As I sit here on a Friday (late) afternoon...
I'm getting ready to go home and just reflecting on the past few days. I was working with a student this afternoon on doing some quiz corrections so he can do a retake. It took us 30 minutes to do two problems. We were working on volume and surface area, but this student still did not know the formulas for triangles, rectangles, and circles, so everything was taking a long time. Now this is the type of student who I would describe, for lack of a better word, as lazy. During class, it's like pulling teeth trying to get this kid to do work.
Now we all have them. There's always that student who just wants to sit there and "take it all in." Aka doodle, daydream, anything really to avoid working on what should actually be done. I feel like I've pulled out all the tricks in the bag I know - "kill him with kindness", talk to his parents, work with his support teacher, work with him one on one after school, give him lists of missing assignments... all to no avail. Has anyone found something ... anything... that works for kids who just don't have the work ethic?
I have not found anything to help students that are checked out! Some things that I have tried are to ask the student what they are interested in. I then try to connect that to our class. I have also tried a reward system with one student. He was always checked out. I found out he liked skateboarding, and I offered to write him a letter of recommendation to a skateboarding company to help him get sponsored if he got his grades up....still nothing! Another student I've had a conversation with about what his dream job would be. He said he wants to play NCAA basketball. Then I asked him what his worst job would be and he said a cashier at Walmart. When he is off task, I ask him what his behavior is moving him closer towards: NCAA or cashier. However, I feel like students do not understand the idea of working towards something like a career. I am always at a lost how to motivate students even with using engagement strategies. I think with these students maybe something more is going on at home that is just going to prevent them from finding school to be a priority.
ReplyDeleteMaybe his support teacher, the student and yourself could come up with a reward system to use. The student needs to buy into the system too or its a mute point. Many of my students are motivated by food, so I use that for an extrinsic reward. However, with many this goes in ebbs and flows of success. I think the most frustrating students are the ones with low motivation. We are all here to teach and want the students to be successful, but those types of students stand in their own way. As teachers, there is nothing more frustrating than wanting to help, but the student not willing to accept the help. The 4th quarter, for all students but especially ones on my caseload, tends to be very difficult. They slide even further and we try and try just but just receive resistance. Unfortunately at some point it is their choice to fail. I just know for myself, however frustrating, I just have to keep trying new things so at least I know I tried everything I knew to help the student be successful. I also try to remember for many of these students, this behavior is often a symptom of their disability or of something going on beyond academics and not a personal statement against you (some days this can be hard to remember). When all doesn't work though, then I find an outlet for my frustration outside of school:)
ReplyDeleteI have found that to get myself frustrated over this type of student does no good. It depends on what kind of a relationship I have created with this student. I may just do as Gina says and check in with other teachers--and sometimes I just try and create a relationship about something not school related--find what interests them. And I know sometimes there are kids that really seem to have absolutely no interests--so I just try and joke with them. Anyway, if I keep a sense of humor and try to engage them by joking a little, it goes a long way further than keeping a really stone demeanor!
ReplyDeleteI too am finding students wanting to check out. I can't afford for them to do so as we have a concert four days before school gets out! I don't have time to not be working! BUT I have found that starting right away with my lesson and then giving little breaks seems to help kids stay motivated. Now some of my students just choose to sit and do nothing all the time. I engage them in conversation, and I make it known to them that I notice their lack of attention, but it doesn't always work. I try and have a variety of activities and always try and make them laugh whether it's at something silly I said or something funny I do. I also use break videos that I have found on Pinterest to re-engage students! Kids love technology so I try and use some form of technology other than a smartboard file every class period!
ReplyDeleteI think the key is that you just have to keep trying...even if it's small things each day. They might never work, but you are constantly trying, constantly showing the student that you are not giving up. And if the end result is still failure...the student still walked away knowing someone didn't give up on him...even if he gave up on himself.
ReplyDeleteI think that all of the good ideas have been said, but I think it's worth repeating that it's important to not get too bogged down by students that are so apathetic. I have definitely talked with other teachers about students to see if they can talk to the student, and sometimes that helps.
ReplyDeleteI think that relationships are probably the most important change factor. I have had a student who all year has been apathetic, unmotivated, and disruptive. We finally got the student set up with a behavior contract with a teacher the student connects with and it's working. It's frustrating because it took all year and in the end the student had to choose to make the change, but if we're persistent sometimes it works.