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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Is it the teacher's job to ensure your child enjoys school?

82 replies

TheFlyingOnion · 23/09/2011 16:46

If a very undermotivated pupil hates school, is it up to me to make him like it?

Presuming the work is interesting, informative, relevant and correctly differentiated, is it my problem? What else can I do?

OP posts:

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AuntieMonica · 23/09/2011 16:48

you might want to make a little bit of an effort to find out what makes the child tick, if that's what you mean?

i hope you don't mean to take the 'pearls to swine' attitude?

PrettyCandles · 23/09/2011 16:50

Could there be other reasons for the lack of motivation?

Social issues? Lack of self-confidence -> lack of self-belief, no point making any effort.

Trippler · 23/09/2011 16:50

Go and talk to the teacher? Don't leave it like this.

Or, if you're the teacher, call the parents in and have a chat?

Maisiethemorningsidecat · 23/09/2011 16:54

I think you could try and find out why he is behaving like that, and perhaps involve others eg pupil support. Most happy, well adjusted children will perform well at school imo - it's the ones who have other problems in their lives who tend to switch off.

That being said, you cant make anyone do anything they don't want to do.

purpleturtletoise · 23/09/2011 16:55

I am getting the impression that you are a teacher dealing with parents who you do not feel are as involved as they could be?

I think we would all agree that the most effective education occurs where teacher(s) and parent(s) can work together in the child's best interests.

Original poster

TheFlyingOnion · 23/09/2011 17:03

I'm the teacher, sorry I didn't make that clear

The parent has been in, swears there's nothing at home and is looking to me to "cure" the problem.

I am trying different types of work but haven't found the key yet to unlock his latent (I hope) enthusiasm.

The parent is actually mega over-involved, but cannot see any external reason for the lack of motivation, hence the expectation that I can "do something". I suspect he may be reacting against the tonne of extra work he is made to do at home and in the holidays....

OP posts:

Trippler · 23/09/2011 17:08

Can you involve an outside agency like an educational psychologist?

Could the problem be that you and the pupil don't click? It happens. It's kind of the elephant in the room with teachers. Not accusing, just asking.

Original poster

TheFlyingOnion · 23/09/2011 17:11

possibly we don't click, but I knew him from last year and he seemed ok then. Just seems to have completely gone off the idea of school.

He does a lot of extra work at home and apparently "loves" numeracy and requests to do sums in his spare time (!). I have yet to see any such thing in school. He is also apparently reading 2 stages higher ORT at home than at school.

Could he be kicking against home pressure to succeed?

Don't have access to the usual stuff like educational psychologist, and parent would probably freak out if I suggested it...

OP posts:

Original poster

TheFlyingOnion · 23/09/2011 17:12

oh he has also been saying he's "stupid", which he certainly doesn't hear from me or from home...

OP posts:

Maisiethemorningsidecat · 23/09/2011 17:13

If he's got a very 'enthusiastic' parent it could very well explain the kick-back, esp. if he's got worked piled on him in the holidays and at home . Some kids just aren't academically inclined, and that's OK. Is he disruptive in class?
What about a reward system? Although you probably have that in place already...

AuntieMonica · 23/09/2011 17:13

I would resist making any assumption at all really, asking a bunch of strangers on the 'net about a 3rd party is a bit, well, off.

I'd be furious if I thought my DCs teacher was doing this...

I know you haven't given out any identifying details but really, is there no-one in school you can get more professional guidance from?

purpleturtletoise · 23/09/2011 17:14

I think your instincts could well be right. But I have no idea how you convey to the parent that they perhaps need to back off a bit.

Maisiethemorningsidecat · 23/09/2011 17:16

I'd be delighted if a teacher cared enough about my child and their performance to give up her free time and go online to ask for constructive advice.

GooseyLoosey · 23/09/2011 17:17

I think he may hear something at home. I have been known to lack patience with my children when they just can't get something and at times I think my frustration may have been apparent. Whilst I have never called them stupid or anything like it, they will know that I think they can't do something they should be able to. I try very hard not to do this, but it would not surprise me at all to discover that other parents suffer from the same problem and shilst not calling their children stupid, may well leave them feeling it.

I would suggest talking to his parents about the possibility of not doing any work at all at home other than reading and homework just to see if it improves his attitude at school. The line to use with the parents may be that if he loves numeracy so much and cant get his fix at home, it may make him all the more eager at school.

Original poster

TheFlyingOnion · 23/09/2011 17:18

New reward system starting Monday - tick for each piece of work finished, reward at end of week...

I was asking more experienced teachers than I for some advice as to how to "unlock" an unmotivated child's enthusiasm for school. Can't see what's wrong in that... certainly not trying to make "assumptions"

Happy to ask for the thread to be deleted if its inappropriate....

OP posts:

usualsuspect · 23/09/2011 17:18

Bit off to post on the internet about a child in your class

Original poster

TheFlyingOnion · 23/09/2011 17:20

Good idea Goosey. I'll maybe hold that in reserve if the new rewards don't work

"if he loves numeracy so much and cant get his fix at home, it may make him all the more eager at school." - definitely saving that for later....

OP posts:

SwearyMary · 23/09/2011 17:21

I think you need to find other ways to gain support. Posting things like this is never a good idea. I hope to fuck you aren't a teacher at my local school

Original poster

TheFlyingOnion · 23/09/2011 17:22

ok well, thanks for the advice Goosey, I'll definitely try that one.

Reporting now....

OP posts:

coccyx · 23/09/2011 17:26

I think its fine to ask on here. Its annonymous.

Maisiethemorningsidecat · 23/09/2011 17:27

I really hope you've got some constructive advice on here, and that you manage to resolve this problem - it's great that you are concerned enough to give up your time to post. I'm really surprised at one or two of the reactions, but then MN never ceases to amaze me

Original poster

TheFlyingOnion · 23/09/2011 17:29

Thanks Coccyx and Maisie, but was the parent ever by chance to look on here, and to recognise their child, I would be mortified so I have reported it.

I'll begin again on Monday with plan c... plan d and e are now up my sleeve for later, so its not been a total waste of time

OP posts:

weevilswobble · 23/09/2011 17:31

Everyone saying its off is talking nonsense. Shes not identified herself or the pupil. She just wants some thoughts from us (know alls) ffs.
This poor kid has been instilled with a hatred of work because he has those pain in the arse impossible to please type parents, who don't know how to have fun out of school. Home is for living, having fun, enjoying fulfilling loving approving relationships. His parents are to blame. Suggest to his parents(having had a discussion with your headteacher about what your thinking) he is overloaded with work and its proving counter productive, and that he should do no more than the homework set at school. Extra stuff is making him show signs of depression imo. He has parents where its never good enough so why bother.
Grrrr hate pushy parents.

Maisiethemorningsidecat · 23/09/2011 17:35

Good luck - I hope you find a way to motivate your pupil, I'm sure you will as you sound like a very caring teacher

AuntieMonica · 23/09/2011 17:35

But weevils, that's exactly what i mean!

we're all reacting to what the OP suspects is the problem, you've got his parents down as PITA making his life a misery and the kid as on the verve of depression

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