Coaching 14/ 15 year old students in English literature, but they seem bored?

Question

Hi,

sometimes I give private lessons to students in English literature and some other subjects. Now I have three new students (boys from 14-15), who seem extremely bored in my lessons, even though I really try my best to make it interesting, like role play and all. Two of them had bad trouble at school and got suspended and they laugh at my classes and draw pictures, while their parents pay (not too much though).

I don't want to talk to the parents, because I don't want to get the kids into more trouble and I don't want to be told that my lessons are boring. They are the first ones to behave like that anyway, so I don't think it's me. I hope not, at least.

Any advice, or maybe some suggestions on how to make them like my classes?

Answer 1

make it relevant to them.  go to livejournal or another blogging site and print some actual things kids their age/s*x have written, read them in class, and ask them how they could improve the writing and make it more interesting/into a whole story.  or get a little kid's book that's interesting-ish and have them retell the story but as their age now, or as a person from a gang might tell the story/act as the main character, or from mexico, or from the middle ages, etc.  ?  good luck!

Answer 2

I agree with Karen - lay down the law, and if they are not interested in your current tactics, let them have a say.  What would they rather do?

I do this with my 10yo, as well as with private classes that I teach.  Now, I teach homeschooled kids (who would lose every privilege known to man if they were disrespectful to a teacher more than once), so I don't face the same problems, but they still are the same age - they have the same defense mechanisms.

I'm very up-front with them, and they know it.  They know that if they're disrespectful or don't do their work, their parents will find out about it the same day; however, if they don't understand something, or an activity just isn't what they'd prefer to do, they also know that they can suggest something different.  I'm in charge, but they do have a say.  Every child learns differently, and my intent is to cause them to learn - if they would learn more easily through another activity, I'm game.

Let them know, also, that they get one shot at this - they have *now* to learn the skills that they'll need later in life.  Do they play sports?  If they do, chances are their coaches have made them do things they don't want to do; however, if they want to stay on the team, they obey the coach.  Same principle here - your job is to prepare them for what's coming up, but they need to "get their head in the game" so to speak and *choose* to learn from you.  If they want it to be interesting, if they want to learn, they have a responsibility to show up and learn.

You can't make them like your classes, unfortunately.  If they choose to refuse to learn from you, that's their choice.  Make it clear to them - and their parents - that you want them to succeed, that you want them to get a lot out of your class, but that they have a part in it too.  They have to choose to learn.

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

Understand that this is the age when kids, boys especially, invest themselves heavily in letting the world know how much it bores them.  No one does ennui better than a 15 year old.  And that's the average teenager -- add a record of behavior problems and you're dealing with even more resistance.

Role playing is not good for teenagers.  A lot of their resistance comes from feeling so uncomfortable in their own skin that putting on a role and acting makes them feel even more awkward.  Usually, they respond by making fun of what you want them to do.  Denigrating something is a defensive move.  You don't say, but if you're teaching them together, they're going to band together and support each other, too.

Also, you should tell the parents how they're acting.  They're paying for this tutoring, and likely want to know if their kids are wasting their money.

Cut through their b.s.  Stop the lesson and call them on it.  Say, "Look, I'm getting paid to help you, but you don't seem to want it.  So here's an opportunity to tell me what you do like, and I'll try to modify my lessons accordingly.  But what you're doing isn't working for me, it isn't working for you, and I'm sure your parents will think it isn't working for them either.  So what do you suggest is a way for us to work together?"  Kids usually are surprised by bluntness, and they might actually stop their shenanigans if they're given an opportunity to share their opinions.  (Their insightful opinions...not their "this is so g*y" opinions.)