Argh. Trying to comment on 'effort' for a child with health issues. Advice needed.

[givemeblueskies]

I have a Y2 who was diagnosed with a serious health condition as a toddler. It took a terrible few years for the condition to be stabilised (incl. her Reception year) but as far as I have been made aware, she is now in a very good place health wise. She very rarely leaves school for an appointment, has good attendance and seems a very healthy child. Yesterday she did cartwheels the length of the playground at lunchtime and was telling me all about her new cheerleading class.

She makes literally no effort in anything work-related. She has to be reminded to write her name at the top of a worksheet. Her jotter presentation is frankly shocking. She will just sit and look at you and shrug her shoulders. She is very capable.

Do I use the L-word? How do I go about this?

I would set up a meeting with parents, in the first instance. Start with the health situation, to verify that it is as positive as you perceive it to be, and whether there is any likelihood of deterioration at some point in the future.

Then i would introduce the idea of academic progress / effort - pointing out that of course, the focus has been on her physical health for many years and this has, rightly, been everyone's priority. Now that she is stabilised - presuming that parents say it is - it's time for the balance to move towards her academic work, in which she will understandably have gaps in terms of what has been expected of her.

Then discuss with parents how they feel this could best be approached. Do they think she would respond best to a very gradual increase in the expectations of her, with lots of support in things she may find difficult (you say she is capable, but a total change in what is expected of her and in everyone's focus for her MAY need explicit support)? Or might she respond best to the a more upfront 'challenge' - 'You're better now, and I think you have a really excellent brain, so i think you could be doing some really excellent work.I'm looking forward to putting it up on display - can you show me what you can do?' When you meet parents, it would be good to have some (anonymised) examples of the type of work that you feel she is capable of - ie good examples from others - to compare with her exercise books.

That way, you will hopefully have parents on your side, as you increase the level of challenge / expectation on this child, because you are recognising that this IS a change for her, and why. Going straight for saying 'lazy', or down a punishment route, will I think be counterproductive.

When you say “jotter”, I assume you are in Scotland.

Does she have the Scottish equivalent of an EHCP? If so, what are her targets? Do you have TA/LSAs in your class?

Even if you have a lazy child in your class, you need to plan accordingly, and plan in how you use your LSA.

You can only control your own behaviour, and that is to make your lesson appealing and accessible to this child.

You can’t write off this child.

No one said it would be easy.

I would suggest chunking, until you drill into this child that you mean business.

Crafty, accessible lessons yes, though as the OP is a professional I am sure they are already doing this.
Appealing to the child?, all the time, how?
So for instance in one of my y9 classes i have a reluctant learner who is into farming, so I mould the lessons in that way, energy efficiency of ploughing, energy transfers in wheat production but I also have a kid who is disillusioned and only into make up and beauty. I cannot simultaneously make scenarios that appeal to both, and why should I ?
We all need to do things that are not fascinating to us

Is she lazy? It sounds so pervasive that I wonder if it's more akin to a problem with executive function or some sort of a processing disorder. Might she be overwhelmed by the basics of how to start to focus?