How to motivate a child in class?

[PBandJSandwiches]

I have a very able ds, but he is losing focus In class.

The teaher has expressed concern that he is not working to his ability. She often gives him a second go at assessments, for example, but he still will not consistently work at his abiliry level. He will produce fanrastic work when he wants to, but neither she, nor I, can work out his motivations or 'currency'. Having to redo the work In golden time, for example, does not phase him.

We are both a little frustrated. We think he has gotten used to coasting and dies not now realise he needs to up his game.

Any Ideas?

To add, he often does not finish work, even though he Is well able to do it.

Apols for phone typos.

Bump :)

How old is he? Have you tried giving him practical puzzles? Measuring the distance to the moon using a broom handle and some string, or using weights and pulleys to tip sweets out of a tube? Maybe what he's being asked to do currently just doesn't interest him that much.

Watching with interest - same issue with my DS (Yr 1)

learnandsay practical puzzles at home are all well and good, but doesn't get my son to knuckle down in school and do what he is capable of!

Families - it is dispairing, isn't it!

Learnandsay - we do loads of practical experiment stuff at hime as he loves science. Same as families ds tho in that it doesnt translate to the classroom.

Another watching with interest,my dd is y1 and does not like and is not used to having to try,she is also very able,but does not perform to her ability at school,so i empathise too.

Shears - it Is just so frustrating, Yes?

Yes, Y2 DS, often has to sit next to the teacher to produce good work. Often dreams or disrupts others. Gets frustrated quickly if he doesn't get something straight away.

Concentrates fantastically when he wants to and produces great stuff. At the same time I sometimes feel that the only way he will achieve is if I teach him one-to-one.

Really frustrating pbandj
I keep banging on to dd about how trying hard is so important and she does try really hard when something interests her,unfortunatley most of the school based learning does not interest her,i think she is probably intrinsically motivated.
giftedkids.about.com/od/glossary/g/intrinsic.htm

giftedkids.about.com/od/nurturinggiftsandtalents/tp/motivate.htm

I'm afraid these Y1 children have a lot of 'school-based' learning ahead of them, so however gifted they are, they need to get motivated somehow.

An intrinsically motivated child should be motivated about everything, because they want to succeed. They will want to do their best in everything, because they set their own standards (in line with the teacher's). It is easy to spot a child with 'drive' and intrinsic motivation, because they ALWAYS give their best without expecting a reward.

That's not the way i understood it mumblesmum
I understood it that a child who is intrinsically motivated has to have a geniune interest in the task rather than working to please others or for reward,perhaps i'm interpreting it wrongly and my dd's standards are in no way in line with the teachers

as well as banging on about how important it is to try, you have to demonstrate that you're pleased when a child does try hard, even (and maybe more importantly) when they get it wrong. It's really important for kids to realise that mistakes are how they learn. Some children, and I'm not saying this is the case for any of the children mentioned here, learn from an early age that intelligence and ability are valued, (i think the gifted label is a poisoned chalice) and that not having to try too hard makes them special. this gives them the message that they're not so special if they do have to try, so they avoid it if they think they'll look less smart if they get it wrong.
I know all this in theory and am trying to put it into practice, easier said than done!

'Intrinsic motivation is defined as the doing of an activity for its inherent satisfaction rather than for some separable consequence. When intrinsically motivated, a person is moved to act for the fun or challenge entailed rather than because of external products, pressures or reward.'

Some children are driven. They are only happy when they try their best, regardless of ability. They are the children who don't need sticker charts, because they've got their own personal ones inside their heads.

i think you're both saying the same thing about intrinsic motivation, but note, mumblesmum, that they are doing it 'for the fun or challenge entailed'. As a teacher, i can't claim that every task i ask all my pupils to do is fun or challenging. So while there are undoubtedly some children who will try at everything, there are also some who will pick and choose, even if they are intrinsically motivated.

also agree that they've a lot of school-based learning ahead of them, so they need to get on with it.

I think 'fun' or 'challenging' is the point of intrinsic motivation (or maybe these children just have a positive outlook on life!).

I have a couple of littl'uns in my class who see everything as fun and make things a challenge (they find out more to share with the class, they bring books from home, they talk to parents even if no homework has been given). That, to me is 'intrinsic motivation'.

i wish i had more like that in my classes! they do sound exceptional. I think most children are intrinsically motivated in some areas, but if they're to try in other tasks, they'll need some extrinsic rewards! OP's son is intrinsically motivated when it comes to practical learning, for example, but maybe not so much in written work. Quite common in boys of that age, as far as I know.

always praise effort
back off on the 'ability'
model energy and curiosity, keep an open mind
that's my view anyway

They're not really exceptional - just fun to have around because they're always so interested in what we're doing!

I also think paired learning/partner talk has done wonders for raising motivation in children.

what blackcoffee said

thanks ddd I'm still a trainee (albeit with passionate convictions) - that's good to hear
Ime so far this approach has paid off

OP - my DS is now in Y6, and the only thing which has ever got him to work to his full potential is his teacher this year who has refused to accept anything less.

If he's not doing his best she tells him to redo it ( telling him what's wrong with it). If he comes back again with half hearted work - she rips it up and tells him to do it properly.

It's been very effective :)

Basically, I think his teacher needs to stop telling your DS he's done well and instead tell him he could do better.

The culture in this country is very much to praise and praise kids. So therefore the kids believe they're brilliant. If they're always getting praised for their work, why should they work harder?

So his teacher needs to tell him his works not acceptable.

Mumblesmum dd now 9 is just like the two children you mention and always has been. I sometimes feel a bit sorry for her teachers tbh as she is forever taking in a book, an object or some information that she has researched to share with them based on what she has been learning about at school. I have only been told she is delightful but I wonder sometimes if it's through gritted teeth as I know she can be exhausting.Is it a positive would you say?

Very frustrating PB! we've tried praising everything / nothing / only when lots if work put in / when does absolutely best / bribes... I'm not sure my DS is actually "gifted", more very bright. I think maybe he's used to cruising because he can do stuff without really trying, but as school work gets harder - and others catch up - he won't be able to for much longer. He definitely doesn't have that internal motivation thing except for the Nintendo DS but needs to get it somehow...

He is a bit of a perfectionist, so we wondered whether he was reluctant to do some things in case it wasn't brilliant. But not sure that excuses the day dreaming!

insanity - No! I think it's lovely when a child is actually showing interest outside the classroom. I do feel guilty at times though, when I don't allow enough time to show or discuss what they've brought in! Children like this are also very motivating for the others in the class, especially the competitive ones!

I agree with indigo about the over-praising of children. We do something called 'close the gap' marking once a week on our children's writing. All the good points are highlighted (generally against the objective), and then children are given a part of the writing to improve (to 'close the gap' between their work and perfection!).