I was teaching in school.Our principal madam requested me to help unmotivated kids if possible in subject mathematics.I agreed to her request.Every Saturday morning I used to teach under-privileged kids(unmotivated) mathematics in a my school.
Upto my surprise children were not interested in studying maths. I’d explain to them why they should be -studying maths.
What maths could mean for their lives specialy when it world of digital technology– and I made it clear that I was giving up my precious weekend, without pay, to help them so that they could clear their doubt in maths.
I also told kids that I couldn’t help them if they didn’t want to help themselves. And so if they did not want to learn maths they could go to the nearby cafe and chill.
A couple of students did take the cafe option, but not for long.
I have successfully used the same techniques on my own kids. I have never forced them to study. Instead, I have given them reasons to study, made it clear it’s their lives which are at stake, not mine.
In fact, a few months ago my 11-year-old daughter told me she wanted to play football full-time and drop academic study altogether! After trying to convince her, I eventually backed down.
Why let her do something that I am confident is a really bad choice?
The next day she dropped the idea and got back to studying.
Moral of story is to teach unmotivated kids one should explain clearly what’s at stake and give kids ownership of their own lives. The rest is down to them…
This experiment I did as teacher as well as being mother. For me it was successful experiment in both cases and results were reasonably good.
Sukarma Thareja
Alumnus IITK
India
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