Teachers - How do you teach a daydreaming student who is not a self-starter?

[mgnavadomskis]

My 8-yo son is in second grade. His teachers have been communicating with us for the past month or so that he is inattentive, not staying on task and that he is not a self-starter.

He is not disruptive in any way (besides, possibly, needing some of the teacher's individual attention to get him 'on task'). He is learning - is in the high reading & math groups.

The teachers have been asking me for advice on how to get him to stay on task, to get him to self-start.

In my state of worry & feeling a bit defensive, I haven't asked them, yet, what they are already doing or have already tried, in order to engage him.

There is a teacher/school staff/counselors meeting regarding him next week. After which, I assume, they will come back to me & my husband with some more information, and, hopefully, a plan. I would like to be prepared with some suggestions for them.
So, how do you engage those kids in your class who are just kind of floating through? The ones who need a little more motivation to do the daily tasks & work - to get started on it and to keep on going through until they're done?

Do you have any tricks that usually work?

[jdeekdee]

Hi, I just wanted to inform you that lots of times when kids are like this, the schools want the parents to medicate the child for ADHD.
If they do this and you don't agree with it, print this out and give it to them, it is ILLEGAL for schools to even MENTION meds to parents -

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/thomas

[smm]

i'm not a teacher, but a daydreamer myself. i was lucky enough to go to a great school. my teachers would throw markers at me (it didn't hurt) give me outside tasks to use my creativity (like i would have to write stories on top of the homework they have me), etc. oh, i really hated it, but it really worked. i went to a school with a very good teacher to student ratio though so could have a lot of attention

*edit* your child is likely daydreaming because he's really smart. i would have him tested to see if he belongs in a more challenging class, and i would see what his interests are, so at home i could keep his mind occupied. also, teachers could try reward systems- ie if he does his work and can answer correctly the questions the teacher asks, then they'll be allowed to have time to work on their story/project in class. you really might want to try a magnet or catholic school- i say these two because they're private schools without the high sticker costs, usually. good luck!