PSLE 2012 - child has no interest to study

[cnimed]

Ljas1370:

I think he is street smart but not study smart. He is very good in hand-on skill. Things that are of interest to him he will go all the way to find more information.

This is a very positive trait. Should encourage it.

Habits aside, from what you've described, I can think of 2 possibilities - 1/) through bad habits and disinterest, he has accumulated a backlog of material to master and feels discouraged.
2) he doesn't see the point of endless drilling and repetitions for materials that do not seem immediately relevant.

If 2) I'm not surprised. I felt the same way in school at tertiary level. My son feels the same way. My interest in studying was rekindled only in university when studying was self-paced and research-based.

What I would do at this point is to draw the relevance of the materials he is learning. If he is passionate in cars, look into how maths and science are relevant to the invention and design of cars. Inform him of jobs like engineers, car designers etc, and help him understand the steps required towards these jobs.

He will also need to understand that no education system is perfect. I explain to my son that our education system emphasize skill (facts?) mastery at the elementary level, even if it is boring, it is still a bridge to more interesting work at tertiary level when the system will transit to a more independent and research-based mode of learning which will suit him. I tell him he needs to sustain himself so that he can go to a good school that will have the necessary teachers and equipment for him to explore his passions at a later age.

So I do agree that it is not true that boys don't care about their future. But they may need a concrete vision and an actual roadmap. They can't just accept the words - you have to think about your future - it is too vague to them. They won't care about starving, but they do care about their interests.

Once he understands this (or you see it sinking in), tell him you can help him. Sit down, go through the materials at hand, and draw up a revision plan with short-term and mid-term goals. Focus on areas of weakness, and strengthen exam taking skills and time management skills. All these will help him in the long run, beyond PSLE.

(oh ya, and parents gotta make up for any lack of self-discipline/willpower. I do nag a lot even if I hate it, LOL)

[Mdm Koh]

Yes, agree. The future is faraway for a 12-year-old child...


I, too, think that students need to be constantly reminded that studying will benefit them in concrete ways. They may be unmotivated as they feel that they are studying only because their parents or teachers told them to do so. For these students, you may hear them complaining that they don't want to study, and it's their parents or teachers who are trying to \"make\" them study. You may also hear them saying that they dislike the school subjects and they're only taking the exams \"for my parents\".

Helping the students to connect the studying with their own interests (and not those of their parents or teachers) will help them to be more motivated. For example, for languages, you can tell them that it's important to learn them, so that they can communicate with their friends. If they don't want to study for their PSLE, tell them that if they don't do as well as their good friends, they will not be able to go to the same secondary school.

Hope this helps.

[ALgebra]

Ljas1370:

Dear all parent,


I've a big headache. My elder son doesn't like to study. Everyday come back from school watch TV. Although, we have punished him for watching TV and even restricted him from watching, you just can't be bother. Still continue to watch. He did very badly for his SA 1 this year and I'm so worry for his PSLE next year. His average T-score was less than 150. I'm ready worry for him but he just can't be bother. Even though myself and hubby had tried to explain to him the importance of education and responsbility etc. But his attitude is like left in right out. Even when I sit together with him to help him to revise his work, for e.g. chinese, I explain to him the meaning and prounication, but the next day when I ask him back, he forgot everything liao. I'm very furious as time is lacking and he is not absorbing. Just like yesterday, I told him to revise his science as SA 2 is coming. In the end, he did revise 2 topics of the science BUT within 15 mins and is like watching the TV and studying at the same time. My maid told me that. When I tested on the topics that he revised in the afternoon, he couldn't answer me. I was so angry :stupid: Please advise me what I should do. I'm really at a loss. Thank so much.

He needs someone to compete with.

[Herbie]

i think some boys are just the bochap type so hv to sit down with them and get them to do work and ive them some form of ‘carrot’.

[Herbie]

i think some boys are just the bochap type so hv to sit down with them and get them to do work and ive them some form of ‘carrot’.

[HAPPIEZ]

phankao : i agree with you. it is difficult to control them from P4 onwards. nowadays kids start to get rebellious at very young age.


my P5 boy is the same… everyday TV & computer. can complete homework within 30 min time… never study for exams… i juz wonder how much he will score for his PSLE next year… very worrying.

despite going thru’ adam khoo’s superkid camp twice, his attitude on his studies still does not improve…

[phankao]

HAPPIEZ:

phankao : i agree with you. it is difficult to control them from P4 onwards. nowadays kids start to get rebellious at very young age.


my P5 boy is the same... everyday TV & computer. can complete homework within 30 min time... never study for exams... i juz wonder how much he will score for his PSLE next year... very worrying.

despite going thru' adam khoo's superkid camp twice, his attitude on his studies still does not improve......

I was so happy when he invited a friend to come home with him during the few weeks before PSLE. Bc with friend around, he so \"kwai\". Both eat their lunch, then quickly sit down to do homework - those \"Top school papers\" that were assigned. Then by late afternoon when they were done, both played X-box. haha - ok to me bc they were so good at finishing their school assignments, unlike when he's alone at home himself.

[mummy so kiasu]

I think Ljas 1370 should lock the TV in the master bedroom. No TV or computer until his results improve. The parents have to spend at least an hour every night to coach him. Some kids need to be push. Try to send him to a motivation camp during the coming school holidays. The situation will get worse if he gets into normal stream. Better do something about it before it is too late. Don’t just wait.

[HAPPIEZ]

I was so happy when he invited a friend to come home with him during the few weeks before PSLE. Bc with friend around, he so "kwai". Both eat their lunch, then quickly sit down to do homework - those "Top school papers" that were assigned. Then by late afternoon when they were done, both played X-box. haha - ok to me bc they were so good at finishing their school assignments, unlike when he’s alone at home himself.[/quote]


yeah… we have to lower down our expectation, else, we will die of depression… anyway, as long as they don’t do bad things like get into bad company, i’m ok that they are average student… overall, we only have childhood once in a life time… and there is no u turn in life…

[mikoandjared]

Why not you have a heart to heart talk with him? The holidays are coming and there is still time to\" talk some sense\" into your boy. Maybe you & son can do target-setting and a termly revision schedule on what topics he shuld cover each week etc.


Review the schedule each term and see how he progresses. The thing about unmotivated kids is that they can't *See* or visualise where they are in the near future so coming up with a feasible plan & realistic mini-goals (how many marks for tests, CA,SA,prelims should he score...) can help. I agree that a 'carrot' helps, give him a reward if he works to achieve those mini-goals.

Tv is a major distraction though, i totally understand where you're coming from, my daughter used to be a real couch potato,she can watch everything from Cable to Tamil movie but I stand firm & gradually cut down on her tv watching. She's also doing psle next yr..



n

ALgebra:

Ljas1370:

Dear all parent,

I've a big headache. My elder son doesn't like to study. Everyday come back from school watch TV. Although, we have punished him for watching TV and even restricted him from watching, you just can't be bother. Still continue to watch. He did very badly for his SA 1 this year and I'm so worry for his PSLE next year. His average T-score was less than 150. I'm ready worry for him but he just can't be bother. Even though myself and hubby had tried to explain to him the importance of education and responsbility etc. But his attitude is like left in right out. Even when I sit together with him to help him to revise his work, for e.g. chinese, I explain to him the meaning and prounication, but the next day when I ask him back, he forgot everything liao. I'm very furious as time is lacking and he is not absorbing. Just like yesterday, I told him to revise his science as SA 2 is coming. In the end, he did revise 2 topics of the science BUT within 15 mins and is like watching the TV and studying at the same time. My maid told me that. When I tested on the topics that he revised in the afternoon, he couldn't answer me. I was so angry :stupid: Please advise me what I should do. I'm really at a loss. Thank so much.

He needs someone to compete with.