I've started a conversation with my math professor about a boy in my main placement whose behavior perplexes me. This boy is in the 5th grade and he does poorly on his math homework. Usually he won't work on it. I've spoken with him (and began my conversation with him in September) about his lack of productivity (not in those words). What I have taken away from our talks is that the math is too easy for him and that he shouldn't have to do it because it is too easy. I also think that he has a reading disability, but now that I'm returning to my main placement, I can't be so sure. The child has an IEP, but I haven't seen it, and I would love to read it to know what services he is being provided or what areas he is being supported in. Math seems an obvious one, yet after each day's mini-lesson, I have never seen him gather his things and go to the learning center to do his work. Another part of my concern is that in September, I had spoken with him about it not being okay to just sit and do no work. I said that if he needed help from me he could silently move himself to my desk during work time and that would be an indication to me that he needed some assistance. It was our way of understanding and communicating. This didn't seem like an unusual thing to tell him because we allow the students to self-move themselves if their neighbors are distracting or if they feel like they will present a distraction to their neighbors. We also allow them to move if they feel like there is a math-buddy (or during another subject, another person whom they work well with) that they can pair with to be productive, but to do their own individual work with. In hindsight, I'm not sure that I needed to offer this student an excuse to move to my desk because I have seen that it has become an excuse for him. He comes INTO class and sits at my desk (not the original intention, and I'm not sure why my Master Teacher (MT) or the IA has not said anything to him. He has, in essence, removed himself from a class learning environment or learning socially with his peers. He has simply decied not to do any of his work. He sits with his back to the teacher during the lesson. Sometimes he swivels so that he sits sideways, his shoulders pointing to the teacher as he looks to the side of the classroom, but not straight ahead. He hunches over his desk, fiddles with his pencil, taps his toes on the carpet, taps his penceil, etc. He is not engaged and NO ONE expects his cooperation or asks him to engage. I can't understand this. I have heard from the IA that some people think that he should be in a pull-out program where he is not learning in the traditional environment because he does not do the work. I don't know if that's necessary, but it brings up the issue of the least restrictive learning environment. I know nothing about his home-life, parent involvement or knowledge about this concern. In the past when I've worked with him in small group settings, he is more willing to engage. We use the white boards to show our work and he participates; occassionally it is hard for him to focus or he may have something to say that suggests he does not want to work or be in the group. One day, he submitted a blank sheet of homework. I told him that it was unacceptable and that if he wanted me to grade it, he'd have to do the work. I told him to come back at lunch time and finish it and if it was a matter of "reading," I could help him. The student returned--on his own accord (often times, students will forget and run out to recess). I was impressed because I had clearly stated my expectations and he followed through and was actually eager to come back, he was in a pleasant mood and wanted me to know that he was in the classroom. He finished his work in a way that made me feel like we had traction.
So, I see that the teachers have stopped responding to the student and he has continued to avoid the task at hand. It has to stop.
Our book Cooperative Discipline talks about an emphasis on competition and says that in the work place or real-life, adults get to choose the arena of competition, which is usually the field in which they work. Students don't have the ability to say "No thank you; I don't wish to compete in math today." i wonder what subject or skill this particular student would like to compete in or would like to excel in? I wonder if it is the way in which math is presented to him (is it really too easy?) or is it more a matter of reading?
The book also says that students have an immediate need that they don't know how to satisfy in appropriate ways. I can't say I know what those needs are for this student. Does he not believe he is smart enough? Is it a lack of support from teachers and friends that makes him feel discouraged? I am curious about the friends he may have, given that he isolates himself and sits alone. That in itself is disturbing to me. I saw him sitting on the rug during a mini-lesson talking with another 5th grade boy, but I don't know the extent of their friendship.
In my next post, I'll address some of the strategies suggested by the book to tackle the students who withdraw.
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