Problem of Practice (POP) #2--Family or Community Engagement

 Why do we love the students who are the poster children for why teachers want to pull their hair out at the end of the school day? My problem of practice is a brilliant and funny 11th grader who wants nothing to do with schoolwork or participating in the daily rigor of school. This student comes to my class every day (which I can’t say the same for his other classes) but has not done a single full assignment all semester. I appreciate that he feels welcome in my classroom and respects me enough to manage his behavior but the real question is how will he pass health; which is a needed requirement for graduation next year. I’ve tried shortening the assignments and having him finish chunks at a time each day. I have also paired him with a midlevel student so he could have someone to work alongside. Both of these interventions were helpful but couldn’t keep him motivated for longer than a week or two. Part of his disconnect I feel stems from the fact that he already knows what he will do after graduation. He has taken an active role in his families auto mechanic business since he was a child, so the only rational step in his mind is to take over. He is passionate about cars, and school isn't driving his passion. At this point, I have decided to make him my TA. Every day I leave him a list of things to do (making copies, filing, taking attendance, organizing) that put him around the information but not necessarily doing the work. He could still hear my lectures and would look over the handouts as he was stapling, or organize them for the class. Reflective observation is not a traditional approach to teaching, but for this student, it works.  He has built confidence in his ability to work with a purpose, he can comment on topic when inclined and is proud of a finished product at the end of the day.

My goal is to continue to give him things that motivate him to come to class. Though he is not learning in the traditional sense, he is still hearing me and his peer’s conversations about topics of discussion. I will use our conversations to ask him questions to see how much he is learning just by listening. I will give him till the end of our grading period to assess and make up any work he feels confident to submit.