Education

Often parents perceive their children’s lack of interest in studying as laziness, disobedience, or even ungratefulness. Yet, more often than not there are deeper underlying factors that can result in no motivation to study.

Having no motivation to study can have a dramatic impact on students’ grades. However, it’s not the only danger.

Students are a lot less likely to perform at 100% of their capacity and miss integral aspects of a subject. If that happens over a long period of time, students can form significant gaps in knowledge which can prevent them from optimally performing in respective subjects in the future.

As a result, they won’t be able to maximize their potential and eventually settle for jobs that would otherwise be below their capacity.

The good news is that with adequate communication, it’s possible to identify the main factors that cause students to lose motivation in studying and help them to overcome it. After all, our duty as parents is to provide our children with the tools they need to successfully navigate the hardships in life.

10 Factors that Cause Students to Have No Motivation to Study

1. Students See No Purpose in Studying

Children can have a tough time studying if they deem the subject pointless or useless. To motivate their children to study, parents often opt for a simple explanation – studying leads to good grades, and good grades are needed to be successful in life. While for parents this makes sense, children do not have the same experience in life, and they may not necessarily understand why being successful matters.

As a result, they may not be able to see the importance of studying in the same way as their parents. This is especially common with girls and STEM subjects. They often fail to see how subjects such as math or physics can be useful.

So, instead, children should comprehend the practicality of subjects. For instance, explain how math can help them with purchases, budgeting, and saving money.

Don’t just explain. Demonstrate as well. For instance, ask if there is anything that they’d like to buy such as toys, clothes, or videogames. Then help students determine how they can save up for it using their pocket money or income if they already have a job. Involve your children in any budgeting or financial planning so that they get a real-time experience with it.

2. Their Interest Has Turned into Obsession

When children like something, they obsess about it. So, your child’s passion or obsession may affect other areas of their life.

There is no reason to discourage your child from developing interests and passions. However, it’s also a great opportunity to teach them how to plan and manage their time and prioritize tasks.

3. A Boring Teaching Method

Children have different learning preferences and needs, and planning classes that would address them all is time-consuming.

While most teachers are adequately qualified and start their careers with the best interests of students in mind, many are underpaid, stressed, overburdened, burnt out, have low morale or other reasons that prevent them from putting in the time and effort needed to make all their classes engaging to everyone.

As a consequence, their teaching style may become dry and boring. That, in turn, affects the interest and motivation of their students.

Sadly, not always parents can do much about public schooling. However, they can look into alternative teaching option such as extracurricular classes that provide hands-on learning and other more engaging teaching options to address the specific needs and interests of their children.

4. The Subject Is Too Challenging

There can be many reasons for why children can find certain subjects challenging. This can be either not being naturally strong in a specific area, having developed gaps in knowledge, or perhaps needing more time or practice with specific tasks.

Repeatedly failing to succeed in a certain subject can ultimately develop negative associations with the subject and result in no motivation to study.

It’s important to talk to a child and help them identify what is causing the subject to be challenging to provide the best possible solution to it.

5. The Subject Is Too Easy

No education system is perfect. Therefore, there are students who can learn and advance much faster than their classmates. While repeated success can be great external motivation in the short term, it can result in developing no motivation to study if the subject provides absolutely no challenge over a long period of time.

If teachers are unable to provide such students with an additional challenge, extracurricular classes and activities can help. They can also help these children to connect with likeminded students, thus improving their wellbeing, attitude to, and interest in the subject.

6. Burn Out

Nowadays, children have a lot more on their plates than they did decades ago. As a matter of fact, a study concluded that elementary school children get more homework than education leaders advise it. Sometimes even three times more.

If in addition to the large school load children also have too many extracurricular activities, this can lead to stress and burn out at a very early age.

Therefore, it’s essential to make sure that children get their school tasks done, yet are not over-burdened. Make sure that they get enough play and downtime. Adequate sleep and play are necessary for children’s optimal development.

7. Too High Expectations

It’s commonly believed that setting high expectations motivates children. It’s true to a degree. However, excessively high expectations can be the reason for no motivation to study according to a number of studies. They can lead to depression in students and, consequently, negatively impact academic performance.  Thus, finding a balance is important.

8. Family Circumstances

Sometimes, the lack of motivation has nothing to do with school or subjects. Children can have no motivation to study if things at home aren’t going well. A study in Colorado indicated that children of divorce displayed poorer academic results than children from intact families.

Therefore, parents need to be aware that anything that affects them also affects their children. In adverse events such as conflicts, divorce, loss of a job, children may need additional support to cope with the stress.

9. Uncomfortable Learning Environment

Other factors such as how comfortable and safe children feel in their learning environment matter too. It’s important to ensure that they have all the supplies necessary, enough light, as well as feel warm and have eaten.

Relationships with other children, bullying, and conflicts with the teacher can also cause students to have no motivation to study. It’s important for parents to communicate with their children and inquire about the situation at school to stay informed about their children’s wellbeing.

10. Learning Disabilities

Last but not least, different cognitive, intellectual, and developmental disabilities can affect children’s health, wellbeing, and the ability to study optimally. In such cases, it’s best to get professional help or advice on what can help children to better perform academically.

Have any of these caused your child to have no motivation to study? How did you or are coping with it? Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and let us know!