know the issues that he or
she is dealing with in school. Please use the information given in
the Student Orientation and relate it to the student's current school
situation. If you are aware of areas that are targets of improvement,
please include these in the Student Orientation. This will give you
an orientation that is most relevant to your student.
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Student Motivation -- Ongoing
The following are some points that clients mentioned were effective
in increasing positive student anticipation of doing MindPrime's IdeaChain
program.
You can assure the student that this program will be different from
what he or she is doing in school. Just the fact that we begin with
objects and pictures is quite different, and most students find this
really agreeable.
Another point that is has been very positive with many students is
to assure them that they will not be doing writing in this program.
In Lesson 3 and 4, there is a place where information can be written
down. We strongly encourage the instructor to do this writing. Because
writing is so difficult for many students who have poor imaging ability,
the fact that they will not be writing is a positive to them. They
may well find that they can use concepts and skills from the program
to write more easily, but the program itself is not a written-response
program.
Some families set up a formal motivation program for the student;
meaning that there will be rewards at various points along the way.
Some of the suggestions that follow have been used effectively by
families to motivate students. Most of the suggestions require no
financial outlay.
We suggest that you discuss this issue with the student. You know
what is important to the student and customizing the reward program
to the student is very effective. You will also need to determine
if your student needs small close-together rewards or if the student
enjoys working for bigger, long-range privileges.
The following incentives have been effective for students:
- Being able to stay up later
- Having a friend over for the day or overnight
- Watching an extra TV program
- Watching an extra timed amount of TV
- Choosing the menu for a meal
- Choosing the dessert for a particular
meal
- If you regularly go out to eat, being
allowed to select where you will go
- Spending private time with one or the
other parent
- Riding in the front seat of the car (or
whatever is considered the premium seat)
- Being allowed to rearrange their room
in some unique fashion
- Choosing a movie (when the family is already
scheduled to go out)
- Sleeping out in the backyard
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- A trip to a library or historic site
- A picnic at a local park or lake
- A visit to (or from) grandparents or cousins
- Choosing where to sit at the table
- A waiver on some chore or home assignment
- Help with some home chore or assignment
- Building a craft project
- Extra time on the phone
- Being allowed to stay out later at night
- Purchase of a magazine subscription in
an area of interest
- Purchase of art of craft supplies
- Books on a subject of interest to the
student
- Free car wash
- Movie pass
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As you do MindPrime's IdeaChain program, we would be interested in
ideas that you find effective in motivating your student. Please let
us know through Client Exchange.
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What is the single most important factor in a successful application
of Mindprime's IdeaChain program?
Persistence. Bottom line is that the program only works if you do
it. That may seem simplistic, but it is at the heart of change. Regardless
of what interruptions come up, be committed to continue. Just pick
up where you left off and go on. It is amazing how much you can accomplish
over time.
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Getting Other Members Of The Family Involved When Appropriate
Once you are working on your first skill, give the student an opportunity
to use it with other family members or friends. Let the student describe
a picture to another person. This can even be done in a game-like
format.
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