How can i get my schoolwork done?

Question

im homeschooled (sorta). i do all my work online and then send it in to my teachers who grade it. but i have ADD (im not on any medication, my parents cant afford it) so its really hard for me to stay focused. i tend to go off to "la la land" (thats what my mom calls it) or i get distracted by something else and i just get up and leave the computer. its becoming a real problem. last year i only passed one class so this year im in 9th/10th grade. i have to re-do the 3 classes that i failed last year as well as all my classes for this year. any suggestions on how i can stay focused and get all my schoolwork done?

Answer 1

I homeschool. I don't know if I have ADD or anything, but when I'm doing school I have a really hard time focusing on one task at a time. While i'm reading a lesson I start thinking about other things. I'm still reading the words in a small part of my brain, but most of my mind is thinking about other things and then I don't retain what I read in the textbook. It happens when I'm writing or taking exams as well. And then there are times where I just can't sit still. I'll get up because I just can't take it anymore, and find myself not returning to my desk for ages, preoccupied with something that caught my interest while I was up.

Something I've done that helps is to read out loud. The act of reading out loud, maybe to a pet or something, helps to keep my mind busy. I'm reading the words AND hearing the words as I say them, and it keeps me from drifting off into other thoughts.

When I am doing an assignment or a project or a paper and I start to lose focus, I'll drop it no matter where I am and work on a different subject. If I can't get focused on math, I'll switch for about 15-20 minutes to English or History, then go back to math after a little time passes.

It also helps to not keep all my school books in one place. I don't know if this would work for you since you do cyber school, but if you use textbooks keep one or two in your room, one on the coffee table, one on the kitchen counter, one on the desk, etc. That way when you get up and walk away from what you're doing you'll see your other books and it will be a gentle reminder to maybe sit down and work in one. For me it also helps because I'm not in the same place all day. I do History on the porch, Science at the kitchen table, English in my room, Math in the livingroom, etc. the change of scenery helps satisfy the wandering mind i think.

Having things to play with while I work also helps. I tie a few pieces of yarn to the end of my pen, or keep a piece of silly putty near the computer so that while I'm reading a question, or a lesson, or thinking of what to write I have something for my hands to manipulate. Itkeeps the wandering bit of my mind occupied while I think and process information. It may sound like it would be distracting, but it actually helps keep me from finding distractions that will take me away from my work.

I hope this helps. I know it's long, but hopefully there's an idea you can use in there.

Answer 2

Get some more omega 3 in your diet. This can be by eating fish, taking fish oil tablets or including flax oil into your diet. It tastes foul so you'll need to hide it in something that tastes better. A lot of ADD is vitamin deficiency. If you can fix that, it might clear up some of your problems.

How to stay focused? Well, that's an issue we struggle with for our whole lives! Where you can, study subjects that actually interest you. English is a better subject if you like the books you are reading. Maths is tolerable if you are using it in practical ways, like cooking or building. I personally don't think it is possible to dislike history, but if you do, study a different period or place. My Australian history classes at school have put me off for life, or so I thought. I loved the Australian classics my mum bought me in grade 6 and read them over and over. (For the Term of his Natural Life, and Robbery Under Arms, if you care to try them.) I got right into modern history where I thought I was more interested in the Ancients. I even asked one of my professors to run one of his African history classes for me. He hadn't run it for years so had to fill out a whole lot of paperwork, but he ran it because someone had bothered to ask. If you don't like your essay topics, think up different ones and check them with your teachers. They probably care less what you are writing about and more about how well you write it. Or they should. I wrote an essay on fashionable diseases once. I worked on it for a whole month and really enjoyed it! Who'd have thought study could be enjoyable?

Answer 3

do several things at once

it works for me:)

Answer 4

Yeah you could get off yahoo answers... it's rather distracting... You're mom could block all non school related sites.

You're parents can take you to a public health clinic and get you on medication for the ADD, not to mention I think it's almost sort of abuse in a way. They aren't giving you the proper education. You can successfully be home schooled, but the fact you are ADD and failing your classes is sorta abuse. You are their responsibility, they should be ensuring you have what it takes to succeed. If you were in a public school a teacher would have noticed this by now and I'm sure you would be a priority.

Answer 5

get off the internet or go to regular school

Answer 6

This is what I use to do, but it will take a lot longer. Do your work in 15 minute intervals and then take a 5 minute break or if your starting to lose focus, do something else for 5 minutes.

but you have to make sure you start doing your work again