Teacher just emailed me!

[Steph925]

So my sons 1st grade teacher emailed me about his writing. He's not doing while in class so she kept him in during recess and that didn't help. During their writing time he wants to play and watch the other kids rather him do his own work. So I figured I would come up with a way to motivate him in his writing like little rewards in the evening if he does good at home and a big one if he does good all week at school.
How can I help him get motivated? What can I reward him with? I figured a little time on the computer or the wii each night ( we normally don't allow the kids to play during the school week only on the weekends) and ice cream or movie night for the big reward.
What else can I "bribe" him with lol?

[twinsnseptember]

$$$$..... .50 cents per day that he gets a good mark.. bad marks he has to give u .50 cents. This will also teach him how to save up for something bigger. We do this with my 7 year old and worked well.

[Steph925]

That's a good idea my kids already get allowance for small chores they help with and they are always looking for new ways to get money

[frndlyfn]

We have workbooks at home for dd's handwriting. I picked them up from our local educational store since they have our districts curriculum.  She gets to work on that for about 10 minutes a night as well as her homework which is math and a reading journal.   Since the start of school until now she has actually gotten an award for her handwriting.  It has helped that much. 

Which part of writing is he having problems with?  Grammar, sentence composition, printing letters?

[aetrom]

We have this issue. 1) he brings the work home and does what he does not finish in class... 2) if he gets three green days he gets to do something special with a parent, 2 red punishment, yellow neither... I like the idea of an amount for a good day, I might try that. He is getting better...

[Steph925]

I think his problem is focusing on his work. I had the same problem when I was in school too and so did his dad.

Quoting frndlyfn:

We have workbooks at home for dd's handwriting. I picked them up from our local educational store since they have our districts curriculum.  She gets to work on that for about 10 minutes a night as well as her homework which is math and a reading journal.   Since the start of school until now she has actually gotten an award for her handwriting.  It has helped that much. 

Which part of writing is he having problems with?  Grammar, sentence composition, printing letters?

[janitablue]

I agreed with the comments made in the post create a reward chart at the end of the week or day reward him something that he enjoy doing. You can purchase reuse games at gamestop.  Your son can collect coupons or points to do stuff that he enjoy doing like going to museum,  playing games, pizza day, baking cookies etc........ After dinner or before dinner create time for hime to practice his writing.

[smushy79]

 I have a 1st grader too. I actually prefer to take privelages away if he doesnt listen.

[jen2150]

motivation is internal.  You can't force a child to want to write.  Have you talked to him?  What does he want to be when he grows up?  What does he like to do the most?  Find ways to apply why writing is important to him.  Talk to him about what kind of rewards he would like.  Maybe create a letter bank.  He puts a penny in for every letter or word he writes.  Something where he can see the progress.  

"Curiosity creates interest, interest increases attention to the task at hand, and attention gives rise to learning,"

[taz1993]

I make dd write sentences when she does that.

[coolmommy2x]

Dessert before dinner. Dinner on a blanket while watching a movie.