I’m stuck.
What do you do with a kid who just doesn’t care? I mean really, doesn’t care.
And why should he? He comes to school dirty and hungry most of the time. He has little or no one who pays attention to him at home. He solves most of his problems through violence. To my knowledge, has no real role model: no one that he can really talk to....Did I mention he was only in grade seven?
It makes me so mad. All I want to do is help. What can I do to solve this problem because it NEEDS to be solved and I know there is an answer, somewhere.
Suggestions?
Teach him things that he can hopefully relate to, get him engaged in clubs or excited about activities in class. There has got to be someone that motivate him, that he looks up to? Yes-yes of course! Research and FIND THIS OUT! Okay - done!
But wait a minute, will that really change things? At the end of the day, when he goes back home will that help him? There is so much more going on in this kid’s life than what kind of science structure he is going to build or what scone recipe he is going to help bake...
Ugh.
I hate this feeling. I want to say its hopeless. I want to just give up. What’s the point? And of course I can’t do half the things I want to for this student because it would be going over the line, breaking the boundary between teacher and student. Answer me this then, HOW HELL CAN I DO MY JOB IF PARENTS WON’T or DON’T DO THEIRS?
(*big long sigh)
Sorry. It was just a tough afternoon.
Its fine, its fine. I am just venting, being naive and way to idealistic...some situations are harder than others and well, I guess things just happen that way? No matter how good a teacher you are or trying to be?
Just keep swimming Miss Wells, keep doing your job as best as you can because no matter what, (and this little nugget of wisdom was told to me by one of the wisest OISE colleagues I know; thank goodness she is at my school with me;-)
“All it takes is one moment to make a difference in someone’s life.”
And I believe her, I have to.
Its one of the only things that keeps me going right now.
lauren
dear lauren,
ReplyDeleteSo i have nothing constructive to really add to this - only to relate a similar situation.
Which, on second thought, may not even be all that similar. the major difference here, is that I'm up at avenue and lawrence, in a very afluent area - so kids arriving at school dirty and hungry isn't exactly a common issue.
however, one thing I have realized is that even though some parents may be better off than others, even though most basic needs appear to be covered - there can still certainly be a severe lack of support from home.
This particular student is an academic and organizational disaster. He's failed every test, and lost every assignment. He truly appears to not care. My AT has virtually given up, because of his attitue and lack of support from his parents. One afternoon when I had a bit of time, I spent an entire period trying to get him organized. This included a locker clean out, photocopying the entire academic program from Sept, (as he had a single page in his binder) and talking to him about how to use his agenda. For about two days I spent a lot of time with him, and he became a little more responsive and focused. We then hit a few days were I was unable to sit by his side and instruct him minute-by-minute. After this, I checked his binder to find that it consisted of merely a few crumpled pages again.
Without parent support, what do you do with a student who literally requires ALL of your attention to make any progress - - when you have 35 others in the class?
Some situations are just going to be harder than others, and hopefully we'll learn some strategies from more experienced teachers along the way. At this point, we can't expect to have all the answers.