Advice on 15 Year Old Son and School Work.

Is he in an American school?
Is it possible to speak with the teacher(s) about your problem to get some reinforcement and ideas from them?
Does he keep a journal of assignments? If not, that can help a lot .. then both of you (because he is supposed to responsible for his own work at this point .... but we all seem to forget that teenagers go through stages of "head in the clouds..")can check the journal and make sure the work is in a "homework" folder so that it is just a "grab" to turn in.

Is it possible that he is not satisfied with the work that he is doing and does not want to turn it in? Sometimes we can be perfectionists to a fault. Something to think about and perhaps discuss. If this is the case, and his homework is not in English ... and you are not fluent enought to check the work ... then you may have to seek help in the form of a tutor or "homework buddy".

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K.,

I wish I could help you on this! I too have a son who is 15 and we are going through the same thing. Mine was spending to much time on the computer and video game systems. So they are off during the week and only are on the weekends now until his grades go up.

I can't wait to hear some of the advice that others give too.

Where in Hungry are you? We have some friends that are going to be stationed somewhere in Hungry in July'ish.

K.

I have a 16 year old who is similar. She sometimes does the work, sometimes turns it in. The teachers give out monthly progress reports via email and when there are 0's it really effects the overall grade. Having the report so the child can see what it does to the grade is a good tool for getting them to see the consequences. We have taken away social priveledges, taken away computer time which is also a social thing, and implemented mandatory homework time after school in view of me (because I am home usually) so I can monitor. (otherwise she would just be in her room with the door shut and who knows what she was really doing)
Reminding her to put everything in her backpack has helped, but ultimately the child just has to GET IT at some point. The removal of social things has been somewhat helpful because that is something I think most high school age kids desire. I am also in contact with all her teachers weekly at least to keep up to date on her progress.
She has an agenda book in which to record assignments, exams, projects, etc. This is good, as long as they remeber to use it, which I remind all my kids to do often.

reward for good grades has been successful some also. Five dollars for an A, 3 for a B, we don't reward anythign lower. Money can be a good motivator when they see that it can help them become more able to do things with friends.
we live in Stuttgart, Germany so our kids are at DoDDS schools. I find a lot of parent interaction is necessary because the system overseas hasn't been wonderful in our experience.
try to be patient, pray, and don't get too down on yourself when your kids don't do so well inschool. I am guilty of beating myself up over their lack of success, but have learned that it isn't the parents fault most of the time. We do our best!! The fact that you are reaching out for help is good in and of itself!

I understand what you are going through. Ask him what does he want to do when he grows up. Let him know he can't do that practical thing if his grades are not goood right now because colleges and other people look at those grades for anything he may think he wants to do. I have to e-mail one of my daughter teachers to check on her grades and homework every week to see what she is doing and not doing and ask her about the homework. Take the sports and hang out with friends from him and let him know that he will not be able to do these things until his grades go up and homework makes it to the teachers.

I, too, am going through this same problem. It has come to light that Yes, he is doing the work BUT it is not complete, that is why it doesn't get turned in. In front of me, homework is getting started, but in the middle of it all, the complicated parts are skipped and never gone back to, which makes it incomplete and something that he is not proud of to turn in. Instead of asking for help, he just rather not deal with it. I've told him to stay after school for the tutoring rather than going to basketball...OH BOY, have I seen a change. The work is getting completed and turned in. I guess it shows that basketball is a must in his life. See what your 15 year old "loves" doing and let him know that school is a priority and if he doesn't get that embedded in his mind then the fun stuff stops until the priority is taken care of. That's whats working in my house..... I have 2 teenagers and even though I say things clearly, they understand it totally different...Teenagers have their own language....theres times where I see a watt shortage between the input and output. urrghh! good luck

Is he doing the work? If so have a folder he puts it in and automatical put it back in his back pack. When I was that age I just kept it in the book once I finished it.

This is pretty common for the age. I work around High Schoolers and I tell parents who have this problem to stay in contact with the teachers on a regular basis. Email is great. Most teachers will get right back to you about what assignments are due and when.

Another good idea is to get your student a 3 ring binder and section it off by class. Every night prior to letting him have his free time or going to bed, check his binder to be sure that he has all of his completed homework in it. Prior to him leaving in the morning, ask to see his binder before he can walk out the door. Soon, this will become a habit and you wont have the problem you have now.