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On a recent follow-up visit to a school district that I have worked with for ten years, I was told that a few teachers were saying, “The student is just choosing to fail.”  In one sense that is a correct statement. A major premise of Choice Theory® is that all of our behavior is chosen and the only person we can control is ourselves.   The student is choosing to fail if and only if s/he has the requisite knowledge and skill to do what is being asked.  This is demonstrated primarily in the student just refusing to work. 

The difficulty arises from the simplicity of the statement.  While the behavior may make sense to the student, it is not usually the best long-term choice for the student.  Students do not have the experiences that most adults have.  The ability to predict long-term consequences and/or to see the importance of learning something that may not have long-term value is difficult for adults, let alone 6, 12 or 18 year-old.

The teacher is not exempt from answering the question, “Am I allowing this student to fail?”  Professional teachers work with, and are responsible for, continuing to work with the student as long as s/he is enrolled in the class.

Here are ten important questions that the teacher/adults can/should be asking:

1. Does the student know how to do the work?

2. Does the student have the necessary prerequisites to do the work?

3. Has the usefulness of the work been explained?

4. Does the work need to be adapted for this student?

5. Is the instructional method appropriate for this student?

6. Is the assessment of the work helpful/meaningful to the student?

7. Does the assessment need to be adapted for this student?

8. What does the student find motivating?

9. Does the student know how to study?

10. Does the student have any kind of support?  Parent, Friend, Tutor?

© 2000 Robert G. Hoglund  /  Center for Quality Education, Inc.