"I'm not happy"

[TrekBikeWife]

says my student when I ask him what's making it hard for him to complete his work. Heck, I'd be doing jumping jacks if he'd GET HIS NAME ON HIS PAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This child does not do any work in fact is right now, after a little pep talk we just had, sitting and doing NOTHING! Then I get a scowl when I ask him how far he's gotten!

I will give more details about interventions done, etc. but I'm very interested to hear thoughts on unmotivated students and where the responsibility begins to belong to the child to complete what they need to complete.

 

[TrekBikeWife]

more info

Alright - have a little more time to detail what he's doing and what I'm doing to help/assist him in getting the work done.

He's a first grader, a young one, his K teacher wasn't sure if she should send him to 1st but with the progress he'd made decided to go ahead and promote him to 1st. B-day is September 10, cutoff date in our state is September 30. Low coming in, but has made good progress academically with reading sight words, CVC words, and his writing.

So, here's what I've tried and I'm about at the end of my rope.

1. Leveled expectations. i.e. morning question - I'm jumping for joy if I get a simple 3 word sentence from my low ones. If they're working their tails off and that's what we can get I'm a happy teacher.

2. Pairing him with a nice, kind child who can help read words and retell directions if I'm not right there to do it.

3. Sticker for any attempt to complete work independently.

4. Talking with his mom.

5. Friendly reminders that it is work time and if he chooses not to do it during the time allowed for the work, he comes in at recess to complete. (I hate doing that - I really think kids need their recess but thought witholding this favorite time of the day would be a motivator for him. WRONG!)

6. Sending the extra work home as homework. Still not a motivator.

7. Talking with principal who set up an extra reward/ticket system. No dice.

8. Pulling him in before school since he's in the latch key program. Uh, uh. Not working.

9. Missing specials to complete. I don't like that one either -same reason as recess plus, that's my planning time.

10. The para sits with him and provides support. Not fair to others who also would like adult support.

Any other ideas??? How much do I have to stand on my head to get this kid to do his work?

 

[BizTeach]

What does he like? It sounds like you've done plenty of external rewards/punshiments and that's not working. What about working from the inside out?

 

[Kimmie]

unmotivated

Do you have a student review team you can meet with to discuss his problems? There is a 2nd grader in my school who was just sent back to my class because of being so unmotivated. He brought work from the 2nd grade class to complete in my room. I had the student last year. I made a big deal about him "Having" to be sent back to the first grade classroom to work. Have you done anything like this? I didn't see this in your list. I have also sat and had a chat with students in 1st grade and told them with their parent present that if work isn't completed, they will be in first grade again the next year. Is there ISS where he can be sent for not working? I am getting the idea mom isn't helping with the problem. You could try a "Big Fat Red F" on a couple of his papers and make a big deal about grades.
It sounds like he wasn't ready to go to first. Is he immature? Can he complete work? Have you tried timers, or sending him to another class to complete work? I'll keep trying to come up with other suggestions. What worked last year?

 

[Tounces]

unmotivated

How about using a timer on his desk along with the reduced amount expected. I'm thinking maybe he likes the negative attention you and others give him by asking him about his work. Tell him this much work needs to be done when this timer goes off. Then take his work when the timer goes off without saying a word or giving him any eye contact. Just collect it with the rest of the papers. Some kids are so needy they'll do anything to get attention. Then at a different time of day make a point to say something nice to him, nothing about his work.

 

[Eydie]

Just not ready

Sometimes these younger kiddos are just not ready to meet the expectations. First grade is such a huge transition from Kinder. When I have tried every other tactic, which it sounds like you have, I simply start writing on their papers how much time I gave them to work on it and grade it accordingly. I feel part of working on level is completing the work independently in a reasonable amount of time. Unless they are 504 and or have an IEP for accomadations that require more than a reasonable amount of time I don't give them much extra unless I see they are really putting out their full effort to finish. I also hate for a child to miss specials or recess. I know this sounds tough but I would rather the child spend an extra year with the basics of first grade then coddle them and then they struggle though another year just too end up repeating second grade.

 

[bertie]

I agree

...with "just not ready"..... he seems to just not be developmentally or tempermentally ready for the structure and demands of grade one. I'd make it clear to his parents that, at this point in the year, with the lack of independent work skills, that you now consider this to be a two year program for him. Remove his work at the same time as the rest of the class and let him go on to the other activities, marking it as to how far he got in class time. It's not his fault, no use getting upset - it seems he just is not ready to do this. It is to his advantage that he's in a full day program and is getting the stimulation and attention and exposure to print all day, but he is going to be in Grade One next year.

 

[TrekBikeWife]

the not ready part

Yeah, we actually talked with his mom before school began as well as his K teacher about that. We did some baseline stuff - letters, sounds, developmental writing - and he really performed about mid-K level at that point. We talked to the principal and she was willing to do what was best for him.

After talking to his K teacher about how he was one of those kids right out of the Ruby Payne poverty book and once he formed a relationship with his teacher, he would just do fantastic we brought him to 1st in my room. He was able to get into Title I and she sees the same things I do re: unmotivated but fortunately only has 4 or 5 kids in a group and can spend some time with him.

I don't know how I feel about retention. Recent stuff I've read says they do fine, even better the first few months but the gains go away and sometimes even the kids regress. Poor kiddo.

I am going to see if the counselor will see him. His mom's one of those no-nonense kind of ladies and she makes him do the work I send home but honestly I don't know how she does it. It's all his handwriting and not all perfect so I don't think she tells him what to write.

I think I'll try reducing the negative attention, too. Offer him the same assistance I offer the other kids, tell the para that too, and what he gets done is what he gets done. His work will speak for itself and I'll have lots of documentation if retention does come into play.

Thanks everyone!

 

[TrekBikeWife]

he likes -

video games. In another conversation about school we had and what's going on to make him sad he said "It's not fun." No! Some of it isn't fun! But what I can make fun, I do! Life is not a video game! He said he'd rather be at home playing X-box.

 

[M.]

Re

Could he be depressed? This is just a thought from me, but you would have a better idea since you seem on a daily basis. Could you talk to the school counselor about him to see what he/she thinks?

 

[bamateach]

I understand!

He sounds just like a little one that I had 8 years ago in 1st. Same thing all the way around. Young, would do nothing, hated school, video games, lazy, etc.... One day I made him finish his work at free play and when I told him to do the work he said no I'd rather just stand at the fence (that's what they did when they were in trouble) NOT you will do the work. When I spoke with the mom about his unmotivation and inability to stay focused (not hyper at all - just daydreamer) Her exact words were I don't know why you have a problem keeping him focused he can play his nintendo for hours without losing attention! Well there you go! I really think that the overuse of these video games numbs the brain or something. I have a child this year who is the same way and when I talked with his mom she said if he doesn't do his work let me know. I will take away his x box. he plays it for four hours a night. That would really get him! Feeling your pain!