They Can but They Don't: Helping Students Overcome Work Inhibition

By Jerome H. Bruns

Book Overview

"Required rading for education students, teachers, counselors, and parents of work-inhibited children."-Library Journal.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0670838896
• ISBN13: 9780670838899
• Release Date: August 1992
• Publisher: Viking Adult
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 20.0" x 20.0" x 20.0"

Customer Reviews

Very informative

Caveat: I am only halfway through the book. So far, I have learned a great deal about not only my daughter's issues with work inhibition, but also my own. If only I had had this information when I was in school. I always got great grades, because I did well on tests and in-class assignments. But in high school I became a total underachiever due to the increased volume of independent study. I bypassed college until my 30s for this same reason. Now, I fear, I have passed this legacy on to my daugther. I also continue to struggle with the problem of work inhibition in my career. Thus far, the book has covered a great deal of research into how work inhibited students are the same and different from motivated students. This was very enlightening to me and has also proved helpful in parenting my daughter already! One reviewer commented on content organization. I am a writer by profession, and I personally find this book thus far to be well organized. However, I will admit that everyone has their own style of reading and writing, and what works for one reader doesn't always work for another. I say this in the hopes that you will not pass this book by because you are concerned about being able to follow the writing. I can assure you, no matter what your reading style, the book is quite readable. There are a table of contents and section headings to assist you should you prefer to read it in a different order. I would caution against skipping ahead to the "what should I be doing" content and read as much of the background information as possible. It really helps. I also feel the writer's tone is quite clear and easy to follow. Other authors on this subject have been criticized for condemning parents. While this author does point out some parental causes for work inhibition, I feel it was done in a non-judgmental fashion from which I could learn and adjust. I plan to write another review after I finish the book and have a chance to apply some of the methods; however, I didn't want to let the "content organization" review to go without response for too long. I almost passed this book up due to that review, and I'm glad I didn't!

This Book Changed my Mind about "Lazy" Students

As a high school teacher I often felt frustrated attempting to teach seemingly intelligent students who repeatedly did not complete their work. This book finally convinced me these students are not "lazy" - they are work-inhibited. These students have associated work with negative emotions. For example, think about the food you hate the most. For me it's brussel sprouts. For work-inhibited students, school work is like being asked to eat brussel sprouts in every class. One might be able to choke down a few for a well-liked teacher, but after a while even the thought of brussel sprouts conjurs up negative emotions. The good news presented by Bruns is that work inhibition is easily identifiable and the sooner apppropriate intervention is begun, the better the chance of reversal. Bruns has writen individual chapters for parents, teachers, counselors and psychologists with positive,workable solutions to address this problem, which affects as many as 20% of students. I'm mailing copies of this book to 2 families ASAP.

An Aha! Experience

This book transformed my attitude toward my son's behavior and opened my eyes to things my husband and I have done to contribute to the situation. The book includes specific examples of what parents say and do that is unhelpful, and suggests alternate phrases and actions that are more effective. I immediately applied some of the insights I gained and can see a change already. The author includes chapters specifically for school administrators, teachers, counselors, and parents, with concrete suggestions for each group. I am buying multiple copies of this book to hand out.

On Target

As an elementary school principal I find that Bruns has identified a critical area of student failure. These students don't fall into an easy disability slot. They are the ones most likely to stumble along, just doing enough to get by and avioding challenges all their lives. Bruns offers helpful, specific suggestions for reaching them and most interventions don't require any more expertise than the classroom teacher already has. He has further identified the critical year; fourth grade. Get the train on track at that level and it probably won't jump off later!

Enlightening, a gift for any frustrated parent or teacher.

I chose this book off of the bookshelves because the title summed up my child's syndrome. After reading the book, I am convinced that this is what our FAMILY suffers from. The lessons set forth in the later chapters seem obvious enough, but they are subtle and ingenious. I recommend this book.to any parent who has a highly intelligent child who does not apply themselves. It will provide the parent(s) a greater understanding of their child's state of mind as well as force the readers to reevaluate how they motivate their children to succeed . This book will change lives for years to come.