Q&A with Veteran Homeschooling Mothers: Part 9
/As a teacher, it can be so disheartening, even aggravating, to have a student who simply doesn't want to work. At one time or another, we have all been there! Anita gives us several great pointers to help us discover the root of the problem, motivate the bored student, and help change negative attitudes.
How did you handle the distracted child who has an, “I don’t want to do schoolwork” attitude?"
"It helps to understand what the child's learning style is. Is he visual, auditory, or does he like to work with his hands? While we can't cater to this style in every lesson, we can look for curriculum choices that would best suit the student. Avoid busy work, and make each lesson count. Remember the goal is to educate the child, not to complete the curriculum.
For a disinterested student, schedule his least favorite subjects first, and let him finish with his favorite or least difficult. This minimizes the sense of dread. Consider giving 'recess' breaks between subjects to give the young student something to look forward to throughout the day. It also helps to have a stopping point in the day. If the child knows that 3:00 will bring free time, he might be willing to work until then. On the other hand, if he has given in to distraction and has not finished his assignments, he may need to either work past 3, or return to school work after dinner, but a stopping point gives him something to work towards.
Of course, not wanting to do school at all is an attitude issue; consider teaching him what the Word says about an obedient child who honors his parents, as well as the contrast in Proverbs between a wise and foolish son. Sometimes these lessons are far more important than the academic lessons, so we need to be willing to sacrifice one for the other because our time is limited."
In case you've missed past Q&A's, click below to hear from the other veteran homeschool mothers:
Q&A with Veteran Homeschool Mothers: Part 1
Q&A with Veteran Homeschool Mothers: Part 2
Q&A with Veteran Homeschool Mothers: Part 3
Q&A with Veteran Homeschool Mothers: Part 4
Q&A with Veteran Homeschool Mothers: Part 5
Q&A with Veteran Homeschool Mothers: Part 6
Anita is in her 21st year of home-educating in Texas! She has schooled four children through high school graduation, and hopes to home school her 5th child five more years to complete high school as well. Anita is excited to be a part of this blog series!