Growing up, we all heard, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” This phrase reminds us that persistence is a key ingredient of success. But asking someone to try harder only works when the person can perform the task. Trying harder might work for an experienced rider training for a bike race, but someone who has never learned to ride a bike will need more than motivation to prepare for the same race. 

When a child is struggling at school, many parents’ first instinct is to say, “Try harder.” This is understandable, as motivation can be an issue for some children. However, telling a child to “try harder” only works when they have the necessary skills. Even the highest motivation can’t create abilities that a child doesn’t have. For example, telling a student with dyslexia to “try harder” on their reading homework won’t make a difference until the underlying issues are addressed and they develop the necessary skills. 

This article helps parents understand the difference between a lack of motivation and learning difficulties. It also discusses how common learning issues can affect motivation. Finally, it explains how therapeutic schools can help when “try harder” isn’t enough. 

The “Try Harder” Trap: The Relationship Between Learning Challenges and Motivation Issues   

A groundbreaking survey found that 44% of parents of children with learning disabilities believed that their children’s issues were “just the result of laziness.” Learning challenges do at least three things that cause parents to see motivation as the core problem. 

First, some learning challenges can directly affect motivation. For example, depression often causes a lack of motivation. Children with this condition may struggle with motivation even when the task is one that they are truly interested in. Parents should consider this possibility.

Second, many learning issues can make children seem unmotivated when they are. For example, a parent notices that their child waits until the last minute to start their homework and attributes it to a lack of motivation. However, a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might be waiting because they can’t focus. A child with anxiety might delay to avoid facing their fear that their work won’t be “perfect.” If they have executive functioning issues, they might not know where to start. Other common behaviors connected to learning issues that are often mistaken for a lack of motivation include: 

• Not paying attention in class
  • This can also be related to conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, and sensory processing issues. 

• Not completing work or tests
  • The child may have done all that their disability or emotions will allow. 

• Avoiding certain subjects or assignments
  • Children with dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia may dodge the subjects that require them to use skills that are limited by their disability.

• A negative attitude toward school
  • Children with learning issues often complain about school. They may even refuse to go. Rather than a lack of motivation, this could be related to a learning issue or emotional issues. These may be made worse by bullying.

• Forgetting homework or deadlines
  • Children with working memory or executive functioning issues often struggle here, as do children with ADHD.

• Turning in “sloppy” work or work with errors
  • A child with dysgraphia or similar issues may have done their best to write neatly. 

• Emotional outbursts during homework
  • Children with emotional issues often work hard to “hold it together” at school. Once they get home, they can release their true feelings.

Finally, many children with academic or emotional issues start out highly motivated. However, struggling with the same issues year after year can cause frustration. Also, at some point, they discover that they learn differently from other children. Working hard for minimal results while they see their peers succeed with little effort can lead these children to say, “Why bother?” 

How Parents Can Tell the Difference Between Motivation Issues and Learning Challenges 

It isn’t easy for parents to tell when a child’s struggles are related to motivation or something else. But generally, when motivation is the issue, children respond well to incentives and structure. Over time, you should see sustained progress. 

On the other hand, even the best incentive won’t change things for a child with learning challenges. One sign that you’re dealing with a learning issue is temporary progress. The child does well with support, but the issues return as soon as the support is removed. 

Other signs of a learning issue include: 

• The child is frustrated with themselves 
• The child doesn’t know (or can’t explain) what the issue is
• The child does well on smaller assignments but struggles with larger ones 
• The child can explain the material in one format (e.g., verbally) but not another (e.g., in writing) 
• The child does better outside of the typical classroom

How Therapeutic Schools Can Help Children with Motivational Issues

Teachers in traditional schools are trained professionals. Yet, not all of them understand the complex connections between learning issues and motivation. A 2017 study found that 33% of teachers believed that children’s learning challenges could be attributed to laziness. But as explained above, this is often not the case. Furthermore, traditional schools have large classes where children’s issues might not receive the attention they deserve. Worse, the lack of attention can allow children – especially bright children – to successfully hide their learning issues. 

On the other hand, teachers in therapeutic schools are trained to recognize both academic issues and social-emotional challenges. The smaller class sizes at therapeutic schools allow teachers to give each student individual attention. Best of all, the ability to focus on each child allows teachers to adapt their lessons to each student’s needs. These can include changing assignments to accommodate a disability, providing coaching on executive functioning, or helping with working memory issues. Even better, every student at a therapeutic school gets extra support, so children won’t feel singled out during support sessions.  

It can be difficult to know if a new school is the right move. But if you’ve ruled out motivation and the issues persist, it could be a good move. This is particularly true when school makes your child anxious or nervous, every night of homework is a struggle, or you see your child losing confidence. 

If your family is looking for a therapeutic school in New York City, consider Academics West. Every feature of our school is designed to help each child reach their full potential. To learn more about our school, watch our virtual tour. Then call 212-580-0080 or use our contact form to schedule your visit.