02/15/2026
Plan - Point - Adjust:
Teaching Attention with Patience and Purpose
If Your Child is Struggling to Focus, Try This 3 Step Plan
Does this happen at your house?
Your 4th grader is supposed to complete 5 math problems.
Instead, they’re tapping their pencil and staring at the dog.
Instead of saying:
“Why aren’t you paying attention?”
Try this:
Before starting a math lesson, think
Plan - Point - Adjust.
Plan
Write a plan to focus thoughts and energy on completing a math lesson.
Example:
1. Get a pencil.
2. Get your math paper
*Include 1-5 problems, based on the student's ability to focus.
3. Solve the problem.
4. Go to the next problem.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 until finished.
*Before asking the student to work independently, practice the plan together, shining the flashlight on each step.
Point - To get started, shine a flashlight on the first step.
When your student’s attention wanders from the page, use reflexive questions to get on track:
“What’s your plan right now?”
(“Finish problem 1.”)
“Where is your flashlight pointing?”
(“At the dog…”)
Adjust
“That’s right! Let’s adjust. Where does it need to point?”
(“Back at problem 1.”)
That’s right, can you do that?
(“Yes.”)
Great job!
_______________________________________________________
Executive function grows when children learn to:
✔ Notice drift
✔ Re-aim intentionally
✔ Continue with the plan
That’s skill development.
What’s one area where your child’s flashlight drifts most right now — math, reading, transitions, chores?
