Doing Poorly on Purpose: Strategies to Reverse Underachievement and Respect Student Dignity

by James R. Delisle

With Doing Poorly on Purpose , veteran educator James R. Delisle dispels the negative associations and stereotypes connected to underachievement. By focusing on smart kids who get poor grades not because they're unable to do better in school but because they don't want to Delisle presents a snapshot of underachievement that may look far different from what you envision it to be. There is no such thing as a "classic underachiever." Students (and their reasons for underachieving) are influenced by a wide range of factors, including self-image, self-concept, social-emotional relationships, and the amount of dignity teachers afford their students. Helping "smart" students achieve when they don't want to is not an easy task, but you can reengage and inspire students using Delisle's insights and practical advice on these Smart, underachieving students need the reassurance that they are capable, valuable, and worth listening to despite their low academic performance. If these students who are otherwise academically capable don't feel they are getting respect from those in charge of their learning, then the desire to conform and achieve is minimized. In a word, they want dignity . Don't we all? This book is a joint publication of ASCD and Free Spirit Publishing.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction

166 pages, Paperback

Published January 23, 2017

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book while "in the trenches" with a student who was incredibly smart but not passing my class. I put it down when the many ideas I tried from the first half stopped working with this student. Finally picked it back up again to complete it (and knock it off my currently reading bookshelf ;). Overall, it had some good strategies and ideas for a new teacher; however, it was frustrating that it put so little responsibility on the student for his or her success. Sometimes we all have to develop inner strength and character to complete tasks we don't want to complete.

[Peter Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 30 of 60 of 2018: a good book with relevant research surrounding underachievement with gifted students and what we can do about it as educators. Good strategies. I’m currently building a book study for teachers around it.

[Zimm · Rating 4 out of 5]

James Delisle’s book, Doing Poorly on Purpose: Strategies to Reverse Underachievement and Respect Student Dignity, is a very approachable book. He was effectively able to pull from an extensive array of anecdotal evidence to exemplify certain student personality types leading to specific behaviors (along with teacher misconceptions), cross-referenced with an ample overlay of GT, psych., and educational citations and quotes to provide depth for the reasons underlying those behaviors.
Having been a twice exceptional child, who selectively failed elementary school, and having taught a wide variety of students over the last twenty years; he was spot on. I enjoyed Delisle’s breakdown of a complicated subject. It is informative to the layman, be they a questioning parent or a puzzled teacher. It provides historical and modern context, and unlike the vast majority of books on the subject, or in-service days, for that matter, it provides multiple techniques and strategies. Those psychological ‘whys’ of the selective consumer and the underachiever (either directly or passively failing) are explained humorously through a mixture of definitions and anecdotes, as are the methods with which one might engage with that student.
Some of the material within the book is newish, but most of it not. That is not a bad thing, because in education there is a tendency to thrown the baby out with the bath water whenever something new comes along. There is a reason many aspects of tradition are there… because they work. That said, not all things work today, even if they did yesterday. Therefore, one should selectively prune the educational tree. To some extent, this book does that. It goes over a reasonable number of good practices, and it translates the good old ones into to contemporary terminology. Some of the fruits quoted and left on the proverbial tree include references to (with a topical explanation) some of the following: Gelb’s 2004 spin on da Vinci’s guiding principles, Ginott’s, “frightening conclusion]…that he, the teacher… [is a tool of torture or an instrument of joy…” in the classroom, Biblio-therapy back to ancient Alexandria, film-therapy today, why Finland is so successful, and more.
From the books quote on page five, “The majority of secondary students had mastered 80% of the content of their textbooks before even opening them…” to the material on twice exceptional students and on to educational strategies, it’s easy to say much of the material lines up neatly with the philosophy behind Affective instruction with the intention of developing positive identity, confidence, and human dignity. A parallel can also be seen between this book’s direction and the direction Renzuli points to with an emphasis on student teacher interaction and student choice to…, well, make it interesting.
All in all, and enjoyable read. Throughout the text, lies an underlying theme: make authentic connections to life; make solid personal connections to students/teachers; have an affective intention in a Purkey and Novak’s “intentional (or unintentional) inviters” sort of way, and if one thing doesn’t work try something else (after talking about it) and here are a number of suggestions to try; be real. Who can argue with that?

[Karen Gedeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doing Poorly on Purpose: Strategies to Reverse Underachievement and Respect Student Dignity by James R. Delisle – written for the gifted student many of Delisle’s tricks and tips can be applied to any student. Delisle identifies two main types of students who purposely underachieve: underachiever and selective consumer. Once a student is identified with one of these two ambitions, an instructor can then approach the student through one of many “A” strategies: autonomy, access, advocacy, alternatives, aspirations and approachable educators. A chapter is devoted to each “A” topic with many strategies within. Although the book does not go into detail on each strategy, seasoned educators will be able to run with what’s given and new educators can begin to research. Overall a nice read for all educators. Everyone will take away something unique to their teaching style and room culture.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a veteran teacher, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I appreciate the fact that it deals with a misunderstood population of students, a group of kids who teachers think they're reaching but aren't. The book was easy to read, nmore than just another dry educational theory book. I could see my students, and my own children in some of the examples he used, and I appreciated the resources scattered throughout (ideas for prompts, information on Johns Hopkins, and the tips for talking to teachers chart. I particularly appreciated the emphasis on building relationships with students which is something that, in this day of high stakes testing, educators often forget. Overall, a quick and easy read which validated best practices and offered some ideas and resources along the way.

[George Kasnic · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts slow, but work through that. Within the book are innumerable pragmatic strategies which can be put to use individually, or comprehensively to the betterment of our students and of ourselves.

From confirming some things I was already doing, to laying out new strategies on how to connect with students in order to help them become their best, this book is one of the most valuable ones I have read in my career. No pap or pablum, it stays on task and is focused on what it promises to cover.

Buy it, read it, implement it!

[C.L. Walters · Rating 1 out of 5]

This single star is for the effort put into the book and maybe would be useful for first - fifth year teachers who still need teacher tools to add to their toolkit. I can’t help but wonder if this is it in education books? Why is there nothing that speaks to the veteran educator? The content is trite, common sense and after many years teaching well integrated into my classroom. On another note, it is a quick and simple read.

[Erin McDonnell-Jones · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn’t get too much out of this book. He structured it based on his own experiences and various strategies teachers can use to help their underachieving student achieve, but I feel like this could have been summarized in an article, not a book.

[Kyle Youngblood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although a slog at times, I found the book to be inspiring and help me consider my own education as a child. Not only that, I found that it was the perfect summer read after a difficult end of the year to recharge my batteries.

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some great points that I had not thought about when dealing with capable students who are not showing their potential.