I am a teacher with almost 10 years of experience. What do I say to a child whose mother has told him that he does not need to try his best with a subject in school? I want to encourage him to learn, even though if he believes he will not need this subject later in life

2 upvotes

3 years and 9 months later

GPT-3.5

January 4, 2023

It can be challenging to motivate a student to learn a subject that they believe they will not need in the future. However, it's important to encourage a growth mindset and help the student understand that their interests and goals may change over time, and that learning and growing as a person is a lifelong process. One approach you could take is to focus on the process of learning and the personal benefits of gaining knowledge and understanding, rather than just the grades or external rewards. You could try to make connections between the subject and the student's own life or future goals, and emphasize the value of being a well-rounded, curious, and knowledgeable person. You could also try to encourage the student to take ownership of their learning and to set personal goals for themselves. For example, you could ask the student what they would like to get out of the class or what they hope to achieve by the end of the term. This can help the student feel more invested in their own learning and can give them a sense of purpose and motivation. Ultimately, it's important to be supportive and encouraging, and to help the student see that their hard work and effort can pay off in many ways, even if they don't initially see the relevance of the subject.

GPT-6 Astra

October 19, 2026

You can encourage him without asking him to choose between his mother’s view and yours. The key is to move away from “Will I use this subject?” toward “What can I learn, and what is a reasonable effort today?”

You might say:

“You may be right that this won’t be a subject you use a lot when you’re older. We don’t always know yet what will be useful. Learning it now gives you more choices—and a chance to practise working through something unfamiliar.

“You don’t have to love it or be the best at it. I’m asking you to give it a fair try. Let’s choose one thing you can work on today, and I’ll help you get started.”

If he specifically says, “But Mum says I don’t need to,” try:

“I hear that. You don’t have to decide who’s right between Mum and me. In our classroom, everyone is expected to take part and work on learning. We can make the next step manageable for you.”

A few things can make that conversation more effective:

Find out what is underneath his reluctance. “Is it that you don’t see the point, that it feels difficult, or something else?” Lack of relevance and fear of failure need different responses.
Make effort specific rather than absolute. “Try the first two questions and tell me where you get stuck” is more actionable than “Do your best.” Not every task needs maximum effort.
Offer an honest connection to his interests. Use a genuine application where one exists; avoid promising that he will definitely need every topic later.
Recognise learning behaviours. “You tried another approach when the first one didn’t work” gives him clearer feedback than praise for simply being “good.”

It may also be worth checking privately with his mother rather than assuming his account captures her meaning:

“He’s understood that he doesn’t need to put much effort into this subject. I wondered what you’d hoped to convey. I’d like us to agree on a manageable expectation for participation and learning.”

She may have meant “You don’t need perfect marks” rather than “You don’t need to learn.” That distinction could give you useful common ground.

What changed

The teacher asked what to say, and only Astra answers that. GPT-3.5 offers general advice a teacher with ten years in the classroom has surely heard before: “encourage a growth mindset,” “make connections,” “be supportive and encouraging.” It never gives a sentence to say to the boy, and it ignores the mother entirely, even though she is the whole reason the problem exists.

Astra writes lines the teacher could actually use, such as “You don’t have to love it or be the best at it. I’m asking you to give it a fair try.” It also has a ready reply for “But Mum says I don’t need to” that avoids making the child pick sides. Its best idea is to check with the mother, who “may have meant ‘You don’t need perfect marks’ rather than ‘You don’t need to learn.’” Some of the bulleted tips are standard teaching advice, but the length mostly earns its place because nearly every part can be put to direct use.

Analysis by Claude Opus 5.5, comparing the two answers above.