And I'm going crazy! I have a 6th grade boy who forgets (or "forgets) something every single day. Almost never does he have his homework. He has lost not one but two copies of a novel we are reading in class, and daily I hear "May I please borrow a copy of the novel? I lost mine." He has lost the privelidge of group work because I refuse to let him bring the group down with his lack of work. I have tried conferencing with home. Nothing changes. I have informed the P of my delima, but nothing changes. This child is completely capable; he is just lazy lazy lazy! Mom is a rescuer who comes to school at the drop of a hat to bring everything from his homework to his lunch to a new button for his shirt. I am ready to go crazy. Does anyone have any new ideas for me? I have tried all the standard things.
Could you just not give him a copy of the book and then give him a zero on that day's assignment? How is he going to learn if not with tough consequences. It sounds like you have already done a lot of enabling, so maybe it's time to start getting him to see what will happen when he is not responsible. Don't accept late work (brought in by mom) or give him another copy of the novel.
I have a list of things that students need to succeed in class: pencil, textbook, notebook, follow directions. If they fail to come to class prepared for success, they lose a point. When they've lost 4, it becomes a school write up. You could come up with your own system but it works for us.
I don't give him multiple copies of the novel. He was given one by me, and his mom bought him another. I refuse to lend him additional copies. As for late work and zeroes, that already happens. It makes no difference to him.
Maybe it needs to happen for a longer period of time...and maybe when report cards come out (November? December?) it will make a difference. Another option is to have a parent conference where you explain that his lack of materials is affecting not only his grades but also his ability to learn. Then come up with strategies WITH the child to help him remember things.
Consider: Let students monitor his "forgetfulness". If he shows up with materials the whole class receives a reward. If he doesn't no penalty - reward all the way. I did this with a similar student. It's PAT based on Fred Jones' *responsibility training*. Two students called the target at night to check on HW. Another checked on bus. Two more checked on yard before class. When target pulled out HW a big deal was made about it and class cheered. Target earned class extra five minutes of PAT. Target was now a hero versus outcast.
I think you have to be really careful when using this technique. My daughter is very sensitive and it would really be stressful to her if she had the pressure of the whole class riding on her. Also, she wouldn't like all of the attention of the class being on her (and neither would I if it were me).
Sure, no technique comes with a guarantee. If another technique works use it and use it often. This was merely a suggestion to expand one's repertoire of possible methods to choose from. Teachers that use peer relationship as an incentive report success when other, more typical incentives have failed. Students that fall into this category, irresponsible, are more often than not unpopular with peers. Dumb, stupid, weird are some of the nicer words peers say about them. Most would give anything to be recognized in a positive way to gain relationship. Again, knowing one's students and when/when not to use a technique is part of the artful gamble a teacher makes with any decision.
That is an interesting idea. I'll give it some thought. I'm not sure how it would work or what the reward might be since I have the group for three different class periods and only 40 minutes a time. Still, it is not your typical technique and might work with this student. The responsibility would be on him though. I would never ask other students to monitor his work.
