My 9th grade daughter is the opposite: doing so much better this half of the year. She’s much more motivated. Why? I have a few guesses:

—She got an iPad. That allows her to leave her room where she’s tied to the desktop and work anywhere in the house. I think it’s helped to break up the monotony of being in one place.

—Hybrid. She’s only font one afternoon a week, but just getting out of the house helps.

—Longer, brighter days. I think the fall was hard as the days got shorter.

I’m so glad she’s doing better because I’m struggling. I’m a elem school principal, and I’m done. Exhausted. We just started bringing students back, which is great. But the level of detail in the planning and creating all new procedures have been exhausting. I’ve never looked forward to spring break as much as I do now.

OP again — nice to see upper class HSers with some motivation. They can see the end goal. My middle schoolers, not so much, even the one taking classes now for HS credit. Ugh.

Anonymous wrote:My 7th grader did great and thus semester I really could see the burnout. Thankfully, starting hybrid this week has put a pep back in him. It’s so good not to see him glued to the desk in his bedroom and actually getting out of the house to go in person.

OP here — my 7th grader has a tiny bit of pep this as he sees who is and isn’t in school, who is being sent home w/ COVID(-like) symptoms. It’s like a new game. He’s still dragging on homework (all caught up) but at least there is something NEW to watch. SMH

Anonymous wrote:My senior says “I came this far, I’m not screwing it up now.” It’s clear that DL is causing mental and physical strain, though, so without that motivation, I’m fairly certain that I would be seeing a lot less effort at this point.

This is my junior. And there is no humble brag here. I’m frankly surprised. She has ADHD and spring was mess. 2 B-s (and 5 As) because she just couldn’t manage to get 3rd Q assignments in for two classes, no matter how many chances she got. I was dreading this year and thought it would be a frustrating mess. But, she did not like where she ended up last spring and agreed to an EF coach. And put 110% in this fall. Will end Q3 with 6As and @ B+, 4 APs. And now that she is doing well, she is more motivated than she was a year ago. She says this is the most important year for college, that her teachers seem to love that she is prepared and participating and that she has worked too hard to prove to colleges that she could take all the crap COVID threw at her amd keep going. In e fall, she wanted to do well. Right now, she is determined to finish strong and really have something to show for this year. To not let COzvID and FCPs and DL win.

Like I said. Not a brag or humble brag. This is not what I predicted would happen and my kid has her share of unenviable traits. She is very stubborn and very determined. I think we got very lucky she channeled it into proving she can succeed, rather than proving DL sucks and and she is destined to fail. Because it really could have gone either way.

My 7th grader did great and thus semester I really could see the burnout. Thankfully, starting hybrid this week has put a pep back in him. It’s so good not to see him glued to the desk in his bedroom and actually getting out of the house to go in person.

Second semester senior, straight As first semester, could care less this semester. Already accepted to college, we are fine letting her slack. DL is a joke anyway. She'll study for APs and call it a day.

Anonymous wrote:My senior says “I came this far, I’m not screwing it up now.” It’s clear that DL is causing mental and physical strain, though, so without that motivation, I’m fairly certain that I would be seeing a lot less effort at this point.

That's an interesting take! My senior is still working, but she's got her college now so there is less stress AND less motivation. Her last essay was done the night before and it basically was a rough draft.

The thing that's really bothering me is that her school has just opened up to optional in-person; one grade per day. So seniors would go every few days. Although she is not scared of covid, DD will not go. At first I was worked up about it, but the school had pitched it as a pre-spring-break trial, so I decided not to worry about it. But the last couple of days, she said that she's not going back at all. So I really can't figure out if this doesn't matter and her focus is turning away from high school and toward summer and college, or if this is indicative of lack of stepping up and getting out there that might continue on at college. (any of your thoughts on this are welcome)

^^meant 8th and 10th.

Yup!! 8th did 20th, neither kid GAF right now. They do the bare minimum. It’s going to be a tough transition back next year.

Yes, OP, my 9th grader is completely out of motivation. He was doing fine 1st and 2nd quarter. Third quarter has been a huge struggle.

Anonymous wrote:It's at the point where some people have stopped caring

FTFY

It's at the point where everyone has stopped caring

We're not at the point of failure, but DD and her friends have definitely lost motivation. She's still turning in assignments, but I can see that she's half-assing them, and tests, she just rushes through to get them over with.

Our middle school had a group of parents who were very determined that DL would fail for their children and have not applied any of the resources offered. One family is taking “a vacation from DL” ahead of their children’s 4/8 return. The kids won’t be logging in to Zoom or completing assignments.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. We moved a month or so ago and my children's learning space went from being in an open (sort of monitored) space to a room with a door. I just got an email from the teacher saying that my child is clearly distracted and has been for a few weeks, and she is worried because it is SO unlike him. Turns out he's watching YouTube. I'm honestly surprised that it took this long into the school year for this to happen. I would have been a TERRIBLE distance learning student if I had all the stuff available to me that kids do now.

Oh me too. Hell, I'm a terrible Zoom meeting attendee. I rarely turn on my camera and 'll give it about five minutes before I mentally check out and pick up my phone to start playing.

And I'm 50 years old.