The Underachievers are the unrecognizable breed in the normal classroom situation. They are often termed

as the mistaken identity of low-ability students. The teaching community brands certain percentage of students as this category. Of course, in the actual sense, they may not deserve this tag since they are endowed with high intellectual potential but suffer from the crisis of low scholastic performance. Hence the teachers should do some ground work with research mind to notice them before they can get assistance. Certain traits such as rebellious attitude, frequently lying, fear phobia with regard to success, day dreaming, inattentiveness, etc may be either one reason in isolation or multiple reasons in combination with another. It may also occur due to physical deformities.

Often performance below the natural ability may be due to the result of indifferent and ignoring nature at both home and school whereby it was concluded that the child is incapable of showing his best that is expected of him. It is also due to the fact that the child gives up due to timely motivational factor. Unless the fluctuating present performance is analyzed and cross checked in comparison with the raw scores of his previous academic years, it is difficult to arrive at any conclusion.

The enhancement of performance is possible provided the teacher takes up prolonged and planned sessions with the underachievers. The mentoring by the elderly people with warmth, understanding and praise will reap lasting benefits. Even the collective approach to working with underachievers who are gifted, including parents, peers, teachers, Counselors etc may also do wonders. In case the Underachievers hail from the under- privileged and economically backward sections, they need different kind of tool such as motivation combined with stimulus.

 

 

The best way to make children is to make them happy

– Oscar Wilde