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Slipping grades?

How can you identify an underachiever? Fiona Scott offers some suggestions to help you understand your child better

IDENTIFY STRENGTHS Support your child

Abhishek, a Class Six student, loves to solve complex puzzles. He is creative and imaginative, has good comprehension ability and a flair for abstract reasoning. His parents have high expectations of him. However, there seems to be just one problem. Abhishek's grades at school are poor. His handwriting is atrocious, his schoolwork is always incomplete, and his spelling, terrible. He is inattentive in class, disorganised and cannot seem to get along with his peers. His teachers are at their wits' end and his parents are puzzled. Abhishek is not alone, there are many like him. He is an underachiever. A student performing below his capacity. How can we identify an underachiever? A quick look at this checklist may help you understand your child better. An underachiever may qualify for most of the points given here.

* Is your child able to express himself clearly when it comes to speaking but is unable to achieve the same result when he gets down to writing?

* Does he perform brilliantly in some tests but not in others?

* Does he have wonderful ideas but bad spelling and illegible handwriting?

* Is he able to comprehend and retain facts but unable to comprehend concepts that follow a sequence?

* Does he have difficulty completing easy assignments but exhibits ease when it comes to more difficult ones?

* Is he overly self-critical or does he have low self-esteem and an attitude towards perfectionism?

* Is he uncomfortable in a group and does he have a problem interacting with his peers?

* Does he have a low attention span?

* Does he have a negative attitude toward school?

* Does he dislike routine drills and practice?

* Does he set unrealistic goals for himself?

The reasons for underachievement are many. Perhaps it would be helpful to highlight a few.

All children should set goals. These goals should be realistic and not too difficult to achieve. Goals give them a sense of direction and purpose. An underachiever sets goals that are almost impossible to reach. Children gifted in certain areas need to set goals earlier than normal children to avoid underachievement.

What can be done?

An underachiever does not feel challenged by the work he does at school. This often leads him or her to disrupt the class. Because he is unable to live up to his expectations or those of his parents, he has low self-esteem and develops a pessimistic attitude. This leads to stress and frustration and it becomes a cycle. What can a parent do to pull a child out of the cycle of underachievement?

* Identify your child's strengths.

* Teach your child to make use of his strengths.

* Do not dwell on your child's weaknesses.

* Do not compare him with other children.

* Ensure that his learning experiences use oral, visual and written strategies.

* Involve him in challenging

assignments.

* Set realistic goals that you know he will be able to achieve.

* Be there as a support when he cannot meet his expectations.

*Use constructive criticism.

* Teach him problem-solving skills.

* Use the techniques of meditation to reduce frustration.

* Involve him in team sport to help him interact with his peers.

* Always try to maintain a positive attitude.

Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein, Thomas Alva Edison and Winston Churchill were all underachievers who bloomed later. It is important to remember that your child should peak at the right time. Don't let early underachievement discourage you or your child. Treasure your child's individuality and provide him with the support he craves to fulfil his dreams.

FIONA SCOTT

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