COLOURS OF FAMILY

BY HEATHER BAIN, Behavioural Teaching Assistant

What’s your child’s GET R’ DONE style of working?

Happy New Year! Now is a terrific time for thinking about new goals and plans for the coming year. Usually instead of a New Year resolution, I make a ‘to do’ list - some items with timelines, some without. When I’m asked about how I stay organized as a busy Wife, Mom, Nana and school board employee, my short answer is “I make lists.” My process, at home or at work always starts there. To begin this article, I wrote down ideas to share. Then I let them float around in my head for inspiration and creativity to weave together. Later I sat down with my list of ideas and got started on creating. Funnily enough, problem solving inspiration often hits when I am in the shower. Over time, I’ve realized that I am most creative in the morning so that’s when I start a new project. Once I do, I hate being interrupted and want to keep at it until it’s finished. Then I take a break and look at it with fresh eyes.

I take great satisfaction in checking off items on my lists. My school ‘to do’ list is written on my weekly schedule clipboard in blue ink. Planning ahead makes meeting deadlines easier and keeps me on track. Then I check off completed items with red ink so I can instantly see my progress. Tasks that don’t get done are moved to the next day. The process continues and each day I rewrite my list adding and deleting as necessary.

I have seen many work style ‘types’ based on student’s strengths and challenges over the years. Just for fun, I named and categorized them, based on my observations. I have included strategies to help children to stay on task. There the ones that I use regularly at school and with my grandsons’ so I hope you find them useful.

7 LEARNING STYLES (Which one are you?)

I WANT CONTROL

The “I Want Control” type likes to be in charge and assign tasks to others. However this leadership characteristic doesn’t always translate into respectful communication and getting it done. Check in regularly with the “Controller” to make sure people are being courteous, they know what to do and are working together. At home, try giving the “Controller” specific choices and a timeline. “You need to make your bed, feed your fish and empty the dishwasher before you can go out to play. What are you going to do first? Second? Third?” Wait for answers and then say “Great! I like your plan. Check in with me if you need help or when you’re done.” Then follow up, periodically checking in. Enforce the, ”no outside play till the job is done’’ expectation. Children are more likely to comply when they feel consulted and in control, understand the expectations and there is a clear and attainable goal.

BREAK TAKER

The “Break Taker” understands what needs to be done, starts easily and works well for short bursts of time. And then they stop! They are like the rabbit in the fable who ran intensely and then needed a nap. They may get bored, need a body break or to switch focus to a new activity. They do best with tasks broken into sections that can be completed in short chunks of time. Simple 1 step instructions also keep them on task. “Make your bed.” Once that’s done, say “Go feed your fish”. After that tell them “Empty the dishwasher and then you can go out to play.” Switching gears periodically helps them stay focused and get the job done.

SLOW STARTER

The “Slow Starter”, like the tortoise from Aesop’s fable, takes a long time to settle into work mode, but once started, works steadily. Before beginning, they may ask for instructions again, need to see an example, sharpen their pencil or get their materials aligned just right. They ease slowly into work mode. I encourage adults to let the “Slow Starters” work until the job is finished. Switching focus is hard, kind of like a computer that won’t shut down with a program open. They have trouble moving on to the next activity and often take a while to switch back to work mode again after an interruption. It’s faster to let them finish one task at a time. However, if that isn’t possible, when feasible, have them leave things set up, so resuming the task is fast and easy.

VISUAL TRACKER

The ”Visual Tracker” likes to know what to expect and functions best with visual reminders. Without visual clues, they may forget to do things in order, like piling the blanket and sheets on top of their pillow while making a bed. Pictures on a daily schedule make it easy for the child to keep track of what is coming next. Taking a series of photos of your child, performing the steps to making the bed sequentially, ensures the child can complete the task independently. Post the photos where they are visible. Then cheer on their efforts!

TASK AVOIDER

The “Task Avoider” is a master at the art of negotiating and pushing boundaries because the task may seem overwhelming. They disappear to the washroom or look busy doing something else. They may need questions answered, may be afraid to attempt a new skill or need the task broken down into more manageable steps. Talking about their ideas or strategies before they start helps. Often children think that the result needs to be perfect so it’s easier to avoid the job than make mistakes. Get out the Patience, Practice and Persistence flags to wave as your child begins and continues something new or challenging.

GET IT DONER

The “Get it Doner” is usually eager to move on to something more fun. They work quickly and aim to please but may not put their best effort forth and it shows in the quality. They may get discouraged if they have to redo or add to the job. Talking about what steps need to be done to improve it and showing examples makes it more achievable. “First I straighten the sheets, next I spread out the blanket. Finally, I put my pajamas and pillow on the bed neatly.” You can always set a timer and play “Beat the Clock” to make a chore fun. Reassure children that it will get done faster if they concentrate on doing a good job.

MOVER AND SHAKER

The “Mover and Shaker” is high energy and needs to move as they learn. They are the multi-taskers who are drawing or squeezing a squishy ball so they can focus on listening. Having a ‘“Mover and Shaker” take a body break by moving with a purpose around the house or school helps them settle and focus too. So the “empty the dishwasher job” has 2 steps with a break between the top and bottom drawers to feed the fish. The Persistence flag comes in handy to encourage them to keep at it until they are done.

Did you see any styles that resonate with you or remind you of someone you know? Is there a work style that you noticed should be here but isn’t? I welcome your feedback. I think it is possible to have more than one style for a unique combination. For the record, I think that I am a Slow Starting, Visual Tracker witha generous splash of Break Taker!