Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Bright Child Only Does the Minimum Schoolwork | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
I have a ten-year-old son who is very bright but does the minimum when it comes to schoolwork. We have tried three different schools (two private, one public with a gifted program) and so I'm sure the problem is not stimulation or interest. He just doesn't want to work. He has a high IQ and always scores in the "9" stanine on the IOWA test. Yet he does the minimum when it comes to work. He is polite and does not give the teachers any trouble, but he won't work to his full potential unless I really force the issue. How can we motivate him to do his best? Thank you for your time.— Gochenour in Gainesville, Florida | | | ANSWER |
July 24, 2002 | | | Dear Distressed Mom,
The motivation to work hard at school comes from different places for different children. One child is highly competitive with his siblings: He works hard to prove that he is the smartest and therefore (in his mind) the most worthy of his parents' love and approval. Another child is fascinated by a particular topic, at which he works hard, but is content to just get by in other areas. Another child works hard because there is the expectation in his family that all the children work hard; not to get straight A's would be a cause for shame. Often, children only decide to work hard at the point in their school careers when they realize that good grades are the key to college admissions. That is, they buckle down when they perceive real-world consequences to their actions.
There are also many different reasons why a highly capable child might not work up to his potential. A child may simply be more interested in things other than schoolwork--for example playing the guitar, acting, or socializing with friends. Or a child might be afraid that working hard and getting excellent grades will brand him as a nerd, with dire social consequences. For many (perhaps most) elementary and middle school children, acceptance by peers is much more important than the approval of teachers and parents. If the peer culture labels outstanding students as "eggheads" or "dweebs," there are few children who, given the choice, will choose top grades at the expense of social downgrading.
Without knowing your son personally, I can't say which of these, or perhaps other factors, is at work. Even when you have a good understanding of the causes, you may not be able to change your son into a highly self-motivated student (although he might well decide at some point that he wants to excel). But in this case, you may still be able to negotiate with him to define a minimum standard that you and he both find acceptable (a B average, for example), and then set up incentives (possibly privileges) that will motivate him to meet that standard.
Finally, there are many very bright children who have unrecognized learning difficulties or disabilities. They don't achieve up to their potential, but it is not for want of trying. If your son protests that he really is trying hard, you might consider this possibility. A thorough learning assessment by a behavioral pediatrician or learning specialist can sometimes uncover this problem and suggest helpful strategies.
— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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