Case
The case of the eating paper

In Mrs. Heneley's class, she has a young boy who likes to eat his paper instead of write down whatever is on the board. What are some ways we can keep the student working and focused instead of eating his papers?

Posted on: 10/26/14 | Views: 1062
Solution #1
Top Solution
A very short-term idea would be to have them work on a laptop or dry erase board. Offering the student a snack might be helpful for find something else the student can have in their mouth. This could be an oral fixation issue and the teacher should contact the parent to see if there are similar issues at home or contact a pediatrician to see if something more serious is going on.

This was a good suggestion, I would want to get the parents involved.

That's true; there might be some psychological issues at play here.

I agree, trying to find the cause is important.

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Solution #2
I would use an alternate surface for writing, such as a dry erase board or a laminated paper, and include the use of real paper gradually. I would offer an award, such as a snack of incentive, whenever the paper is returned to me intact.

This is a good suggestion.

Good idea. The dry erase board would eliminate the problem.

I like this solution.

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Solution #3
If the assignment is copied, like a worksheet, the teacher could laminate it or put it in a slip cover. That way the student still has the same work as the other students, and can just use a dry erase marker. The teacher could also try implementing white board work with the whole class more often, that way this student isn't singled out for every paper work assignment.
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Solution #4
A small dry erase board or even an Ipad my suffice. One may be so inclined to call the parents and fins out if the behavior is a problem at home and how they deal with or prevent the behavior at home.

Smart. Talk to the parents to learn more.

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Solution #5
If the child is persistently eating paper, they may have a disorder called Pica. It is also really common among children with autism. An evaluation may be a good idea. A way to get the student to stop eating paper is to use laptops or other technology. Providing a small snack is also a good idea. Talk to the parent to see if they can provide a bag of skittles or some goldfish that their child can have during time he would be eating the paper.
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Solution #6
A small dry erase board or even an Ipad my suffice. One may be so inclined to call the parents and fins out if the behavior is a problem at home and how they deal with or prevent the behavior at home.
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Solution #7
Using laminated papers or dry erase boards are a good suggestion. The student may have some oral fixation issues. It would be a good idea to bring this to the guidance counselor's attention. Additionally, I would get in touch with the occupational therapist at the school and see if they have some type of 'chewy' to put on the end of the student's pencil or on a lanyard for them to use rather than their paper.
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Solution #8
I would try having the student work with a dry erase board or a laptop. If the student had worksheets, make sure they are laminated and the answers are written in dry erase marker or permanent marker. Offering snacks may also help, so he can eat the snack rather than the paper.
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Solution #9
Allow the student to write on his desk. Then, take a picture of his work. Next create an incentive that will be implemented each time he completes his work on paper without eating the paper. Focus on positive behaviors instead of the negative ones. Praise other students in his proximity for writing on their paper so nicely.
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