Editorial Review
How many times have you heard a teacher say that your child has tremendous potential "if only he'd just apply himself" or "if only sh'd work just a little harder"? How often have you said the same thing to your son or daughter? Or perhaps you have a coworker who can't seem to finish anything; his reports are never in on time, or her projects are always behind the schedule. No matter what excusses you hear, you suspect that laziness is the real reason for your colleague's low productivity.
Almost no one is actually lazy, says Dr. Mel Levine, author of the #1 national bestseller A Mind at a Time. Low productivity -- whether in school or on the job -- is almost always caused by a genuine problem, a neurodevelopmental dysfunction. despite this, untold number of people have been stigmatized by unfair accusations of laziness, many of them adults who still carry emotional scars from their school days. In The Myth of Laziness Dr. Levine shows how we can spot the neurodevelopmental dysfunctions that may cause "output failure," as he calls it, whether in school or in the workplace. Dr. Levine identifies seven forms of dysfunctions that obstruct output. Drawning on his years of clinical experience he describes eight people -- children, adolescents, and adults -- he has worked with who exhibited one or another of these problems. He shows how identifying the problem can make all the difference, leading to a course of corrective action rather than to accusations of laziness and moral failure.
With its practical advice and its compassionate tone, The Myth of Laziness shows parents how to nurture their child strengths and improve their classroom productivity. Most important, it shows parents how correcting these problems in childhood will help children live a fulfilling and productive adult life.
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Customer Reviews
Incredibly useful 
2007-03-02
"You can do it if you just put your mind to it." "You just need to buckle down." "She's incredibly smart she just needs to learn to focus." "I guess I'm just lazy." These are the sort of phrases that haunt a lot of people through school and into adulthood. Dr. Levine describes a series of composite case studies of people who suffer from what he calls, "output failure." Filled with original thinking in neuroscience and education this book argues that many failures to achieve aren't do to simple moral failings put to diagnosible and treatable developmental problems.
If you or your child is struggling in school and has perhaps even received a diagnosis of ADHD, ODD, or bipoloar disorder then you may find some new ideas here. As a pediatrician, Dr. Levine recognizes the value of medication to help with some conditions but he also acknowleges its limitations. He makes a credible case that many stumbling blocks especially to writing skills can be parsed with neurodevelopmental assesment and treated with behavioral strategies.
There are some limitations to the book. First is its focus on children and adolesents. As a pediatrician its not unexpected the author's knowledge and advice revolves mainly around kids. But adults struggling with their productivity to the point it's affecting their lives significantly may find some help with this book. Often naming the problem itself provides catharsis. Secondly diet and exercise are ignored. The purpose of the book isn't to provide a comprehensive list of treatments but I think readers would benefit tangibly from a brief description of how much regular exercise can improve self esteem and productivity.
The Myth of Laziness 2006-11-05
Once again, Mel Levine has created an excellent resource for parents, teachers and other professionals working with children. This, as with many of his other writings, should be required reading for special education courses as well as educational psychology courses.
The myth of laziness 
2006-08-15
A very excellent book. I learned alot about the myth of lazness and what it's not. You get an understanding of what the children go through.
Insightful but limited 2006-05-22
Depending on what sort of "laziness" you are dealing with, you might find this book to be extremely helpful; or you might find it to be not at all helpful. By laziness, Mel evine is referring to not wanting to read, not wanting to write, not wanting to complete class assignments, and so forth.
He covers a number of case studies and tells how various learning difficulties contribute to apparent laziness. I found his insights to be impressive and right on target in most cases, but I also thought that in a small minority of cases, he misunderstood the student and missed important clues.
You are probably more likely to like this book and to find its suggestions helpful if you are from a white collar family than a blue collar family. I came from a farm family, and it became more and more apparent to me as I read Mel Levine's book, that what he valued as "work" and what my parents valued would have clashed greatly. In fact, I was called "lazy" for pursuing the very kinds of things that Mel Levine is trying to get others to pursue. When read from my background, Mel Levine's background as a upper middle class (or above) doctor serving upper middle class (or above) clients came through loud and clear.
Overall, I found the book interesting, insightful, and possibly helpful, depending on what you are dealing with.
"instantaneous and automatic " 2006-04-12
Overall, this read has a bit of a clinical textbook feel to it and some of the chapters can be a bit wordy from time to time, but none-the-less this work is valuable if you are an elementary school teacher or a parent with young children in school.
Mr Levine's most intriguing observations are as follows: The importance of tempo and flow while learning, specifically what happens when a particular sequence or task is too slow and/or effort-filled (labored).
A lack of flow, Mr Levine found would typically result in students 'dumbing down' their thoughts just to get them on paper. Other obstacles he mentions included difficulty with such things as: failing to execute the appropriate pencil grip, problems with letter formation, and a failure to recognize appropriate letter combinations when learning to spell.
His findings stress the absolute necessity of activating the right muscles in the correct order at the right speed and sequence to do the job of learning. If the execution of these steps didn't occur when composing the content of a work assignment the students would experience an adverse effect on the quality of their output, or worse yet would produce no output at all.
Mr Levine concludes that when the learning 'assembly line' is instantaneous and automatic a student's potential for success in school dramatically increases and as a result students that once were thought to be lazy, become engaged with their work and product a greater quantity of work which is of better quality.
Fantastic book 2008-07-06
Great insights into how children learn and how to create interventions that effectively help struggling students!
The Myth of Laziness 2008-02-27
I read this in a book chat with other teachers. It makes you rethink how you view students. It has been one of the most influential books that I have read in quite some time. All teachers should read this.
Demystifying the "Lazy" Child 2007-10-20
Since I work with students who have a variety of learning differences that hinder their output, I was very encouraged by this book. It is so useful to have someone methodically lay out different case studies so you know what to look for, then provide the keys to overcoming those deficits. Only a few of my students fit the profile of "output failure" as described by Dr. Levine; however, his methods for assisting students to get organized (notes, schedules, school supplies) and for developing stories and reports, meet many of my students' needs.
I especially like the demystification process, not only for the student, but also for the parents. Good grades are a source of very high pressure, and students with language learning differences, such as those on my caseload, usually earn C's when they are working their absolute hardest and have accommodations. Rather than admit that their child has difficulty learning, many parents believe the children are lazy, and therefore assign more work or insist on an additional class. This book provides tools to explain to parents how they can best benefit their child by being an advocate and the best cheerleader on the child's team, not the child's harshest critic. Dr. Levine advises "appropriate breaks" from work, so I too recommend a balance of life. He also provides a checklist for parents to "cultivate output".
There is so much new information coming out regarding diverse ways to remediate, accommodate, and compensate for learning differences, and Dr. Levine is at the forefront of this movement. I especially appreciate that his work comes from his heart. His ambition in the field of pediatrics is driven by his genuine concern and compassion for his patients. This inspires me to be more ambitious in my reading and research as I seek to find the best teaching methods to match up with each of my student's individual needs. Dr. Levine reminds us that what works for one doesn't necessarily work for someone else, so in order to serve my students best, I need to be creative in my search for strategies, open-minded to change, and above all, patient in awaiting long-lasting results.
On the flip side, Dr. Levine maintains that there is no harm in giving rewards, but I disagree. If a child is doing what is right in order to get a reward (or to avoid punishment), he is extrinsically motivated and he is not being truly responsible for his choices and actions. Giving rewards infers that doing right just for the sake of doing right is not enough. This philosophy is important because it not only affects a student's output or behavior but also his self-esteem, his sense of satisfaction with life, and his feelings of self-control and empowerment in all areas. I encourage my students to consider their choices and do what is right and appropriate at all times, whether anyone is noticing or not. I teach them that their lives are the sum total of their choices. I hope this type of thinking will keep them safe and on the right track no matter where they are or what they may be tempted to do, because their motivation will be intrinsic. This is a minor point. I would wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Levine's book.
Great resource for student with poor written output 2007-06-21
Mel Levine's book, "The Myth of Laziness" helps provide the reader with insight into the complexity of children's difficulties with written tasks. The author drives home the point that often what we may view as "lazy" due to poor performance or lack of productivity on written tasks, often seems to have a neuro-developmental basis. By identifying the reasons why someone is having difficulty with written tasks or why someone even tries to avoid the tasks, we can better help them. The book uses case studies to discuss some of the many challenges a person can have which can lead to poor written output by an individual. The book is definitely a great resource for anyone who has a child who is having difficulty with written tasks. Written tasks can certainly be a problem for many children who are very strong readers or have strengths in many other academic areas. Although, the book contains far from an exhaustive list of interventions for students having difficulty with written output, it certainly offers some good suggestions. If you are looking for such a list, this might not be the book for you. However, if you are looking to better understand the challenges a student with poor written output might be facing, this would be an excellent resource. It is entertaining to read about the various students from varying circumstances, what Dr. Levine's neuro-psychological testing revealed, and ideas and strategies they suggested to help the students. A lot can be learned from reading about each of the cases, even if (like a few of the reviewers) you don't agree with all of the suggestions Dr. Levine makes. I think we could all agree that just calling someone "lazy" and giving up on them, really doesn't help that person. Helping them to understand their strengths and weaknesses likely will help them along with a parent or teacher putting a few interventions in place.
Productive Reading 2007-05-07
Even some of the best-informed educators lose objectivity in the classroom. Similarly, parents wonder what is really happening there, having to rely on the teacher's analysis and the child's rendition. With all of this potential confusion comes a mistake easily made and painful to undergo: labeling a bright but differently wired student "lazy". This book clears the air, reminds the adults to steer away from blame and coercion and adhere instead to productive strategies that will help a child learn in her own way.
The book is particularly useful to adults who work with children whose most pressing obstacle is low output of school work. Here are strategies for improving productivity through self-tracking...the student can track his own progress in producing more completed assignments, for example, which relocates accountability and satisfaction where it belongs: with the student. Many strategies to attain improved output are presented and are generally practical, which is a breath of fresh air to all concerned.
This is especially helpful if read following Mel Levine's "A Mind at a Time". For secondary and college age students, "Learning Outside the Lines", by Joathan Mooney and David Cole should take its place immediately on the reading list.
