Instructional Strategies—Underachievement

Is your child an underachiever?

If your children exhibit several of these characteristics, they are not working to their abilities in school:

  • Inattentiveness
  • Disorganization
  • Does homework carelessly or incompletely
  • "Forgets" to turn in assignments even when completed
  • Procrastinates until the night before
  • Disruptive in some classes
  • Argues with teachers
  • Asks for more help than necessary
  • Blames others
  • Blames others and makes excuses
  • Avoids competitive activities
  • Considers school boring or irrelevant
  • Uses reading, computers, or television to escape from school responsibilities
  • Interest in learning has declined
  • Does not test as well as in earlier years

Questions to Consider

  • Is the classroom curriculum sufficiently challenging for your child?
  • Are you and the children's other parent united in your expectations for your children?
  • Is there good support and communication between home and school?
  • Does your child have a learning disability?
  • Does your child have an attention deficit?
  • Is sibling rivalry a part of the problem?
  • Is your child being affected by peer pressure?
  • Are there gender issues related to your child's achievement?
  • Have IQ or achievement tests shown a regular decline?

What should you do?

  • Contact your gifted coordinator.
  • Set up a conference with your child's teacher.
  • Set up regular communication with your child's teacher.
  • Have a psychologist evaluate your child.

Resources

Web Sites

Books

  • Davis, G. & Rimm, S. (1998). Education of the gifted and talented. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
    Heacox, D. & Espeland P. (Ed.) (1991). Up from underachievement: How teachers, students, and parents can work together to promote student success. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.
  • Rimm, S. (2001). Keys to parenting the gifted child. Hauppauge, NY: Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
  • Rimm, S. (1995). Why bright kids get poor grades. NY: Crown Publishing Inc.
  • Whitmore, J. (1980). Giftedness, conflict, and underachievement. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
  • Winebrenner, S. (2000). Teaching gifted kids in the regular classroom. Minneapolis: Free Spirit Publishing.

Journal Articles

  • Reis, S. M. (1998). "Underachievement for some—dropping out with dignity for others." ITAG News, Iowa Talented and Gifted Association newsletter, 23(4), 1, 12-15.
  • Reis, S. M., Westberg, K., Kulikowich, J., Caillard, F., Hebert, T., Purcell, J., Rogers, J., & Smist, J. (1992, April). "Modifying regular classroom instruction with curriculum compacting." In J. S. Renzulli (Chair), Regular classroom practices with gifted students: Findings from the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. Symposium conducted at the meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco.
  • Rimm, S. (2000). "Why do bright children underachieve? The pressures they feel." On Raising Kids newsletter. The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, pp. 2-3.
  • Rimm, S. (1997, April). "An Underachievement Epidemic." Educational Leadership, 54(7), 18-22.