Problem: My student is unmotivated, falling behind and does not care about school.

Answer 1

provide some incentive/motivation

pay her for good grades

money is the universal motivator

Answer 2

The best book I ever read as a teacher was Howard Gardner's book "Frames of Mind: The theory of Multiple Intelligences" First , how most classes are taught is pencil paper book. Observe any elementary school classroom. Especially 5th grade or below, even pre=K. Children learn how to walk, talk, sing, play. They are excited about trying new things. But as they progress in school learning changes from hands on to abstract. Most learners do NOT learn by pencil paper book. Only at most 20% of children and adults. Are they artists, musicians, love pets and animals, like to grow things, take things apart and put them back together, love to walk in nature. Do they sing and dance, love music. Do they love being told stories. Are they friendly? Do they love sports. Find out what kind of intelligence your child knows. Do they build things? Do they fix things. Do they invent things? How do they relate to people. Gregarious? Shy? Do they make things?

For a time after I retired I taught Pre-school science, acting, reading, agriculture, colors, shapes, scientific method and multiple ways of learning. None of the babies through Kindergarten could read. But they had a thirst for learning. I organized simple cheap experiments for science. A bag of white beans, dirt potting soil, water, little red solo cups. The kids planted navy beans, tended them, watched them grow, measured them, watered them, gave them sunlight. I made salt dough by the bucket. We mixed primary colors to make other colors. We experimented with scientific method.

For example; what if you had 4 paper plates, each plate has a white substance. How can you tell what the substance is? Try an experiment. Taste. feel. smell. touch. They looked and tasted salt. Tiny cubes and salty taste. Baking soda, bitter chalky. Sugar gritty and sweet. Floue powdery and dull. That's a science experiment. you can do at home.

I taught my students hands on math. 9,10,11,12 and college. How about math? I love puzzles and figuring things out. There are no answer books in real life. You must learn to prove your answer is right or wrong by thinking. Does it make sense. If I try to find out the answer do i get the same result? Gather any round object. string. scissors. pie pan, soda can, pizza , anything. Take the string and measure it across the center from one edge to the other, then take another piece of string and measure around the object. Compare the across string to the around string it should take a little over 3 pieces across to 1 piece of around. No matter what round thing you measure. This is the power of pi about 3.1417. If your child read a dull book with 20 or 30 math problems that stated the formula to memorize instead of trying the experiment themselves they would be excited. Pi built the world, the romans, the egyptians, thousands of years people understood the power of this ratio of the diameter of a circle to it's circumference. People tell me often they hated math, but I think they hated the dry boring rote do 30 odds and see me in the morning. Math is everywhere, every minute of a person's life, math is not the dry crinkle of paper and pencil. It is the stars, the universe, the ocean, the waves, animals, food, and negotiated the world around a person. There is an excellent you tube video available about the types. Basically Verbal, Logical/mathematical, Visual/Spatial, Musical, Bodily/Kinesthetic, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Naturalist., and existential. Use all the students senses to understand how math works. Hope this helped.

Answer 3

This is one of the most common challenges I see — and it’s absolutely solvable. When a student is unmotivated or falling behind, the key isn’t just more homework or stricter routines — it’s rebuilding confidence and curiosity.

I start by identifying why the student feels disconnected: sometimes it’s frustration, sometimes boredom, or simply not seeing the purpose behind what they’re learning. Then, I adapt lessons to match their interests and learning style — turning abstract subjects into something that feels personal, achievable, and even fun.

Once students start experiencing small wins, their motivation naturally grows. I also teach strategies for focus, organization, and self-assessment so they can track their own progress and feel in control of their learning.

With consistent support and encouragement, students who once “didn’t care” often become surprisingly engaged and self-driven. The goal is not only to catch up, but to help them rediscover the joy of learning and the belief that they can succeed.

Answer 4

This is a very common question that I hear frequently from parents. I understand from a both parent's and a tutor's perspective that this can be so stressful! A tutor can help in ways that go beyond just teaching content; the right approach can actually re-engage your child and help them feel more confident and motivated. The individualized attention I can offer as a tutor allows me to identify gaps in your child's understanding that may be causing frustration or disinterest for them. I can tailor lessons to your child’s specific strengths, weaknesses, and learning style. Once we break down concepts into manageable steps, we can build foundational skills that make schoolwork feel more achievable. We can work on study strategies, time management, and organizational skills. This often improves motivation because your child feels more capable. It is important to me that your child feels successful in a safe, supportive environment as this can reduce anxiety and avoidance around school. I will work to connect lessons to your child’s interests, turning boring material into something relatable. I use creative methods (games, interactive exercises, project-based learning) to make learning feel meaningful and fun!

Answer 5

Often times when I was in school and I was not motivated to complete the work it was because I was not interested in the work. I have worked with homeschool students whose parents use everyday life to teach reading, writing and math (especially). I am not suggesting to homeschool. Next time you all go to the grocery store give the child a calculator to add up the price of groceries and teach them about percentages to figure out sales discounts. For reading have them play video games where they have to play with no dialogue and read the dialogue. Zelda Ocarina of Time is a great video game title with lots of dialogue that has to be read. Another suggestion is to bake and have them read the instructions to you and they learn how to do all the measuring.

Another thing to do is to help them find an interest. Often times schools don't acknowledge other types of genius. I was an arts kid in both theater and studio art. I became an knitter and crocheter without the help of really anybody. There was no classes, no YouTube and no stores. I had to learn from books. My parents were always supportive of my hobbies. Knitting involves math and logic too. I met a lot of brilliant people who were all teachers through knitting. Waldorf Schools teach knitting

Answer 6

When a student is unmotivated and falling behind, it is often because school feels too hard, boring, or disconnected from their real life. If they keep struggling without success, they can lose confidence and start to believe they will never “get it,” which makes them stop trying. They may also feel like their effort goes unnoticed, so they don’t see the point. Sometimes the best step is to give the student a fresh start—a chance to reroute, clear away frustration, and focus on getting fully back on track. When a child is buried under both old assignments and new lessons, it becomes nearly impossible to learn anything meaningful. That’s why there sometimes needs to be a pause or a reset, where teachers and parents work together to reduce the load, set realistic priorities, and make sure the student is truly learning rather than just chasing deadlines.

Helping a child catch up starts with small, achievable steps and celebrating each success to build confidence. Lessons should be connected to the student’s interests so they feel relevant, and structure at home—like a set homework time and a quiet space—can provide consistency. For some students, struggles may come from deeper issues such as mental health conditions or neurodivergence. In those cases, families should not hesitate to ask the school for support. Schools can provide an IEP (Individualized Education Program), which includes specialized instruction and services, or a 504 Plan, which is a legal plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. A 504 Plan doesn’t change the curriculum but gives accommodations like extra time on tests, breaks during class, or organizational support so the student can learn on equal footing with their peers.

Answer 7

Problem: My student is unmotivated, falling behind and does not care about school.

To state the obvious, your student does not like school!

It is reasonable to assume something in his educational environment is not working for him. It may be the teacher’s approach. It may be the material. It may be his skill set. & it may be fear - of failure - or of learning.

This situation presents a good reason to hire a tutor as part of your student’s educational team.

The successful tutor will need to spend adequate time building trust. Key is selection of things to read/explore that are of interest to your student & that your student can understand, regardless of the subject or his level. It might be helpful to spend some time co-reading. It might be helpful to spend some time playing. Capturing his interest, trust & willingness to voluntarily follow the tutor into areas he doesn’t usually want to go is absolutely key.

~~~~~

Wow! There are robots we can buy now?

I wonder how it would be possible for the sky to make a hurricane?

I wonder if this author means there used to be people in the olden times? Who?

You can take 5 eggs & that’s the same as 3 eggs over here & 2 eggs over there? I wonder If that’s the same as 1 egg over here & 4 eggs over there?

Everybody used to hunt their own food? I wonder what kind of food? How do you hunt water?

~~~~~

These are examples of questions meant to capture the interest of a reluctant student. Once your student’s interest has been captured, and the tutor is trusted, the door will be opened.

Remember: what is happening at school isn’t working. Allow the tutor to approach your student & the subject(s) in a different way.

Answer 8

This is a very common challenge for younger students, and it often isn’t about laziness; it usually reflects frustration, lack of confidence, or feeling disconnected from the material they are learning. To solve this, I would focus on understanding your student’s unique interests and learning style. This can help break down lessons into achievable steps and connect their schoolwork to real-life relevance. By achieving small successes and connecting learning to goals they care about, students can regain confidence, develop motivation, and get back on track.

Answer 9

Greetings!

Often times, instructors would follow the textbook with textbook based examples. However, the writers of these textbooks are masters who think differently than students. My goal during the tutoring sessions is to also link and provide examples of the topics to everyday life such as shows, movies, and especially food! By doing this it provides reason for the student to care about topics like grammar, photosynthesis, and the water cycle. By showing them why topics are important and how it related to them personally will help them to stay motivated and eager to learn more!

Let me know if I can be of further help!

Answer 10

Not sure this is a GRAMMAR question (the category it is in) - but: depression, boredom, and lack of motivation hit this question with all tires spinning.

Teenagers have so many physical and thus mental and emotional changes going on. Add to that the news (if they hear it/follow it) which is mostly gloom and doom; the social media which makes it seem like EVERYONE else is having a grand time (they aren't); and, frankly, too many choices - which also seem unobtainable.

Oh.

So! as a teacher/parent/support person - your job is to pay attention, provide loving support - including setting boundaries; and SEARCHING for a tiny match to get that fire started. Yes - you are busy - but this kid is your responsibility - so work hard to find something that....WORKS.

Answer 11

Problem: My student is unmotivated, falling behind and does not care about school.

As a mother of 4 and a grandmother of 8, this is one concern that isn't foreign to me at all. Now being related to them gives me the advantage because I am familiar with their learning styles and believe me, no two were/are alike. Children absorb information in different ways so a good understanding of how they learn can make education more effective while giving it a personal touch. Knowing a student's learning style assists me in creating activities tailored to their individual needs that will help to increase their confidence. As a result, they are more likely to retain the information. Let's face it, in a classroom of maybe 15 students or more, it is very difficult to give every child the special attention they so richly deserve. This is why tutoring would be the answer. If you would like to hear more about how I can assist in getting your student motivated, please contact me so we can get started!

Answer 12

Students often feel unmotivated because they don't have a personal stake or vested interest in the task at hand. I like to relate my lessons to everyday life and how it may be related to what students enjoy spending time doing. For instance: The students who love building may use a coding program to design lego pieces while also learning mathematical concepts such as measurement, scale, area, volume, etc. Through the overall experience, students will learn mathematical concepts and formulas while having fun in the creation process. Students will feel more pride in their creation and can admire what they have created. Rewards, Points and achievement badges also help to motivate students.

Answer 13

HI!

My name is Alora, and I specialize in helping people like your child. Oftentimes, what a child with no motivation to learn needs is not more pressure, and especially not being forced to talk to someone who doesn't understand that struggle, and has no idea how to help. The best way to help a child is to find what they love. Some might already have a passion, like video games or Barbies, but a lot of kids don't know what they love, or what they want. A lot of adults don't either.

Finding what your kid loves is a transformative experience. You will suddenly see a light switch go on in their head. You will see joy and optimism in them that you probably have never seen. Especially if your child may be neurodivergent, which a lot of kids who struggle with motivation are. Once your child figures out what they love, what I do is, using my educational methods that I am developing at Vanderbilt, I connect everything they are learning in school back to that passion. And once they see how it relates, suddenly it doesn't seem so terrible and impossible anymore.

A lot of kids who fall behind on work and struggle to care about school get called lazy, but the fact of the matter is, Laziness is often a fictitious idea used to belittle people who are struggling with something else, like being overwhelmed, or anxious, perhaps burnt out, or depressed. Struggling is not a character flaw. And the best thing you can offer someone who is struggling is help and support. not judgment. As a tutor, I would teach your child the skills necessary to not get so overwhelmed. To tackle that messy room with bravery and most importantly, a STRATEGY!

These kids are struggling because people are trying to force them to function in a world where they have no tools designed for THEIR brains. I design tools for these kids. That is what I am getting my PHD in at Vanderbilt. If your child is wandering blind and feeling like nobody understands them, and they struggle too much and won't ever be good enough at it to even bother trying, you need me.

I used to be a struggling apathetic kid, and once I started developing my methods and strategies, I went on to be the 5th Youth Poet Laureate of the Southern United states, A Presidential Scholar of the Arts, A 2x TEDx Speaker, and a critically acclaimed poet and published author (Walking Gentry Home by Alora Young) with Penguin Random House, all before age 22. (I'm currently 22) I received a Davidson Fellows "Youth Genius Grant" in my senior year of high school and have been acclaimed as "profoundly gifted" by professors all over the country. I am a professional public speaker with the Penguin Random Speakers Org, the most elite speakers organization in the country. Also, I have an IQ of 150.

I'm here to help!

Lastly, I write all my own answers and materials. No AI needed. It's not smarter than me yet!

Answer 14

Q: My child is falling behind, unmotivated, and doesn’t care about school. How can a tutor help?

This is one of the most common concerns I hear from parents—and the good news is, change is possible. I specialize in helping students who are struggling with low grades, lack of motivation, and falling behind in reading, writing, grammar, phonics, and math (PreK–8).

As a certified K–8 teacher with over 25 years of classroom experience and 10+ years of tutoring, I know that when students shut down, it's usually not about laziness. It’s often frustration, low confidence, or not feeling successful at school. That’s where I step in.

I don’t just reteach content—I build trust, motivation, and momentum. I take time to understand what’s holding your child back, and I use a warm, structured approach that makes learning feel achievable again. I celebrate small wins, introduce engaging tools, and guide students to build confidence one step at a time. Once they begin to feel capable again, motivation often follows naturally.

Parents often tell me that their kids become more focused, start turning in work again, and even begin participating more in class after just a few weeks of tutoring.

If your child needs both academic support and a confidence boost, I’d love to help. Message me, Michele W. , by scrolling to bottom of my profile today to set up a free consultation—we’ll work together to help your child turn things around.