Re: motivate HS sophomore

On Mon, 1 Dec 2003 23:30:57 EST, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Chilly Mike)
wrote:

>Hello,
>My son is a HS sophomore who is capable of doing better than his 3.2
>GPA indicates.  I've been considering rewarding him with money if his
>report card GPA is higher than 3.20, but I'm not sure if that would
>help.  Then I think that if he doesn't improve his grades, I'll cut
>back his TV time, or his online time, or his social time, and have him
>spend that time studying, but then I'm not so sure that's a good idea
>either.  I want him to put more effort into his studies, without
>turning him off.  He is able to skate by with one study hall and
>doesn't have to work hard to earn his 3.20, but I know he could raise
>his GPA to at least 3.6.  Any thoughts? Or should I just be happy that
>he's earning a 3.2 GPA?  Thanks for any help!

Don't pay him, or you'll reduce whatever intrinsic motivation he has.
Don't punish him, either, because he won't spend the time studying -
he'll just be mad at you.  He's at a stage now where his schoolwork is
becoming his own business, not yours.

If you think he should be working harder, then help him find more
challenging courses.   Is there anything that interests him that he
could add to his schedule instead of the study hall?  Can he take a
grade 11 course, or an enriched course?  

Once he's identified some goals for after high school, then you can
help him aim for the marks he needs to reach those goals.  But I don't
think it helps to poke at a 15yo about post-HS plans, because he
probably doesn't have any.  This is more something to watch for over
the next year and a half or so.  

Louise