All Aboard Attentioneers!
Use young children’s interest in becoming railroad engineers to help them become attentioneers.
Hi and welcome back to Attentionology for K – 5 Teachers!
Whether you are on summer break, working a summer job, or at the beginning of a new semester in school, imagine yourself as an engineer in your teaching position…
You are directing the course of events for your class or group of children in any instructional setting.
All aboard to become an attentioneer! Young children love the concept of jumping on board a train driven by a railroad engineer.
Use this interest to help them become attentioneers.
Attentioneers, prepare for a flyby of the International Space Station! Older students can relate to project engineers, like the scientists who guide space missions.
Set up a mission control “station” in your setting and assign kids to the role of attentioneers.
Add a dose of reality to this activity, if you can, by taking your group on a virtual spaceflight.
Space is an awesome place! Space engineers are also attentioneers.
When you invite kids to become attentioneers, impress upon them the connection between attentioneers and engineers who steer a train safely to a destination or oversee a space mission.
The connection?
Successful engineers are also attentioneers.
What’s an attentioneer?
Answer: someone who has and uses the ability to stay focused and on task.
Research supports this…
when someone of any age limits her/his distraction-laced information intake, multitasking and rush rush, the areas of the brain associated with decision-making and goal achievement are strengthened.
How do you help kids become attentioneers?
Consider sharing these steps in age-appropriate ways with your group… (more…)
Barbara Cleary has been serving as a resource to hundreds of educators for more than 25 years.
An award-winning writer, producer, teacher, and trainer, Barbara’s focus is on offering easy, fun tools and tricks that support K-5 curricula and assist teachers with classroom management.
