I really wish I had a good answer to this question. I would solve 3/4 of my son's problems with school. This was my DS15's biggest problem in school in 6th grade. My son HATES the term "favorite", or who is your Hero? Or other questions that imply a passion for a topic he is uninterested in. In my son's gifted class for homework he had to answer 3 questions like this a week, about a page of writing for each.
What I have tried to do is explain to my son that this is an assignments to improve your writing skills and help you think analytically. I have also explained that sometimes (depends on the teacher) you can answer these questions with humor, or fantasy, or explain why he doesn't like the topic. Half the time teacher only grade on completion for these things. I have tried explaining, over & over to just pick something a topic that you can say something. The teacher is NOT going to care or even know if this subject/item is really something that you love or hate. This has not been an easy lesson and we are still working on it.
As to how I teach my child that all school projects are important? I've required my son to finish assignments even if the teacher would not take them late. (When I know about them.) I have shown him mathematically, how one zero grade affects his overall grades. And as my son in now in H.S. how his grades will affect his future. Honestly, as a freshman in H.S. he still has difficult with this and I would love some better solutions.
Last edited by bluemagic; 04/21/14 11:06 AM.
