Lazy 10yr old ds....is he always going to be that way?

[Kerryblue]

I have a ds in year 6. Up to Xmas, he appeared to try hard at school and do his homework without (much) fuss, and to the best of his ability.

But since then, he lacks focus and his homework is now done in about 5 minutes. To be fair, they get the same homework every single week - writing 10 sentences which include each of their 10 spellings - which must be very dull. He is also doing Level 6 maths and he has started to get homework on a Wednesday, to be handed in on Friday, for that. This seems to have been a shock to his system, any more than the bare minimum that is!!

He is good at maths, hates english and writing, and would much rather be outside playing football, on his ipod (which we have now limited his use of) or annoying his sister. I, and his teacher, know he can do well. He picks things up quickly and just seems to 'get' things. However, right now he seems to be coasting and showing little motivation to do well.

We have had lots of chats about working hard, doing the best he can and also threatening not to give him a mobile phone for this 11th birthday in May, if we and his teacher do not see an improvement in his attitude by then.

Anyone else have the same problem with their Year 6's? I think there is something about him and his classmates being 'top dog' at school at the moment as well. Obsessed with lynx , girls , and going to the park and hanging around and being cool !!!

I worry that this attitude will continue at secondary school and we will be having constant battles for the next 7 years!! Or does going back to the bottom of the pile in Yr 7 help do you reckon? Or new, inspiring teachers, will give him a new motivation to learn.

It sounds like a case of 'big fish, little pond'. That's my medical diagnosis :) It's a classic thing in year 6- the children are suddenly the big kids, and they swan around like they own the joint.

Come September, he will be a very little fish in a very big pond, and it'll be a big dent to his ego and confidence. That can be both a blessing and a curse...

Also, with SATs around the corner, many schools are starting to push push push. Some children respond well to pressure, and some opt out.

We do sentences for spellings too- it is quite dull, but school policy. You could extend him by making him use more than one of his words (or all) in each sentence, or else by making it into a quiz or similar.