Do any teachers have any suggestions for what to do for the child that just doesn't care?

As many of you know, I am a 5th grade teacher... Most of my kids are pretty good, but I have one that I am at a complete loss with...

Everything is negative. He doesn't want to do anything. Parents are all talk... They say they want to help, but never follow through. We have a behavior plan with him, and he just doesn't care. I ask him to do somthing, he rolls his eyes. I know he likes to draw, so I give some assignments to show knowledge through drawing, but he doesn't even do those. I take away recess, but then make a big deal when he does a good job with something. Nothing works. I try to give him extra help when he doesn't understand, but he just turns his head and doesn't listen.

I really don't know what to do anymore. He's a constant disruption in my class, for me, and for the other students. The special ed teacher he works with for his behaviors doesn't know what to do with him either.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Re: Do any teachers have any suggestions for what to do for the child that just doesn't care?

What kind of behavior plan do you have with him? It might just not be something that motivates him.
Also, do you have a school psychologist he can speak to?
I know it's frustrating, but keep trying. I worked in a high school for kids with that exact problem, so I know how tough it can be. Just don't give up because you are probably making a difference and he's just not able to show that.

Re: Do any teachers have any suggestions for what to do for the child that just doesn't care?

The plan is that he has a goal each day... and he's supposed to build on top of those goals (follow 1 step directions... ask for help when needed, be organized for class, etc.)

For each subject, I fill in yes or no to say if he's met his goal, at the end of the day he gets "money" for each yes, and at the end of the week he spends his money on something (a toy, candy, etc).

This was something the ED teacher came up with (he used to be labled ED, but he isn't anymore, although he still has behavior goals).

We have a guidence counselor, maybe I'll have him talk to him.

It's really tough because nothing seems to motivate him. He's actually a really bright kid, knows all sorts of stuff, but just won't do any work at all.

ETA: Thanks!

Message edited 11/6/2005 10:36:28 AM.

Re: Do any teachers have any suggestions for what to do for the child that just doesn't care?

Just from two things you've said, I'll add my two cents. You mentioned that he is bright and seems bored. That could be your answer right there. He's bright and bored. Those two things make for an unhappy kid. There is a possibility he just isn't challenged enough and therefore, nothing motivates him. If that truly is the case, there are things you can do. You may be teaching things he already knows. Before you begin a new unit, give him a pretest. Tell him that if he gets an 85 or higher on his pretest, he can do independent studies. ie: you're teaching social studies and the new unit is the judicial system. Give him the test you would normally give at the end of the unit at the start. If he does well, then he can have projects that better demonstrate his knowledge. For instance, he must create a game that explains the workings of the judicial system. Or he must create a case that his classmates need to solve, such as a mock trial. He may know the stuff and if that is the case, what is the point of re-learning it may be the thought in his head.

If he truly is a bright kid with no motivation, you may want to pick up a book called Challenging Gifted Students in the REgular Classroom. It is an orange book. Gives lots of ideas and tips on how to help these kids.

Then again, he may have bigger issues. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have the guidance counselor talk to him either.

Re: Do any teachers have any suggestions for what to do for the child that just doesn't care?

Thanks for the suggestions...

He is not gifted though. He knows things that he's interested in only. For example, he does not know how to multiply, but he refuses to do worksheets or listen when I try to help him. When we do grammar on the overhead, he won't correct his sentences.

If he doesn't know something, and he's not interested in it, he just becomes difficult and refuses to do it. Thing is, he needs to know these things for the state tests at the end of the year.

We were reading Matilda and I had the kids come up with special powers that they would want to have - he always would talk about fantasy type things/loves to read fantasy but didn't do the homework

Basically he wants to do whatever he wants to do when he wants to do it.

Other times, when I ask him what he knows about a certain subject he tells me he doesn't know anything, but he won't do anything to learn about it. Or, he'll tell me what he knows, and then I'll try to build on that, but he's not interested in learning more.

What I guess I should have said, is he's not working up to his potential. He has the potential to do well, but won't do any work. He doesn't want to build upon things he does know, and he doesn't want to learn things he doesn't know.

He's just difficult!

Re: Do any teachers have any suggestions for what to do for the child that just doesn't care?

I had a child (kindergarten) who was the same way. He LOVED football, so we made a football chart, and everyday that went well (or whatever you deem appropriate) his football would move 10 yards....he LOVED it.


also, kindergarten again, with another child like this, i used smiley faces. I know this sounds really simple but he LOVED it. it would be sent home everyday, unpacking, packing cleaning up snack, and he would get a smiley face or an unsmiley(?) face.

Good luck....just try to find something that REALLY interests him!