Is a child's persistence genetic like many other types of temperament? Or is it something that is a learned behavior? Example would be seeing how hard Mom or Dad work.
The old inborn-or-acquired question goes on and on.... While we can't determine exactly how much of a trait is genetic and how much is influenced by the environment, we know that every trait is some combination of both. That being said, every child is born with a tendency to react in a particular way when they are faced with challenges - are they more likely to give in to frustration or more likely to keep plugging through? The beauty of environmental influence is that we can help children learn coping skills so they can control their world instead of letting the world (and their temperament) control them. If Mom and Dad model persistence to an easily frustrated child and teach specific skills (like breaking tasks down into managable pieces, taking breaks to refresh, etc.) then the child is more likely to experience success and begin to view him or herself as a more persistent person (and ultimately become one).
When you have a persistant child in your classroom and they do not want to move on to another activity until they are finished with the previous activity, even though you said there will be time to work on it later, what are some ways to help the child understand it is ok not to finish their activity? Especially if you will be leaving the classroom and the child can't stay in their alone.
when working with infants that have a very high level of persistence is it best to let them continue trying to accomplish the task or help them after awhile.
I know that some traits are so innate that it is hard to break them and hard to learn them, but can traits be learned so that they become like second nature? Like if a non-persistent person works really hard to become more persistent, is that just the environment influencing them or is it just learned behavior?
I am concerned with children who have a low level of persistence. It is difficult to deal with a child who is easily frustrated if something isn't going exactly as he sees it in his head. Is it enough to encourage the child to try again later and let him quit the task or should the teacher attempt to build persistence in the child by making the child stick to the project? This would probably create a situation in which the child is not comfortable and would more then likely be upset. Thanks! Laura Roos 227
What would you suggest to do in a situation where a child always wants to stop playing a board game as soon as he gets the feeling he is not winning? In my situation, the child loves to play Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders as long as he is advancing on the board. However, as soon as he draws a card or lands on a chute that brings him to a lower level of the board game, he gets frustrated within the next couple turns and suddenly picks up the pieces to clear the board and suggests we play something else. Thanks! Laura Roos 227
In the daycare I work at (I work in the two year old room), there are some children who are very persistent. It is very hard to get them to stop misbehaving. How can I get these children to listen to what I tell them and to treat the other children nicely? Sheryl Moerman (227)
Wouldn't it be more beneficial for a child to be more persistence? I know it is stressed that none of these traits are bad, but I think for a child not to give up so easy or become frustrated easy would be better for them in their learning and everyday life. If so, how can you help a child become more persistant so they can be more successful at tasks? (227)
I think Laura and amedill have brought up a couple points that are of concern to many parents - what do we do with a child who throws in the towel so quickly? Don't we want to encourage them to be more persistent?
What we want to do is help that child find more success. Pointers I often give out when working with easily frustrated children:
1. Stay close by. These children can often do better if there is an adult nearby - whether or not you are even directly involved with them. They need you during frustrating moments.
2. Label their feelings. If they are getting angry about not winning, rather than forcing them to continue or having them feel like a failure, spend a little time talking about it. "You don't like it when you have to go down a chute, do you?" "Sometimes I get frustrated when I thought I was going to win and that happens to me." Let them know they are understood and their feelings are ok.
3. Break things into steps for them. If they are trying to do a big project and it feels overwhelming, have them do a step and take a break. Plan it ahead so it doesn't feel like giving up - just part of the plan. The hope is that the child will develop this skill so they can utilize as they get older and have harder homework and bigger jobs to complete.
Is there a point when you need to tell a child to stop working on a certain toy or project because they are be too persistent? Or should we as educators let them finish until they complete the challenge? (ECE 227)
Persistence is the number one predictor of future success. It's a good thing, at the same time a child needs to learn to work with others and to deal with frustration when he/she has to stop. The key is to ask this child his/her plans - because she has them - and then make a plan with her about how long she'll be able to work on that task. Again, use a color timer www.timetimer.com to help her "see" how much time she has. then forewarn about ten minutes before it's time to stop and say, "You have ten more minutes left, what did you want to do before it's time to stop?" When there are five minutes left, ask her where she would like to save the project, or help her find a stopping point. Sometimes she will get frustrated and that's when we help her take a deep breath, say, we're problem solvers and help her figure out when she can come back to it. Once again, this may mean making a picture planner to "show" her when she can work on it again. Mary Sheedy Kurcinka
What are some things that you can do to help a child out that is too persistant? Also what are some things that you can to to help a child become more persistant if they aren't persistant enough? Then again what is too much and what is not enough? ECE 150
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my questions! Renae, your three points are greatly appreciated and they make sense, especially the one about labeling the child's feelings. There could certainly be an opportunity for the child to feel better sooner and the game maybe able to continue to the end. Thanks, again! Laura Roos
17 comments:
Is a child's persistence genetic like many other types of temperament? Or is it something that is a learned behavior? Example would be seeing how hard Mom or Dad work.
The old inborn-or-acquired question goes on and on.... While we can't determine exactly how much of a trait is genetic and how much is influenced by the environment, we know that every trait is some combination of both. That being said, every child is born with a tendency to react in a particular way when they are faced with challenges - are they more likely to give in to frustration or more likely to keep plugging through?
The beauty of environmental influence is that we can help children learn coping skills so they can control their world instead of letting the world (and their temperament) control them.
If Mom and Dad model persistence to an easily frustrated child and teach specific skills (like breaking tasks down into managable pieces, taking breaks to refresh, etc.) then the child is more likely to experience success and begin to view him or herself as a more persistent person (and ultimately become one).
When you have a persistant child in your classroom and they do not want to move on to another activity until they are finished with the previous activity, even though you said there will be time to work on it later, what are some ways to help the child understand it is ok not to finish their activity? Especially if you will be leaving the classroom and the child can't stay in their alone.
when working with infants that have a very high level of persistence is it best to let them continue trying to accomplish the task or help them after awhile.
Do you think its harmful for a child to be too persistence? Such as never wanting to let anyone help them? Does this affect their learning in anyway?
I know that some traits are so innate that it is hard to break them and hard to learn them, but can traits be learned so that they become like second nature? Like if a non-persistent person works really hard to become more persistent, is that just the environment influencing them or is it just learned behavior?
I am concerned with children who have a low level of persistence. It is difficult to deal with a child who is easily frustrated if something isn't going exactly as he sees it in his head. Is it enough to encourage the child to try again later and let him quit the task or should the teacher attempt to build persistence in the child by making the child stick to the project? This would probably create a situation in which the child is not comfortable and would more then likely be upset. Thanks! Laura Roos 227
What would you suggest to do in a situation where a child always wants to stop playing a board game as soon as he gets the feeling he is not winning? In my situation, the child loves to play Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders as long as he is advancing on the board. However, as soon as he draws a card or lands on a chute that brings him to a lower level of the board game, he gets frustrated within the next couple turns and suddenly picks up the pieces to clear the board and suggests we play something else. Thanks! Laura Roos 227
In the daycare I work at (I work in the two year old room), there are some children who are very persistent. It is very hard to get them to stop misbehaving. How can I get these children to listen to what I tell them and to treat the other children nicely? Sheryl Moerman (227)
Wouldn't it be more beneficial for a child to be more persistence? I know it is stressed that none of these traits are bad, but I think for a child not to give up so easy or become frustrated easy would be better for them in their learning and everyday life. If so, how can you help a child become more persistant so they can be more successful at tasks? (227)
I think Laura and amedill have brought up a couple points that are of concern to many parents - what do we do with a child who throws in the towel so quickly? Don't we want to encourage them to be more persistent?
What we want to do is help that child find more success. Pointers I often give out when working with easily frustrated children:
1. Stay close by. These children can often do better if there is an adult nearby - whether or not you are even directly involved with them. They need you during frustrating moments.
2. Label their feelings. If they are getting angry about not winning, rather than forcing them to continue or having them feel like a failure, spend a little time talking about it. "You don't like it when you have to go down a chute, do you?" "Sometimes I get frustrated when I thought I was going to win and that happens to me." Let them know they are understood and their feelings are ok.
3. Break things into steps for them. If they are trying to do a big project and it feels overwhelming, have them do a step and take a break. Plan it ahead so it doesn't feel like giving up - just part of the plan. The hope is that the child will develop this skill so they can utilize as they get older and have harder homework and bigger jobs to complete.
How do you get a child that only likes to pay by himself for hours play with a friend for longer than five minutes? (150)
Is there a point when you need to tell a child to stop working on a certain toy or project because they are be too persistent? Or should we as educators let them finish until they complete the challenge? (ECE 227)
Persistence is the number one predictor of future success. It's a good thing, at the same time a child needs to learn to work with others and to deal with frustration when he/she has to stop. The key is to ask this child his/her plans - because she has them - and then make a plan with her about how long she'll be able to work on that task. Again, use a color timer www.timetimer.com to help her "see" how much time she has. then forewarn about ten minutes before it's time to stop and say, "You have ten more minutes left, what did you want to do before it's time to stop?" When there are five minutes left, ask her where she would like to save the project, or help her find a stopping point. Sometimes she will get frustrated and that's when we help her take a deep breath, say, we're problem solvers and help her figure out when she can come back to it. Once again, this may mean making a picture planner to "show" her when she can work on it again. Mary Sheedy Kurcinka
What are some things that you can do to help a child out that is too persistant? Also what are some things that you can to to help a child become more persistant if they aren't persistant enough? Then again what is too much and what is not enough? ECE 150
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my questions! Renae, your three points are greatly appreciated and they make sense, especially the one about labeling the child's feelings. There could certainly be an opportunity for the child to feel better sooner and the game maybe able to continue to the end. Thanks, again! Laura Roos
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