Blog - Parent Resources

At this time of year several things are taking place. 

Your child could be excelling and doing their homework as well as bringing home great things from in class work. Your child could be in a slump and could be just getting by. But, occasionally some students feel bored in class,and this might be normal, but, if your child often feels under-challenged, they might engage in other behaviors just to liven things up. Inattentive in class. You might hear from teachers that your child is not paying attention, daydreams, or is inattentive in class.

What are some clues that you could see that your child may need to be challenged more in school:

1. Quiet about school and schoolwork. When kids are excited about school, they tend to talk about it, especially when asked. If all you hear is that things are fine, it is possible that your child isn’t being challenged or engaged in the classroom.
 

2. A declining mood or attitude. Frustration and boredom can build up over time, causing a formerly happy student to become a disengaged child. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the work is too difficult, but that they have lost the spark of interest.
 

3. Talking about being bored. Some bored students speak up directly and complain about the slow pace of classes or limited subjects available. Occasionally feeling bored in class might be normal, but, if your child often feels underchallenged, they might engage in other behaviors just to liven things up.
 

4. Inattentive in class. You might hear from teachers that your child is not paying attention, daydreams, or is inattentive in class. This is often a sign of lack of interest or too muchrepetition or that the class is moving too slowly for your child.

5. Declining grades. It might seem counterintuitive, but, once a child loses interest or disconnects from their instructors due to boredom, their grades can start to fall. Unless their coursework holds their interest, many gifted students can let their grades slip.
 

6. Working ahead of their class. If your child finishes everything quickly and even finishes chapter work or assignments long before they are due, boredom can set in quickly. They might need one-on-one instruction or an accelerated learning program to stay fully engaged.

7. Loss of motivation. When your child is not challenged at school, they don’t feel motivated to get started on projects or complete them on time. When a student loses the desire to do their work or does not feel a sense of accomplishment because it is too easy, they can start to coast along without putting their best effort forward.
 

8. Reluctant to go to school. When your child seems to be getting good grades but still says they don’t want to go to school, they may have become bored because they are not sufficiently challenged. School refusal is a complex issue that may have other causes, but it can also be the result of simple boredom.
 

9. Performs well on tests but not assignments. When the topics are not challenging enough or the pace of the class is too slow, gifted students realize that they can easily pass the test with a single night of studying or no studying at all. They skimp on assignments because they don’t see the need to do them.
 

10. Being disruptive in class. Sometimes the student who is bored makes things more interesting by becoming a class clown or challenging their instructor or classmates. While this is a natural tendency for a confident and under-challenged student, it can be a sign that your child needs a different learning environment.
 

What should you do as a parent?
 

If your child is bored at school, the best course of action is to talk to their teacher to discuss potential solutions like enriching assignments, advanced learning opportunities, or differentiated instruction based on their abilities, and to ensure the curriculum is appropriately challenging for their level; you can also encourage your child to actively participate in class, ask questions, and seek out additional challenges when possible.
 

Here are a few more steps you can take:

1. Open communication:
Talk to your child about their boredom, asking them to explain why they feel that way and what might make things more engaging.
 

2. Assess the situation:
Consider if your child is truly bored or if there might be underlying issues like attention difficulties or learning challenges that need addressing.
 

3. Explore enrichment options: Such as the following
● Advanced materials: If your child is ahead in a subject, ask the teacher about access to more challenging work or materials.
● Independent projects: Encourage independent research or creative projects related to the class topic.
● Contact the Resource Teacher to see if there are ways for your child to be further enriched in their learning
 

4. Develop study habits:
Teach your child strategies to stay engaged in class, like taking good notes, asking questions, and actively participating in discussions.
 

5. Consider extracurricular activities:
Explore after-school clubs or activities that align with your child's interests to provide mental stimulation outside of the classroom.

Important points to remember:

Be supportive:
Validate your child's feelings and work collaboratively with them to find solutions.
Don't jump to conclusions:

Before assuming your child is simply bored, try to understand the root cause of their
disengagement.

Collaborate with the teacher:
Maintaining open communication with the teacher is key to finding the best approach for
your child's needs. If you still feel that your child needs more set up meetings with the
school and ask for additional support in allowing your child to learn and grow.