If a child is doing poorly in school - ie. everytime they are called on, they have the wrong answer. Every test or
quiz they take, they fail it. It doesn't take too long to start hating school and want to stay home. Frankly, if you don't know how to do your homework or if it takes you forever to do - then you learn, "why bother"!
Finally, what is his teacher saying? Is it the same thing his teacher said last year?