NWR; for teachers

I know there are a bunch of teachers on here...so thought I would ask.

FH's son is beginning to make me crazy. He is in 3rd grade...in a 15:1:1 class...and at the moment being given work that is probably at a 1st grade level. He can totally do the work...he is just lazy and doesnt try. Every night we spend 4 hours on homework that should take less than hr...b/c he just rushes through it and we have to redo each ditto 4-5 times.

How do you recommend dealing with this? I take away tv and video games all the time. Is punishing even an effective way to handle a kid that just doesnt give a crap : )

I'm a special education teacher for 3rd grade so I deal with a lot about what you are speaking of. Is he in a 15:1:1 or a 12:1:1? I've never heard of a 15:1:1 so that's why I was asking. For a child to be in such a small class as that, they are having a lot of trouble with school work and they are very very behind to the point where they wouldn't be able to keep up in a general ed. classroom. The point of a smaller class like he's in is to bring the school work down 2 grade levels. 3rd grade is also a HUGE jump in academics for kids. They are required to know so much more than 2nd grade. Some concepts we have to teach are ridiculous and so difficult but they have to learn it.

As for the issue with his homework, I don't think he's necessarily being lazy, but I also don't know him. A lot of kids who are in special ed tend to rush through things and not check their work. It's very common so the teacher should be working on this in class and you reinforce it at home. It could also be frustrating for him right now. Maybe he's not understanding the work in class. Because everything that is sent home for homework should have been covered or taught by the teacher that day in class. Maybe talk to his teacher about this. You could also try a reward system with him instead of taking away things (like tv or video games) and that might work better. Ask the teacher what she does in school for rewards (sometimes its as simple as a sticker chart for good behavior/getting your work done...just an example). You could do something like that with him so when he gets his homework done neatly and correctly he can have a small reward.

Also, sit down with him the first time he does the homework assignment each night and go over the whole page with him. Directions and all. Do the first problem with him, to show him how to do it and have him follow along. Then ask him to show you how he does the second problem. Once you see if he can do it, tell him he has to try the rest of the questions on his own.

HTH. Let me know if you have more questions or you need any clarification. Sorry this was sooo long!

Thanks. This is helpful. What the school told me is that 12:1:1 is more of a life skills clas...and that the 15:1:1 class would be teaching him 3rd grade level work but at a slower pace with less kids so he could get more attention.

It's tough b/c i knwo he can do the work...b/c after we do dittos for the 5th time...he miraculously knows the answer. Each year the teacher tells me it's laziness...and I tend to agree. He puts little effort into things. I dont want to constantly punish...but there is really never an opportunity to reward. He never puts effort into his work.

I think medication might be the next step. I hate to head that route...but he might need something for the ADD.