WHY CHILDREN FAIL AT SCHOOL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 50, 27 August 1938, Page 27

WHY CHILDREN FAIL AT SCHOOL

The listless child is not always lazy ] and many, many youngsters are misunderstood in this respect, writes Dr. Irving Cutter in the "Chicago Tribune." They are said to be disinterested, when the fact of the matter is that some physical weakness or failure lies behind the scene. Physicians see many boys and girls who are not doing well at school. I only wish it were possible to give every pupil who appears backward a careful psychological and physical inventory. How can one with a grumbling, chronic appendix become absorbed in his school work? Neither should we expect the lad with adenoids, whose blood is insufficiently supplied with oxygen because of the j obstruction to breathing, to 'exhibit an alert mental state. Enlarged tonsils, particularly ifj coupled with adenoids, may be accountable for seeming dullness. Gland ! tissues may be infected and the absorption, of pus therefrom will destroy vitality. Look out for the little one who complains of "growing pains"— they nearly always denote rheumatism j—even thotxgh there is no obvious evidence of swollen joints. Of course, it is wise to measure the child's thinking powers. For this purpose tests are applied. Defectives usually register below 70, backward children between 75 and 90, and those of superior intelligence 120 or even higher. If the intelligence quotient is 100 or more, and if the school work is unsatisfactory, it is time to take stock of physical reserve which must include also those emotional factors which dissipate energy. Every youngster should have a normal interest in the out-of-doors. If nothing intrigues him other than acti[vities within the home, parents have a training problem on their hands. Sometimes the boy is just too tired to play and, after a bit, fatigue may be-j

come a stock excuse. We see so many cases of those who are poor at games. That may be the reason why they feel "out of things." Everyone wants to have his say some of the time and to have his opinion respected by others. No child deserves more pity than the one who is sensitive and whose emotions constantly are harrowed by denials, scoldings, and "dont's." No ] wonder he becomes more and more introspective. Every rebuff lands him lower in the scale of companionability. Occasionally one of these children will turn on his tormentors and thrash the whole outfit. With selfi respect thus restored he will take his rightful place among his playmates. A serious situation is presented when a child tells at home that his teacher always is scolding him. One of the most vicious weapons is sarcasm. What every student needs is sympathetic handling because—as a rule—he is trying earnestly. In this manner only can resentments be routed out and rebellion quelled. Some teachers recognise their responsibility keenly; others —possibly time-servers—make no attempt to solve individual problems. Encourage-j rnent, even though the task is not per- I formed perfectly, is a mental stimulus | of great power. There is nothing quite so shortsighted as the failure to acknowledge zealous eifort. I have seen scores of boys and girls come out of mental fogs under smiling commendation. Do not push your son or daughter, even if he or she is a grade behind others of his age. This should be the rule, particulaly if be has been ill, has | missed ' school, or is likely to be a i "bare passer." I am afraid that on j many occasions the desire to have him | keep up, at the cost of lost sleep and overdrafts on his nervous energy, I wrecks what would otherwise be a j happy school experience. i