Desperate Times…
19 Jan 2012 2 Comments
A student in my JHS, who is in grade 7, is lost in English class. Totally, utterly, lost. It is almost the end of the year, and he still can only write his name if I prompt him. He sits there, staring out the window all class, or just hunched over his desk. He doesn`t care about school, and is doing poorly in all of his classes, but it has gotten so bad in English class that his mom called the school today. She is worried. So, the VP told Mr. Kasugai that he must make the kid (I will call said kid D) study in class and do his homework.
So, now, Kasugai is writing out ideas… ripping them up, starting again. Trying to come up with a way to bring this lost kid back.
The problem is, he could have been saved from this path a long time ago. He did the same in English in elementary school, and the JTE did nothing to engage him or encourage him. When he came to JHS, he had the same JTE, and again, he wasn`t encouraged. Also, there is no framework to deal with kids like this in Japan. He can`t get detention. There is no such thing as summer school (there is cram school, but the closest is 45 minutes by car away, and so most of my kids don`t go to it). If they don`t do their homework, there is no punishment. So, how are we supposed to catch this kid up on 8 months of school work, with no time, no motivators, no support? How is that possible?
I have some ideas… I suggested we tutor him at lunchtime – that is a no. I suggested I make some recordings of the new words, the sounds of English, etc… but that was met with skepticism… Any ideas?
Jan 19, 2012 @ 13:31:15
The one thing I can immediately think of is bribery. It can be either material, intellectual or emotional but obviously you need to try to find out what you can bargain with for this approach to work. Good luck and lemme know how you go.
Jan 19, 2012 @ 13:45:09
Chances are, what’s going on is he doesn’t understand the basics so he’s following a pattern of learned helplessness. If he doesn’t try he can’t fail. If he doesn’t listen he can’t be blamed for not knowing the material. Since his mom’s on board with him catching up, you probably have a lot more clout now, though you would need to make it clear to mom what D needs to know and do.
If it were me, after what I’ve learned in uni this past semester, I would sit down with him and let him know that it’s only going to get harder from here on in if he doesn’t know any English and that you would really like to see him succeed. You’re willing to put in the time and effort if he is too. Make a timeline for the basics that he needs to know by the end of the year and confirm with him that the quantity of work is manageable. Get him to commit to it and then either you or your JTE need to check in with him everyday. Mag gets her students to record the words themselves, though they are obviously at a much higher level than this student. I would write up a basic pre-test (all the super easy stuff) to assess where he’s at and what he knows (let him know he’s not being graded on the test but it’s important that he tries so that you know how to help him) and go from there.
I’m sure nothing I have written here is any surprise to you, and you’ve probably already thought of it all yourself. The key is follow-up and if your school is not wiling to use you as an aid, then honestly there’s not much that you (as a foreigner) will be able to do, sadly.