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How to motivate an unmotivated student


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Without knowing more details, I would:

 

Talk to the student about future goals. Show student what options he will have if he does the bare minimum and does not apply himself.

Model learning. Show student how cool it is to know stuff.

Involve student in curriculum decisions. Did wonders for my minimalist DS.

Expose student to motivated and ambitious young people. Some need to see role models, peers who are accomplishing much more, and may be motivated by that. Can backfire for certain students.)

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There are lots of variables as to why a student is unmotivated. Until that reason is deduced, it can be difficult to effect change. I think the previous posters have identified quite a few ways to help an unmotivated student. But in the end, there are kids of high school that just are unmotivated. And only life experiences change some of them. I can honestly say that my boys were unmotivated until they moved into a situation that allowed competition. That was our co-op for some and concurrent enrollment for others. And nothing lit their fire like not getting one of the high scores. That was something that I could not accomplish at home. I tried all the "involving them in their education" stuff, but it went nowhere. It is interesting to hear the stories they tell one another now that they are all finished with home schooling (youngest are concurrent students). They talk about how easy it was to get a good grade in co-op, how they would write a paper before class and get an A, etc. I think they exaggerate a bit, but it is obvious that they were not being challenged and they didn't see a down side to sliding by. The downside came when they had competition and they wanted to be the best and discovered that they were not.

 

I think the teen years are just harder on some than on others. Hormones can be wicked things for some. I was talking to a psychologist friend once about teen boys and he made the statement, "teen boys have no idea *what* they feel". And that's really been our reality. I can talk and talk, question and question, and still get a dumb look and an "I don't know". Thankfully they have outgrown that. Sometimes it just takes pushing and prodding to get them through it.

 

One feature that I've identified that probably led to my boys just sliding by was my own personality - I'm not a great disciplinarian of others and I would forget if I gave ultimatums, punished, or grounded the boys - and they took advantage of that. The boys didn't seem to care if I gave them a poor grade - I couldn't figure out how to motivate them to do better work. They were great kids - pleasant and obedient and fun. Competition is what worked for them.

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There are lots of variables as to why a student is unmotivated. Until that reason is deduced, it can be difficult to effect change... previous posters have identified quite a few ways to help an unmotivated student. But in the end, there are kids of high school that just are unmotivated. And only life experiences change some of them... my boys were unmotivated until they moved into a situation that allowed competition. ...

 

:iagree: TOTALLY AGREE!

 

We did all of the things Regentrude suggested, but it really did not trigger any motivation in our DSs. Hope others have more success in implementing those things...

 

Both DSs were very honest with me -- throughout our 12 years of homeschooling, they never gave a hoot about school and academics. They did say they were more willing to do homeschool than go to a school. But it was always just "checking off a box" for them. Only occasionally was there any joy of learning (when they stumbled on a fine arts field they were *temporarily* personally interested in), or when we read/discussed books they were interested in.

 

What actually motivated our DSs wasn't competition (from above quote from previous poster), but falling into extracurricular activities THEY cared about, and wanted to work hard for someone ELSE. Fortunately, those were good activities -- sports, Youth & Government, Worldview Academy, and church Youth Group.

 

Honestly, if you can outsource some things, your DS may be more motivated -- at least, our DSs worked a lot harder for sports coach or the teacher of the dual enrollment class. Also, as our DSs got older, (i.e. 17, 18, 19yo) they seemed to care a bit more. But, alas, that was about the time they are doing grade 12 and graduating...

 

 

 

 

I think the teen years are just harder on some than on others... "teen boys have no idea *what* they feel"... I can talk and talk, question and question, and still get a dumb look and an "I don't know".

 

:iagree: Again, TOTALLY AGREE!

 

At least that's been our experience here! Not sure there's a "work-around" for this one...

 

 

 

Alas, not at all what you're probably hoping to hear... BEST of luck in finding something that personally motivates your DS, and in perhaps finding a motivating outside influence. Warmest regards, Lori D.

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One other thought, as you go about your enrichment activities, whether that's a colleague over for dinner or a museum, ask the men for their experiences. Probably the most interesting I've heard was a sailor on the USS Constitution app 8 years ago...that fella, unprompted saw a lot of teen boys who weren't paying much attention to the tour, and added in his story. He had lived for sports in high school, won many awards,but barely graduated with a 2.0. Enlisted with his buddies, but was so behind in academics he didn't have a chance at any technical type of jobs. Luckily stationed in Boston, he has easy access to the education he wasn't able to get from his rural Tennessee high school; he is conscious of the time it is taking and the opportunities he is missing out on to improve his income.

 

 

I love this idea!

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I don't think you can do much to motivate someone. However, you *can* require more than the bare minimum. So, for example, you can require A level output--meaning that it's not done until it meets your high standards. If you do this long enough, the student will begin to see themselves as a good student and once maturity kicks in, they can take over in the motivation department. I did this with my older son for years, and I'm only now seeing it begin to pay off.

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I haven't really read through this thread closely. Probably because I don't want to know where I went wrong! LOL! But my middle son is just barely squeaking through high school. This is the last semester and it is PAINFUL. He was my most compliant student and best reader when he was little but somewhere around the age 13 he lost himself and we are stilling looking at 17 years and 9 mos. His older two siblings were so on fire and purposeful and he's just lost. I kept waiting for him to come out of the tunnel. His oldest sister went through that in 8th and 9th grades and came out on fire. His older brother did likewise, but this guy just never took off. He has no interest in school whatsoever. He did really well on his SATs. He is smart. He just has no motivation whatsoever in thing academic. He declares he hates, hates, hates writing and doesn't want to go on to college because of it. I have to say though I am glad I never got punitive with him. We have a warm relationship. He is a good guy. He just truly doesn't have a clue about what he wants. He is just going to take longer to work all that out. But you know, so what? I told him I didn't want him living in the basement playing video games when he's thirty, but I am willing to give him a couple more years to figure out what he wants to do with his life. The plan now is that he'll take a couple courses at the CC (whatever he thinks might interest him) and find a job somewhere. Possibly do some regular volunteer work. I think he's planning on hanging out at the local Catholic youth group at a nearby college. He'll know some kids who go there. Now if we can just get him graduated. I can't wait! LOL! (I'm laughing through my tears.)

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