Today is rung 5 of 6 on this topic
Sticking with one thing
Can do: Stays with a chosen task for ten minutes without needing to be re-directed.
Why it matters
Sustained attention is the strongest non-academic predictor of Grade 1 success. It is trainable, and screens make it harder rather than easier.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Abandons every activity within two minutes, or only sustains attention for a screen.
⏱️ Two-minute check
Give them a puzzle or a building task and quietly time how long they stay with it.
Solid looks like: Eight to ten minutes at five or six, including a stuck moment they push through.
The full activity for this topic · 10 minutes
One Job, All the Way
- 1Choose one task together and say out loud: "We finish this one before anything else."
- 2Sit near them but don't drive it. Your presence is the scaffold, not your instructions.
- 3When they wobble at the hard bit, name it: "This is the tricky part. Tricky parts are normal."
- 4Do not rescue by taking over. Ask "what could you try?" instead.
- 5Finish, then say what you noticed: "You kept going when it was hard."
If it's too hard
Pick a task with a visible end — a 12-piece puzzle — so finishing is close.
If it's too easy
A two-session project they come back to tomorrow, which is a much bigger ask.
Say this
"This is the tricky bit — that's where it gets interesting. What could you try next?"