About Little Billy ...

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About Little Billy ...
By Kerry

Here is the part of the post I am responding to: "I would like a suggestion or two as to what to do with little Billy who draws pictures on his paper/hand/desk, twidles his thumbs, stares out the window, whatever instead
of doing the problems on his page. When else should he be held accountable for it? It's not an option to send it home because it won't come back. If it does it's in older brother's/sister's handwriting (or even mom's or dad's). To be honest I don't care what they know about the subject, I want to know what Billy knows."
Ok, first thing, have you figured out the reason for little Billy

twiddling his thumbs, writing on his hands and desk, drawing pictures on his paper? You're a first grade teacher, I noticed, so that's one explanation ... he's a young first grade boy who doesn't understand about being accountable. He needs to be taught. I don't think keeping him in for recess is your answer but I am getting to that.

You mentioned sending papers home that don't come back or that come back in an adult's handwriting ... so there seems to a lack of support for school, undoubtedly being expressed to little Billy. That can be a major problem right there.

It's important to figure out why he's not doing his work. Does he understand? Are your expectations too high? Does he need your guidance (I do have some kids who I need to sit with or keep a very close eye on, and I teach second grade, BTW).

What I would do is figure out what the problem is. If he can do the work, if he is perfectly capable, I would set time limits. I would tell him, "I know you can do this. I expect that you are going to have 5 problems completed when I come back to see how you're doing." When I come back in 5 minutes, and the problems are not done, I would have a conversation w/ him, a simple conversation that includes identifying what you notice ("I notice that you aren't working when it is a work time. I notice that instead, you ____________. Tell me why it is important for you to get your work done when it is time to work." Sometimes kids will not talk, or they will shrug or say they don't know. You can say something like, "It's very important for you to show me that you can do your first grade work so you can go to second grade. I know how much you want to go there, and I want you to go there, too. How can you get your work done when it is time to work?" This is a very non-threatening conversation to have with a child this young and it opens the lines of communication, allowing little Billy to share his thoughts.

I would use an incentive chart. I have a student who calls them "Quickie Stickies" because he gets 1 sticker every time he finishes something in a timely fashion. It works w/ him. I have another who does well w/ time limits. Some kids have no concept of time, and if you're keeping little Billy in for recess on a regular basis (not saying you are) then he may be developing the attitude that he can always work at recess ... with you, his sweet teacher who he loves. What kid wouldn't want that 1:1 attention?

If all of this fails, I would definitely have a conversation w/ his parents regarding his lack of progress and what he needs to be doing by the end of grade one.