# Teaching > General Teaching >  Students with potential

## TheInsomniac

Have you ever come across a student with great potential in any subject, but they never apply themselves?

And if so... how did you deal with them?

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## kayj

I feel your pain. I have volunteered my time to teach ESL classes for a couple weeks and I was a student teacher for a week for high school students. I think that the best way to get them to participate is to really engage the class with something that is interesting to the entire class, possibly something interactive. I would suggest discussions and debates where the winning team gets some sort of prize. The students will encourage each other to do their best in order to have a strong team and ultimately win. However, if you try everything and he is still unresponsive my philosophy is "you can open doors, but you can't drag someone through them," and let them decide that they need help and come to you; that's when they are willing to be helped and when you can help them the most.

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## optimisticnad

Find out why they won't 'apply' themselves in the subject, if they're good at it then there is usually a reason why they don't try in it. Perhaps they think there is no future in it - make understand there is. I liked the above suggestion, that you need to make things interesting to get their attention. Make them understand how lucky they are that they've been given an opportunity to educate themselves whereas in some parts of the world children as young as seven have to work to eat to work to eat etc.

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## TheInsomniac

All great idea's, Thanks!

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## kayj

> Find out why they won't 'apply' themselves in the subject, if they're good at it then there is usually a reason why they don't try in it. Perhaps they think there is no future in it - make understand there is. I liked the above suggestion, that you need to make things interesting to get their attention. Make them understand how lucky they are that they've been given an opportunity to educate themselves whereas in some parts of the world children as young as seven have to work to eat to work to eat etc.


I honestly don't think that last part is going to concern them very much. Most of them will at the very most pretend to understand and listen. I was young once and it wasn't a major concern to me. However, all the kids would care about not messing it up for their whole group by messing up. I'm 21 by the way.

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## SleepyWitch

maybe he/ she feels bored and needs extra advanced exercises to keep him/ her going?




> However, if you try everything and he is still unresponsive my philosophy is "you can open doors, but you can't drag someone through them," and let them decide that they need help and come to you; that's when they are willing to be helped and when you can help them th]e most.


I totally agree with this. If you give students too much unsolicited advice, they'll only be put on the defensive and become stubborn and uncooperative. 

can you give more details about the situation? what makes you think that this/these student(s) actually has/have more potential than they are letting on?

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## Edinator88

Participating in class doesn't mean they apply themselves. For me, I can't stand the teacher's attempts at making me participate. I'm in Grade 11 right now and I would rather have the teacher give me an essay than do some pointless presentation.

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## Scheherazade

It might be worthwhile finding out their learning styles as well as making sure that they do not have any learning difficulties.

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## optimisticnad

> I honestly don't think that last part is going to concern them very much. Most of them will at the very most pretend to understand and listen. I was young once and it wasn't a major concern to me. However, all the kids would care about not messing it up for their whole group by messing up. I'm 21 by the way.


Perhaps it depends on the individual, I too was young once and always felt moved by ideas of poverty and privilege. I guess it depends on what kind of upbringing you have. But it does make them more aware - I'm sure they understand perfectly but they tend to not show it! I'm talking from experience by the way but everyone's different. Even if doesn't make them try in class I think it helps make them more aware of what goes beyond their little world, teaching isn't just about 'teaching' the syllabus. It involves a lot more. 

Not sure why your age matters.  :Confused: 




> All great idea's, Thanks!


Thanks.

Any progress?

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## TheInsomniac

Well it seems the children attempt more when they are given something hands-on to do, a challenge.

The one exceptionally brilliant student i found only interacts with the class when i engage him into a conversation on mostly non-syllabus things, but still very interesting scopes on life (subject is religion and philosophy).

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## optimisticnad

love your signature - 'ever after'. We'll just have to build you a new home.

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## TheInsomniac

> love your signature - 'ever after'. We'll just have to build you a new home.


How i would love that  :Biggrin:

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## optimisticnad

> How i would love that


Wouldn't we all....Wouldn't we all.....

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