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Primary education

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Bright child refusing to do work in school

6 replies

DeckTheIceWithDragonsAndHolly · 26/11/2010 11:28

Ds is very bright, self motivating and obsessive wrt learning generally. Always has been. But this year we have a problem. he isnt doing the work. This is frustrating both me and his teachers. I know he can do the work, his teachers know he can do the work. But there is virtually nothing in the book. His teacher is having to keep him behind at break to get anything written down. And in her words "its not because he cant do it, because the minute the other students have left the room, he does the work very quickly".

I am concerned because his writing skills are typically boyish and not that great. But because he is refusing to do the handwriting practise it is nearly impossible for him to improve. Is there anything thing that can be done to improve the situation? Any thing that i can work with the teachers on. I have already told him that it doesnt matter if i know what he can do or his teachers know what he can do, because the person who lets him do the harder and more exciting work can only see what he can do from his book. And his book says he cant do very much.

Stupid thing is that he loves writing about space stuff at home and as long as it is space orientated you can get tons and tons done. its not neat or that neat writing wise but it is writing. Is this just a case of bright child being bored and stubborn or it this bright child who is a perfectionist who refuses to do something they find difficult? Or yonug maturity refusing to focus?

He is a yr1 in and yr1/yr2 split class. But volutarily completes the yr 2 weekly homework. mostly without help, and any help he gets is in focusing/instructional - eg comprehension exercise = reminders that he nneds to use the text and not his life experience to answer the questions.

Any ideas anyone?
TIA

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FreudianFoxSquishedByAPouffe · 26/11/2010 11:32

If he's being kept in a lot at break, is there a chance he's doing it to be kept in on purpose? If he's having trouble with friends maybe?

DeckTheIceWithDragonsAndHolly · 26/11/2010 11:40

Not that the teachers can see. And he gets upset because he cant find his friends at break - basically i think because they are in another class, finish their work and are off down the field by the time he comes out the class room.

i wondered if it was the noise as he is sound sensitive, but the teachers have tried keeping the noise level right down and that doesnt make any difference. And he was doing his writing practice yesterday in front of the tv no problems.

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crazygracieuk · 26/11/2010 11:42

I would wonder if there was another reason why he wasn't doing it.

I would ask him about who he's sitting with and about the playground because my initial guesses would be that one of those could be a reason why he isn't doing the work.

Is he concerned about his handwriting?

bigTillyMint · 26/11/2010 11:51

I think it might help to have a chat with the SENCO about the way he thinks and works. Then hopefully he or she can suggest how the teacher could work more effectively with him.

DeckTheIceWithDragonsAndHolly · 26/11/2010 12:01

Not sure. yes when it means he fails his spellings because the teacher cant read it. Generally doesnt seem to care. However, he refused to draw for years because he couldnt get it to look perfect so underlying perfectionism issue that he is keeping quiet about would not be surprising.

BigTillyMint - that might be an idea. the teacher claims there is a lot to keep him busy, I think that basically he is encouraged to do the year two work when it is felt he can do the year 1 stuff. But I suspect there might be a case for boredom, he has a very quick mind.

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DeckTheIceWithDragonsAndHolly · 26/11/2010 12:01

Could it be a disparity of ability and mind. In that he is getting frustrated that he cant get down what his mind wants him to and as fast as his mind is working?

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