How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

I'm teaching 3rd grade this year for the first time. I'm also in a Title I school for the first time. My class is mostly Hispanic, some African-American.

There's a boy in my class who came to our school from a different school this year. He came equipped with a major attitude and he has some big-time walls up. Every morning he walks down the hall toward the classroom with what I affectionately call, "The Look" on his face. Picture what a p*ssed-off pout might look like.

This boy walks into my class every single day and does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. He in my door at 7:19, and we start math at 7:45. During that time, the morning work is to wash your hands, sharpen your pencils, copy your homework and do morning work (usually one math problem or a handwriting page). And every single day, by the time we start math, he's just sitting there. SOMETIMES, if I'm lucky, he'll have written the first line of his homework. But sometimes he sits there, and when I ask why his work isn't done, "I don't have any pencils", said with the biggest attitude you can imagine from an 8 year-old. Yet he knows that if he doesn't have pencils, all he needs to do in the morning is ask me for some.

There is no attention paid to any of the lessons. During reading, he tries to sleep. During math, he zones out, and when I try to pull him to the side for extra help and to be supportive, he looks the other way and doesn't want to even try.

I went snooping in his desk today and found that he has nothing, and I mean NOTHING, written in any of his notebooks. We are in our 5th week of school.

I am totally at a loss. I'm working w/ the school counselor, but I don't know what to do. I've tried breaking down those walls through conversation, joking around...doesn't work.

So...how would YOU handle a student like this? I am not a big fan of incentive charts, especially in a school where the kids don't have much at home...because I don't want the other kids to see that by acting up, you get an incentive chart, and then by being good again, you get "stuff".

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

I had a kid like this a few years ago. Granted, he was a 9th grader. So please take this advice knowing that. I ignored him. I said hello, goodbye. No more than what was necessary.

I DID plan special activities. We did m&m graphs, the kids got to make their own math posters in class, we played a game on the overhead. I would always ask, "Tashan, should I give you the (insert materials here) or are you not participating today." And that was it. I didn't push it.

It took less than 2 weeks. He ended up being one of my best students. I think he just wanted to join on his own terms. I was observed by the principal in that class. She knew him. She was stunned by the level that he participated in my class. He saw that the others were having fun and I guess he just decided it was better to join them than to beat me.

Good luck.

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

Maybe do an incentive plan for the whole class..if he sees the students who already behave and try doing their work getting a little something maybe that will light the fire under is behind.

Also, maybe try getting in touch with his former teacher, a lot of these types of kids come with stories you could not even imagine, maybe that would sheld some light on things.

If all else fails become regular at happy hour if you aren't already...

Good Luck!

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

I can imagine this situation completely, and I feel for you!! Do you have any access to his past records? Test scores? I honestly would not be surprised if he was functioning academically on a very low level. It's possible he finds the work too hard for him so instead of doing it and showing you and his classmates his weaknesses, he avoids doing it at all! Maybe in his mind, he's thinking it's better to get attention for being "bad" than to get attention for being slower than his peers. At that age, being bad is way "cooler" than being behind !! This is just my opinion. I hope you are able to help him! I wonder how much attention he gets at home.

Good luck!

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

Have you called home yet? I certainly would if you already haven't.

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

I had a situation like this. I teach 4th grade and what I did was get admin involved. We had a meeting with the guidence counselor, parents, admin and me. We set up a plan, parents said they were on board and I wrote on a behavior chart every day what he did or didn't do.

Well needless to say after about a week the parents stopped signing the behavior chart and really couldn't care less. So I left it up to the child, if he participated great, if he slept I let him, if he did nothing then thats what he did. I constantly praise and reward the good behavio, never give an incentive to my behavior kids. After about two weeks he got tired of being ignored, never getting anything, etc and decided to join in the class.

Good luck

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

good luck

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

Posted by Moehick

Well needless to say after about a week the parents stopped signing the behavior chart and really couldn't care less. So I left it up to the child, if he participated great, if he slept I let him, if he did nothing then thats what he did. I constantly praise and reward the good behavio, never give an incentive to my behavior kids. After about two weeks he got tired of being ignored, never getting anything, etc and decided to join in the class.

Good luck

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

Good luck! I hope what I said helped!

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

Posted by MrsRivera

Posted by Moehick

Well needless to say after about a week the parents stopped signing the behavior chart and really couldn't care less. So I left it up to the child, if he participated great, if he slept I let him, if he did nothing then thats what he did. I constantly praise and reward the good behavio, never give an incentive to my behavior kids. After about two weeks he got tired of being ignored, never getting anything, etc and decided to join in the class.

Good luck

ITA that students shouldn't be rewarded for doing what they are EXPECTED to do. I fear, though, that he will NOT get tired of being ignored. It's been 5 weeks, and he has done jack s*it. Doesn't seem to care, either.

Re: How would you deal w/ a student like this? LONG

I had a student like this. The first thing I did was call home. But I'm pretty sure the root of the problem was AT home. I just got "I'll talk to him." I also spoke to my supervisor, the school psychologist, his other teachers (this was middle school), and his guidance counselor.

Evenetually, the only thing I could do was just ignore him. Eventually he got himself thrown out of the school anyway.

It seems like there's an underlying issue, maybe at home? Has he been tested? Is it possible he just doesn't understand the work, so he pretends to sleep? I would see if you could have a meeting with you, the psychologist, the parents, etc (everyone involved- even the student).