Do you see it?
The focus.
The concentration.
It is possible in even the youngest of children.
So look for focus. Look for concentration. Look for attention in action. And nurture it. Support it. Cultivate it.
Where focus exists so does potential.
Children are amazing. And helping them to increase their attention, concentration and focus is really important.
People often underestimate a child’s ability to self regulate attention. In fact, the very environments that we create can even get in the way of a child’s natural ability to focus.
Sometimes educators unintentionally interrupt a child’s attention with things like adult expectations, clock driven routines and other relatively unimportant requirements.
So — the next time you see focus, attention or concentration — stop and think for a moment. Consider what you can do to protect it. And if there’s just no other choice, then think about how to respectfully recognize the focus that’s underway before you disrupt what’s underway. Think about how you can increase your flexibility in order to support focus.
Remember — focus is potential. And every child holds a world of potential inside of themselves. Our job as educators is to help each child reach their full potential. Nurturing focus is part of the important work we do with children every single day.
