Targeted Skill for Students: STAYING ON TASK
*Review and practice throughout the week
Settings: All areas of school
TEACHER: Discuss the expectations of what is required when successfully staying on task
STATE THE SKILL: Today we are going to talk about STAYING ON TASK and why it is important to have the skill while in school. (Teach – Tell – Show – Practice – Provide Feedback)
Discuss the components of staying on task
- Follow the teacher’s instructions
- Organize materials
- Promptly begin task
- Work quietly
- Raise hand to ask questions or ask for assistance/ help
- Work independently and allow peers to work undisturbed.
- Complete task during assigned time
- Work on appropriate activities when finished with assigned work.
QUOTE:
“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity.”
~Louis Pasteur
Ask students what they think the meaning of the quote is
Why do you think Louis Pasteur made the quote?
What does the word “tenacity” mean? The quality or fact of being very determined; determination
Does anyone like to make a sentence with the word tenacity?
How do you think the quote relates to the skill of Staying on Task?
READ “The Tortoise and the Hare: an Aesop fable.”
Discuss how the tortoise and the hare did not stay on task.
“I Just Want to Do It My Way” By Julia Cook
“Freddie the Fly Bee On, Buzz Off” By Kimberly Delude
Give Rationale – Why is it important to know this skill? Explain why it is important to use this skill in other places besides school?
DISCUSSION: There are many reasons why staying on task is an important skill. Have students think about what might happen if the person in the following scenarios fails to practice the skill.
- Your father is not on task while driving the car
- A friend is not on task while listening to you tell them that your parents aren’t home, and you are lost
- A doctor is not on task while performing surgery
- An NFL player is not on task while playing the championship game
- Your mother is not on task while cooking your favorite meal
- Your teacher is not on task while teaching you how to do a difficult math problem
TEACHER:
Being able to stay on task or focus on an assignment is a skill that will be helpful to you for your entire life.
Like any skill, this is one that needs to be practiced frequently to become good at it.
Do you agree with this statement? Why or Why not?
Being on task at school is important because students will learn more, be able to complete their assignments, get better grades, and allow others to work undisturbed. Sometimes a person who is unable to stay on task will not develop good work habits and have some level of difficulty throughout their school career. Developing this skill will contribute to developing other coping skills for life lessons.
REPEAT THE BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS FOR STAYING ON TASK (above)
TEACHER: models examples of skills that need work and progressed skills according to behaviors that have been witnessed in your classroom. Encourage student participation * (SELECT FROM THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES TO ENGAGE STUDENTS)
EXAMPLES | NEEDS PROGRESS | PROGRESSED SKILL |
Follow teacher instructions | ||
Organize materials | ||
Promptly begin task | ||
Raise hand to ask questions or for help | ||
Complete work during assigned time | ||
Work on appropriate activities upon completion of assigned work |
Give all students a task to do during role play. Some students will be actors, others can be given the task of looking for specific skill steps and giving feedback on whether steps were followed in staying on task.
ROLE PLAY SCENARIOS:
- Students are at work on their math assignments. Have them role-play what it looks like to be on task.
- The teacher passes out an important note that should go home to parents. Role-play where the students should put the note so that parents will see it. Role-play what students should do when they get home so that they remember to share the note with their parents.
- The writing that the teacher has assigned is difficult for Devin. Role-play what Devin should do if he is having trouble with the assignment.
- Terica has a question about the assignment she is supposed to be doing. The teacher is busy with a group of students. Role-play what Terica can do to stay on task.
- Tyrell was extremely tired when he arrived at school this morning, He complained of being hungry and said he didn’t eat breakfast because his mom was still asleep when his bus arrived. Have students
role-play how they can ask for help from an adult and how they can be successful through the day and stay on task.
FEEDBACK:
The teacher can ensure that students have the opportunity to reflect on their performances for the skills by providing frequent positive feedback. Be sure to restate what the students said during their roleplay. Include the phases “staying on task” in your reflections. Allow classmates to offer dialogue as well.
Divide students into small groups. Allow each group to illustrate a poster showing an example of “Staying on Task” in the classroom. Allow each group to present to the class. Afterward display the posters in the hallway or classroom.
Allow students to interview school staff and then share responses with classmates. (Interview School Resource Officer, Administrators, Custodians, School Secretary or Teachers)
Possible Questions:
- How does staying on task help be successful in doing your job?
- What do you do when you realize you are losing your focus on something you’re supposed to be doing?
- What would happen is you could not stay on task?
- When you are not on task, how does it affect other people?
- How did you learn to stay on task?
The Tortoise and the Hare
an Aesop Fable
One day a hare was bragging about how fast he could run. He bragged and bragged and even laughed at the tortoise, who was so slow. The tortoise stretched out his long neck and challenged the hare to a race, which, of course, made the hare laugh.
"My, my, what a joke!" thought the hare.
"A race, indeed, a race. Oh! what fun! My, my! a race, of course, Mr. Tortoise, we shall race!" said the hare.
The forest animals met and mapped out the course. The race has begun, and the hare, being such a swift runner, soon left the tortoise far behind. About halfway through the course, it occurred to the hare that he had plenty of time to beat the slow trodden tortoise.
"Oh, my!" thought the hare, "I have plenty of time to play in the meadow here."
And so he did.
After the hare finished playing, he decided that he had time to take a little nap.
"I have plenty of time to beat that tortoise," he thought. And he cuddled up against a tree and dozed.
The tortoise, in the meantime, continued to plod on, albeit, it ever so slowly. He never stopped but took one good step after another.
The hare finally woke from his nap. "Time to get going," he thought. And off he went faster than he had ever run before! He dashed as quickly as anyone ever could up to the finish line, where he met the tortoise, who was patiently awaiting his arrival.