The Unmotivated Child Helping Your Underachiever Become a Successful Student

by Rathvon, Natalie

• ISBN13: 9780684803067
• ISBN10: 0684803062
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-11-06
• Publisher: Touchstone

Summary

Natalie Rathvon solves the mystery of underachievement in children by looking beneath the child's surface behavior. She discloses the beliefs that influence an underachiever's attitude and actions and pinpoints the warning signs to watch for in elementary, middle, and high school students.
The Unmotivated Child focuses on the roots of underachievement, the world of the underachiever, and pathways to achievement. By explaining in detail how parents and teachers can help a child live up to his or her potential, Rathvon offers solutions to problems, including guidelines for supporting the students through the change process, including dealing with setbacks, seven strategies for overcoming the "homework trap" - from helping children work effectively at home to making sure they bring their work to school, eight practical techniques for working with teachers to encourage a new approach to learning and school behavior, and five methods for communicating constructively with an underachiever.

Author Biography

After sixteen years of working with parents and children as a teacher, elementary school counselor, and middle school guidance director, Natalie Rathvon is currently a psychologist and educational consultant in private practice in Maryland. She holds two doctorates, a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from George Washington University and a Ph.D. in education from George Mason University. She is a licensed Psychologist in the District of Columbia and Maryland and a licensed Professional Counselor in Virginia. She has served as an adjunct professor at George Mason University, a guest lecturer at George Washington University, and an editorial board member of Elementary School Guidance and Counseling. Currently she is consultant to several schools and community agencies on projects ranging from training new teachers to accommodating diverse learners in the regular classroom. She has published many articles in education and counseling journals and frequently conducts workshops for parents, teachers, and mental health professionals on a wide variety of topics, including psychological testing, classroom management, and encouraging school success.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Mystery of Underachievement	p. 11
The Road to Underachievement	p. 21
Identifying the Underachiever	p. 39
The Internal World of the Underachiever	p. 65
The Underachiever at School	p. 85
The Problem with the Solution: Why Treatments Fail	p. 105
Opening the Door to Change: Constructive Communication Strategies	p. 124
The Homework Trap and How to Get Out of It	p. 147
Teaming with Teachers	p. 168
Dealing with School Misbehavior	p. 195
The Transformation Process	p. 211
Recommended Reading	p. 229
Index	p. 231
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