Text | Erxu's mother
Every time I talk to the parents around me, the most common thing everyone complains about is that the child is too abrasive.
Homework is always done at the last minute before going to bed, and practice time is often a big fight to finish.
My 2 children have often encountered this kind of problem before, tried a lot of methods, and now have figured out a good method.
It doesn't cost money, and you have an alarm clock or timer at home to operate.
Whether it is homework on holidays, homework after school, practice at night, or the daily work of our parents, you can use it.
This method may have been heard by some mothers, called the tomato work method.
I was able to have enough time not to be disturbed, and the children also gained good self-care and self-discipline and self-management skills, which felt really good.
Magical tomato working method
The tomato working method was invented by the Italian scholar Francisco Cyrillo.
When Francisco Cyrillo was a freshman in college, he fell into a state of confusion, inefficiency and confusion.
When an exam was forced, he especially wanted to mention the spirit and morale review, but there were always all kinds of messy thoughts in his mind:
I'm going to pass the exam, I still have three books to read, I'm running out of time before the exam, I can't concentrate, what should I do... These distractions have left time in vain.
Later, Francisco Cyrillo asked himself a question: Can you really learn it? Just 10 minutes?
He then picked up a tomato-shaped timer in the kitchen as a witness and buried his head to study.
When the timer sounded, Francisco Cyrillo found that these 10 minutes had allowed him to regain his composure and controller, and he really learned to go in.
Realizing that this method worked, Francisco Cyrillo began to use a timer to assist in learning, and that time, he successfully passed the exam.
Later, Francisco Cyrillo conducted a more in-depth study:
Why does this approach work? How long is a tomato time appropriate? How long is the best break between two tomato times?
He named this method of timed learning "pomodoro work". Eventually, the results of his research became the tomato work method that was widely used later.
Many people have defeated the interference through the pomodoro work method, and the work and study have become more efficient.
Why does the Pomodoro Method work?
The traditional pomodoro work method is simple to use, and kids can get started right away.
The specific use method for me and my children is: every morning, the study (work) tasks are listed and divided into small tasks according to content.
There are practicing the piano, memorizing English, memorizing texts, doing mathematical exercises and other content, which are divided into three major tasks according to practice, memorization and writing.
Next, start learning in 25 minutes as a tomato unit. A Pomodoro time, only to complete one task.
For example, if you practice first, use the alarm clock to set the time for 25 minutes. During these 25 minutes, the child tries not to think about anything else, eliminate distractions, concentrate on practicing, and wait for the alarm to go off.
After practicing, take a 5-minute break and your child can move on to the next pomodoro time.
In the same way, you can practice the piano for another tomato time, you can also complete the content of the recitation, or do math problems.
Usually, children can schedule up to 4 pomodoro times in the morning, and they can play freely.
It seems to be a simple timekeeping method, and when you really use it, you will find it very efficient. That's because there are a lot of psychological secrets that cater to the brain and keep kids focused:
1, because the end time is known, it is easier to concentrate
A lot of children's daily learning, such as listening to and reading English, memorizing, doing exercises, practicing the piano, all need to accumulate practice, the more the merrier. But this kind of exercise often makes the child feel bored.
If there is no time, it is easy for children to desert.
For example, before, my child's piano, at the end of the point, see the time is almost over.
The most common state of a child is: play for a while to drink saliva, and then play a little while and then go to the toilet...
I often joke that my child doesn't have to urge water, as long as she is allowed to practice, she will drink enough water herself.
Brain scientists believe that the human brain is born with a love of novelty and likes to constantly divert attention.
The Pomodoro time setting of 25 minutes actually gives the child's brain a clear signal - just stick to it for 25 minutes, and then you will be free.
It can be said that the Pomodoro caters to the brain's distraction nature, because knowing that it will soon end, the brain will not always want to escape, and the child is more likely to concentrate.
Before the child practiced aimlessly for half an hour, after using the pomodoro work method, she could easily stick to 2 pomodoro time (50 minutes) of practice.
2, because there is pressure, so the efficiency is high
I don't know if you have this experience:
If there are still 7 days to take the exam, then the last night to stay up late to endorse the most efficient;
If you don't submit your report until 3 days later, you must stay up late on the last night to write PPT - the deadline, the more efficient it is.
Children are the same, a period of learning, if not planned, they will definitely rub the first half, the second half of the death to cling to the Buddha's feet, hanging their heads and struggling, efficiency and state are uncomfortable to watch.
This is because it is difficult for children to feel the passage of time.
The Pomodoro is like a time amplifier, dividing the difficult to perceive the passage of time into small pieces.
Each small piece corresponds to a part of the task, and these small pieces and small pieces can effectively raise the child's attention.
The Yerkes-Dodson law tells us that when a child raises the mark, the level of motivation he wants to accomplish is high and the most efficient.
This corresponding completion of tasks in small chunks of time can remind children, so that they are conscious and focused.
For example, memorizing English words the same way, memorizing them aimlessly, and setting a pomodoro for a child and only memorizing them for 25 minutes, the efficiency is not the same.
3, the accumulated sense of competence, so that children continue to have self-driving power
We all know that a child's self-drive, the courage to try, and the ability to control themselves all come from a sense of competence.
The most important source of competence is that the child has actually done it.
For example, the teacher will leave 2 tracks for my children every week, 30 to 40 minutes of playing time every day, and my daughter will inevitably grind foreign workers.
But after adding Pomodoro, her sense of mission was immediately clear.
The thoughts of deserting, walking around, eating, and drinking water were temporarily pressed down by my daughter.
After 25 minutes of real persistence, my daughter was particularly proud, and she said happily: I persevered, I did it.
This kind of real "doing" is like a very stable step, which can support the child's self-confidence and self-drive.
The boring practice brings the child a sense of meaninglessness, and is defeated by the sense of competence, and the child's interest in practicing the piano will not be consumed by long-term practice.
Use the pomodoro method
What to watch out for?
The pomodoro method seems to be a timed learning method, but it is actually a set of thinking and attention management methods.
Only by conforming to the rhythm, rhythm and nature of the brain can Pomodoro exert its maximum effect.
In the process of using it, pay special attention to these points:
1, When using Pomodoro continuously, be sure to rest on time
There is a saying called "staying hard, longer", if the child uses 2 or more Pomodoros in a row, they should pay special attention to the rest session.
Children's attention itself is very limited, 7 to 10 years old children, attention will be concentrated for about 20 to 30 minutes, 10 to 14 children's attention is concentrated on about 25 to 35 minutes, this time, the stability is not large.
If the child does one thing for a long time without rest, it will affect the rhythm of the brain's absorption of information, making it inefficient.
And be prepared to accept new information in order to solve the problem in the next Pomodoro time. Shortening breaks due to rushing can lead to confusion.
Rest for a few minutes on time, let the child loosen the brain, this purposeful switching, but also to meet the brain's desire to "wander", can keep the child's continuous attention.
2, a Pomodoro clock is disturbed, and this Pomodoro time is invalidated
If the child is in a tomato time, but he can't resist the temptation to run to eat something, drink a sip of water, or desert, this tomato time will be void, rest for 5 minutes, and start the next tomato time again.
This pomodoro law is really of great significance to children, not only for children to focus on learning effectively, but also has great guiding significance for children's lives, it can let children learn to empty in time, at any time refreshing.
Children's daily learning often has such an experience: homework that is expected to be completed in 10 minutes, because of grinding and inattention, is delayed, and is in a hurry to make up for it, but because of guilt and disorder, it will become more chaotic.
The tomato time that is disturbed and disrupted must be recalculated, that is, let the child focus on only one task at a time, only complete one goal, complete the previous one, clear zero in time, and focus on the next time.
If children learn this kind of thinking, whether they are writing homework or doing things, they will actively eliminate the interference of many negative emotions.
Every time you start over, it becomes a new task, leaving the distractions of guilt and uneasiness behind for the time being.
Focus on the present moment every time, such a child will gain a strong self.
3, no need to race against time, remember that the next tomato is smoother
When children first start using Pomodoro, they will inevitably race against time.
To tell children, do not compete with time, Pomodoro is only used to manage our energy, let the child maintain their own rhythm can be.
One tomato time is not going well, to believe that the next one will be fine.
The continuous learning rhythm will make children not exhausted, but also always interested in learning.
As Francisco Cyrillo, the founder of the Tomato Work Act, said:
Happiness does not come from rushing to the next task, but from being able to soberly experience that the work at hand is being completed little by little.
If simple self-discipline is too difficult, and you want your child to gain the ability to manage energy, you may wish to try Pomodoro.
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