Underachievement

Dear Principal,

I know my son is smart and his teachers agree yet he does not earn high marks in school. It seems the more I try to help him the lower his grades become. This doesn't seem to bother him. How can I make him want to do better?

          Mrs. Nicholson,

Dear Mrs. Nicholson,

Several studies have actually found an inverse relationship between parental pressure for high marks and student achievement. The more a parent stresses earning high grades, the less likely the child is to achieve them.

There may be several reasons for this finding but one thing that is certain is that a parent can't force a child to want to achieve. Particularly as a child becomes older, the motivation to do well needs to come from within.

What are your son's feelings about school? Is it exciting to learn new information or is he bored and unchallenged? Above average students often underachieve since they feel unchallenged and therefor unmotivated. If this is the case you and his teachers should work together to provide enrichment activities which would capture his interest and provide the much needed challenge.

You should also examine his peer group. Fitting in is of prime importance to children. If his friends have a negative attitude regarding school and earn low grades he may follow suit just to be accepted. Rather than forbid him to associate with those who may be a poor influence, provide him with opportunities to meet new friends.

Work with his teacher to encourage him to pursue his interests, whatever they may be. He should re-discover the joy of learning and of being challenged. Higher marks will follow without direct pressure.