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Summary:
A professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina Medical School, Mel Levine received acclaim for his previous book, A Mind at a Time, which argued that children’s different learning capabilities demand diverse teaching strategies. In The Myth of Laziness, Levine isolates another group of kids--so-called "lazy" children who aren’t working up to their potential in school--and explores the causes of their low performance. Levine scoffs at the perception that any child is lazy, stating that "everybody yearns to be productive." These children, according to Levine, are simply experiencing "output failure" due to different neuro-developmental weaknesses.
Levine produces case studies of seven children and adults who have been labeled lazy and identifies internal sources that are undermining their production. Many of their output issues revolve around difficulties with writing, as is the case with Russell, who is hindered by his low motor skills, or Clint, whose long-term memory lapses prevent him from expressing himself well. Other weaknesses, such as poor oral language ability, mental energy dysfunction, poor idea generation, and organizational problems, plague the individuals in these case studies. Levine talks briefly about external factors that contribute to low output, such as socioeconomic background, family life, and negative role models. In the profile for Scott Murray, Levine even has the humility to admit that he was unable to reach this young man. External influences--namely, Scott’s privileged upbringing--were too pervasive in causing his output failure.
The last few chapters are devoted to suggestions for what parents and teachers can do to foster productive output in their children and students and how to detect a problem that is internal rather than environmental. Tips on how to cultivate writing skills, set up an organized home office, and assist with homework are aimed at parents while teachers are encouraged to consider individuality among their students’ learning styles. Finally, the appendices offer two worksheets to help students plan stories and reports. Two additional worksheets help pinpoint whether output problems are the cause of poor schoolwork. This is a valuable book that will give parents some guidance in solving their children’s productivity issues and preparing their children successfully for adulthood. --Cristina Vaamonde
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Rating:
Book May Have Cracked the Case!
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Note, I am reviewing the audio copy of the book as read by the author. I really enjoyed his reading voice and knowing that he read the sentence with the intended emphasis.
I work with under-privileged children of different ages, and I have the hardest time motivating these children. They have great potential, as shown be some subject areas that they excel in, but they just do not work hard or seem to care. One 17-year old child in particular was very baffling to me. He'd say things like "I don't care about math since I'll never use it in my life" or "I don't care about English class because I hate the teacher." I took these and similar responses at face value thinking this kid was calling it straight. Well, after completing this book I realize how completely wrong my approach was. It turns out my kid wasn't telling the truth! (I know, I know... Big shock.) He really wanted to do well in these classes but has low energy leading to output failure. It all makes sense now after hearing the case studies (esp. Ginny) in Dr. Levine's book. I was able to look at my child (that I'm tutoring) with a fresh set of eyes and realize that he needed a new approach. For starters, my kid has sleeping issues. My kid is also a diabetic who was having high A1C levels. Although the book doesn't talk about diabetes affecting learning, the book's fresh perspective allow me consider the possibility. After researching, I learned that a study released in 2009 linked poor academic performance to high A1C levels. Naturally, I am helping my child lower his A1C numbers and get more consistent sleep. Once those problems are solved, I may look into other issues he may have. Thank you Dr. Levine for your book and for giving me new observations in dealing with children labeled as 'lazy'. I don't know yet if this kids grades will shoot up, but at least I feel like I have a better approach and not stabbing in the dark.
Laziness is learned not inherent
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Dr. Levine's book, The Myth of Laziness is great at breaking down why children and adolescents can have struggles with academics and even day to day tasks. I am also a developmental and behavioral pediatrician and in my work with children, parents, and teachers, have found that demystifying why a child/adolescent is struggling is the first step to developing a plan of both intervention and accommodation.
Too often, however, the struggling child becomes a struggling adolescent before the problems are determined, if at all. This leads the individual to learn that it is much easier and less stressful to get a D or F by not doing the work rather than struggling with it for hours just to be told it is not worthy of a higher grade. Some do give up in elementary school but most continue to try until they hit middle school, when the demands multiply exponentially and they still haven't mastered the foundational skills.
Dr. Levine wants people to actually spend time watching how the child attempts to take in, process, store, retrieve, and output the information. There are many soft neurologic signs that provide clues to the intensity of mental energy that is actually going on to try to comply, such as mouth movements, and the famous tongue sticking out, the fingers/knuckles on the other hand moving slightly as the student is trying to write, the keeping of the eyes close to the paper as they try to write, and for more than a few an increase in general motor movement as the brain goes into overdrive trying to send energy and information to the brain. One can also see the child close their eyes or appear to look upward as they are trying to figure something out, which is another involuntary sign of mental activity.
These are signs that Dr. Levine teaches the physicians, teachers, social workers, and psychologists who take his classes in Chapel Hill. Unfortunately the larger number of those in the education field are unaware of that since it is not taught in the colleges.
His books try to give a picture of how to look at the child's processing and learning styles and how to work with them.
These students don't start out lazy and unmotivated. They learn to be this way as a life saving strategy from appearing stupid.
Fantastic book
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Great insights into how children learn and how to create interventions that effectively help struggling students!
The Myth of Laziness
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I read this in a book chat with other teachers. It makes you rethink how you view students. It has been one of the most influential books that I have read in quite some time. All teachers should read this.
Demystifying the "Lazy" Child
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Since I work with students who have a variety of learning differences that hinder their output, I was very encouraged by this book. It is so useful to have someone methodically lay out different case studies so you know what to look for, then provide the keys to overcoming those deficits. Only a few of my students fit the profile of "output failure" as described by Dr. Levine; however, his methods for assisting students to get organized (notes, schedules, school supplies) and for developing stories and reports, meet many of my students' needs.
I especially like the demystification process, not only for the student, but also for the parents. Good grades are a source of very high pressure, and students with language learning differences, such as those on my caseload, usually earn C's when they are working their absolute hardest and have accommodations. Rather than admit that their child has difficulty learning, many parents believe the children are lazy, and therefore assign more work or insist on an additional class. This book provides tools to explain to parents how they can best benefit their child by being an advocate and the best cheerleader on the child's team, not the child's harshest critic. Dr. Levine advises "appropriate breaks" from work, so I too recommend a balance of life. He also provides a checklist for parents to "cultivate output".
There is so much new information coming out regarding diverse ways to remediate, accommodate, and compensate for learning differences, and Dr. Levine is at the forefront of this movement. I especially appreciate that his work comes from his heart. His ambition in the field of pediatrics is driven by his genuine concern and compassion for his patients. This inspires me to be more ambitious in my reading and research as I seek to find the best teaching methods to match up with each of my student's individual needs. Dr. Levine reminds us that what works for one doesn't necessarily work for someone else, so in order to serve my students best, I need to be creative in my search for strategies, open-minded to change, and above all, patient in awaiting long-lasting results.
On the flip side, Dr. Levine maintains that there is no harm in giving rewards, but I disagree. If a child is doing what is right in order to get a reward (or to avoid punishment), he is extrinsically motivated and he is not being truly responsible for his choices and actions. Giving rewards infers that doing right just for the sake of doing right is not enough. This philosophy is important because it not only affects a student's output or behavior but also his self-esteem, his sense of satisfaction with life, and his feelings of self-control and empowerment in all areas. I encourage my students to consider their choices and do what is right and appropriate at all times, whether anyone is noticing or not. I teach them that their lives are the sum total of their choices. I hope this type of thinking will keep them safe and on the right track no matter where they are or what they may be tempted to do, because their motivation will be intrinsic. This is a minor point. I would wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Levine's book.
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