"Smart Kid, Struggling at School"
A child can be smart and still struggle at school. In our view, being bright is no reason to stop looking at the work. Find which part of reading, writing or math still takes effort. A child working that hard can look like they are not paying attention.
TL;DR
- A child can be smart and still struggle. In our view, being bright is no reason to stop looking at the work.
- In our view, the useful question is which part of the schoolwork is hard. A child can have trouble with more than one.
- When reading, writing or math still takes effort, that effort is one more job running at once. It competes with the work on the page. So a child who cannot yet read the page can look inattentive at it.
- Struggling to read says nothing about how smart your child is. To us, a bright child who finds reading hard is not a contradiction.
- In our view, the first step is usually to work out what is hard. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first.
Smart, and still struggling
A child can be smart and still struggle. In our view, being bright is no reason to stop looking at the work. To us, the useful question is which part of the schoolwork is hard. A child can have trouble with more than one.
Our rule is to describe patterns on these pages. We do not put a name on a child.
Which part of the work is hard?
Reading, writing and math each have several parts. A child can find one part hard and another part easier.
Our page on math difficulties has more.
When reading is the hard part
Struggling to read says nothing about how smart your child is. To us, a bright child who finds reading hard is not a contradiction.
Our page on reading has more.
When writing shows less than they know
Letters and spelling that are not yet automatic compete with the ideas for attention. This is one real reason a child writes less than they know. It is not the only one.
Our page on writing difficulties has more.
When it looks like not paying attention
When reading, writing or math still takes effort, that effort is one more job running at once. It competes with the work on the page. So a child who cannot yet read the page can look inattentive at it.
Our page on attention and focus has more.
Other things worth checking
A few ordinary things are worth checking too.
A tired child is harder to start and harder to keep going.
Have hearing and vision checked too. A child who cannot hear well needs that found. So does a child who cannot see the print clearly. Ask your child's doctor whether hearing has been checked recently.
Our page on processing difficulties has more.
Your child may be worried. For worry, ask a mental-health professional. Sadness or worry that lasts is a reason to ask for help too.
Working out what is hard
In our view, the first step is usually to work out what is hard. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first.
When to ask for help
Each of these is a reason to ask for help on its own.
- Little change, even with steady practice and good teaching.
- Schoolwork well below what school expects.
- A teacher who raises a concern about learning.
- Extreme upset about schoolwork.
- Complete avoidance of school or learning.
- Hopelessness about learning.
- Sadness or worry that lasts.
- Significant delays in speech, language or motor development.
- A skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
If no skill has gone, start with the teacher. Say what you are seeing at home, and what you have tried. Beyond the teacher, the right person depends on what it turns out to be about. If the work is too hard, someone who works on that school skill. If worry or mood is the thing, someone who works with children's mental health. In our view, delays in speech, language or movement are worth raising with your child's doctor. In our view, if you are worried enough to ask, a professional evaluation is worth asking about.
Any talk of hurting themselves is a same-day call to your doctor or a crisis line.
In the classroom
Note which part of the work takes this student longest. Share that with the family.
One sentence for an email home: "He explains his ideas well out loud. Which part of his homework takes him longest at home?"
Key Takeaways
A child can be smart and still struggle. In our view, being bright is no reason to stop looking at the work.
In our view, the useful question is which part of the schoolwork is hard. A child can have trouble with more than one.
When reading, writing or math still takes effort, that effort is one more job running at once. It competes with the work on the page. So a child who cannot yet read the page can look inattentive at it.
Struggling to read says nothing about how smart your child is. To us, a bright child who finds reading hard is not a contradiction.
In our view, the first step is usually to work out what is hard. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first.
Tonight, sit with your child for one piece of homework. Note which part takes longest. Share what you noticed with the teacher.
”What to do tonightWhat to use next
An overview of processing skills. Our work on each runs alongside reading, spelling or math instruction, not in place of it.
Listening practice, built to run alongside reading and spelling instruction, not in place of it. No study of this program exists, so nothing is claimed for it on reading, spelling, attention or social skills.
Common questions from parents
My child is smart. Why are they struggling at school?
A child can be smart and still struggle. In our view, being bright is no reason to stop looking at the work. To us, the useful question is which part of the schoolwork is hard. When the work still takes effort, a child can look like they are not paying attention.
Can a bright child find reading hard?
Struggling to read says nothing about how smart your child is. To us, a bright child who finds reading hard is not a contradiction. Our page on reading has more.
Could my bright child just be bored?
We hold no study showing that boredom explains trouble paying attention. If the work seems too easy, ask the school about its level. Then look at which part of the work is hard for your child.
My child is clever but failing. What should we do?
In our view, the first step is usually to work out what is hard. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first. If no skill has gone, start with the teacher. Say what you are seeing at home, and what you have tried.