My 11 Years Old Son Is Not Completing His Homeworks and He Is Bored in Class

Updated on February 09, 2010
D.P. asks from Jamaica, NY
4 answers

I just received another doubt letter from my son school this year( this will make the 3th year in roll ) that he might not move on the the next grade which would be 6th grade. This have been a pattern since the second grade where I would received such letter yet my son Jason will again proof us wrong and passed to the next grade. I have always been involve with my son teachers where I demand solutions instead of dilemma to Jason concerns. However, I am really concern since I can't find the light to motivate him to do better in school. The bigger issues Jason has is not completing all his homeworks therefore he been staying late to school on fridays to have detention for missing homeworks( he usually missed 2 or3 or 4 per week.His school have this rule that if you miss 2 or more homeworks, you get detention). This have been going on since September that Jason has missed 2 or more homeworks and get detention. I have spoke to him so many times and he keep on said that the homeworks he has sometimes are too long and he doesnt want to spend too much time on it; or he did not feel like doing it, rather use the computer and of course he claimed that he bored in class therefore dayream. His teacher claimed that he able to do the work, yet he is distracted at times and not focused. I did taken him to a specialist who didnot find anything wrong with Jason except that he expect to be rewards immediately. In addition, Jason has a very creative side , he is very good at designed things in the cumputer, he like to built different things. When I ground him fromthe computer and TV since he lied to me about his teacher sending me notes about his incomplete homeworks, Jason was able to find something in his room to built and keep him occupied. I am so concern since this is his last year before junior high school

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So What Happened?

Thank you.
I have a meeting with Jason teacher tomorrow and the guidance counselor. I was thinking of changing the teacher but Jason got upset of my plan and said he didnot want the change. Let me add that I have an older son that Jason look yp to him other brother and also see that he older brother doesnot do his work in the traditional way ( meaning that my older son rarely study howeverhe maintaininga A average in all his classes while attending the 10th grade at St. Francis Prep. high school. a welll prestigious & competitious H.S.). I have given rewards(money)to his older brother to assist with his works yet Jason expect his brother to doing for him yet Jason doesnot showed all his works. In additon, I work late afternoon to evening however, I am very involve to anywork that due

More Answers

J.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Sounds like my 12 year old son :) My son can't remember formulas for math class but can tell you stats for basketball, baseball and football players/games too. Its crazy! It got so bad we had to change schools. I am my sons greatest advicate and I had to do what I thought was best for him and his little brother. By no means am I saying change schools. That's one of the decisions I made as a parent because my son was being labeled as lazy child. Now he is at OLP and he is doing better. Still struggling in Math class but goes to 7am math tutoring.

So my advise is be consistent. loving but firm. Oh, and your not alone!!!!Sometimes we tend to blame ourselves dont do that! :)

Keep up the good work

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P.M.

answers from Portland on

I always feel a little sad when I hear about kids who are expected to fit into one-size-fits-all classrooms and assignments. I was a bright kid but I really believed I was stupid. I almost flunked 3rd grade.

My school tested me (I don't know why, but I'm so glad they did) and enrolled me in a special summer school for gifted children. I got to stretch a bit to learn new and exciting and creative stuff. Study was suddenly not boring, and I did what little homework there was with great excitement. This opportunity also dramatically reinforced my inclination to follow my own interests at home, and taking my education into my own hands. I was enrolled in the more advanced classes at my school, and that helped, though I still hated homework and did as little as possible.

It sounds to me like your son has interests and talents that don't fit into the "box" that school tends to be. It's a tough situation for you as a working mother. Ask the guidance counselor if the school can ease off on homework requirements, and maybe even allow Jason to do some Independent Study for credit, as long as he gets passing grades and stays out of trouble.

It is a shame that not doing homework could bring his grades down if he already knows the concepts and the homework is only repetitive busywork for him, because that will both bore him and get him judged as "uncooperative" or "lazy" or "a troublemaker." Once kids get branded with those judgements, they tend to live up to them.

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A.C.

answers from New York on

Hi, see if you can find some extracurricular activities like a tech camp that will match his interests. You need to advocate for your child constantly. It's a sad state of affairs that homeowork is worth so much. I hated homeowrk and found it boring myself. Tell him that he has to be true to himself and find what he likes to do and see if the school can help you, maybe he can go into a gifted class or a more technical track. Good luck!

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L.H.

answers from New York on

I think that it's a stage, because my son's 11 and tried that too with the homework. He is extremely creative and artsy. We did wind up having our son tested. It turned out he is gifted. According to the test, he was 2 grades ahead, so they skipped him 1 grade. Now he's in 7th grade and it seems to be a perfect fit both academically and socially. Much more friends now and happier. We are in the process of teaching him how to study and get organized, since his religion grade just dipped a little. (We like to catch things early.) You might want to check on your son's organization skills. Another thing is to remind him that his brother will be graduating way ahead of him, so he has to get used to doing his own work....It's also good practice for college. You will need to keep tabs on it as much as you can. Ask the teacher if there is a way, such as a website, to check and see what homework your son has so you know if he completes it or not. Many kids view homework as busy work instead of practice. You also need to inform him that school can be very boring, but he has to pay attention so he doesn't miss anything. It really doesn't matter if he doesn't like the work or the teacher, we all have to go through school and the only way to get through it as quickly as possible is to get good grades, which includes doing homework so it doesn't bring your grade down. Make sure your son has a small pocket sided, spiral bound, note pad to write assignments in. Journals are too big and combersome for the artsy. (Trust me on this one....I'm artsy too....A daily journal didn't work for me or my son....We had to have a small note pad.) Have a school wall calendar for school only, which you mark down tests color coded by subject and projects.

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