The preferences of our society are changing day by day that is the reason why new and modernized methods are adopted by individuals to teach students. Students, on the other hand, are depicting mixed attitudes towards studies and with the advent of modernized technologies, they are distracted by a number of things which results in poor results and because of which the students usually drop out from their schools. In this paper, the problem of dropping out from school is discussed in detail that students drop out of the schools because of absenteeism, lack of attention, etc. Furthermore, different aspects of dropping out of students are discussed in detail and this paper is concluded with the subtle solution of this problem.
Strategists and researchers usually believe that the phenomenon of dropping out is more of a process rather than an event. This process of dropping out usually begins in the elementary school life of a child. Different influential factors are involved in the dropping out of students and they are related to the attitudes, behaviours, and performance in high school. Studies suggest that the students that are most likely to drop out from their schools are usually those students that do not portray interest in their school and in certain cases adult-oriented responsibilities are placed on them. Similarly, it can be said that poor academic performance in the initial stages can be considered as the strongest predictor of dropping out of school. Certain behaviours can easily be treated as strong behaviours of dropping out these behaviours are absenteeism, substance abuse and delinquency. These attitudes clearly depict that a student is on a verge of dropping out of school. Research also supports this and researchers believe that high absenteeism is closely linked with high dropout rates. Similarly, delinquent behaviour outside school and misbehaviour in the school is closely associated with higher dropout rates. Similarly, certain individuals believe that the use of alcohol and drugs during school life fosters dropping out rates. However, the element of childbearing and teenage parenting in certain scenarios increases the odds of dropping out (Goldentyer). Children in certain scenarios have friends who have criminal records and these friends force these children to engage in certain acts and as a result of which the odds of dropping out increase. Finally, students who work while studying also drop out of their schools.
The practices of schools and policies also matter a lot and the dropout rates of students are minimized if the structure and policies of their schools are balanced and appropriate. A strong academic climate in schools which includes the proper upbringing of students and help from the teachers minimizes the dropping out ratio of students. However, disruptive environments and a lack of class control from the teachers result in the dropping of students from the school.
Therefore, it can be said that this is a serious issue of our society and it’s directly affecting the careers and the entire lives of children. That is the reason why certain viable steps must be taken to reduce the dropping out rate. The most viable step in reducing the dropping out rate is through tutoring and mentoring the children (Roderick). When a one-to-one strategy is applied students will definitely develop a strong relationship with their mentors and as a result of which the mentors can solve their wide and varied problems. Service-learning can also be adopted by teachers and parents and through service learning, teachers can share meaningful service experiences with academic learning. This method would foster the personal growth of the children and can easily boost the grades of children and this strategy can act as a powerful vehicle (Goldentyer). Certain children due to different factors are not interested in schools and in such scenarios after school opportunities can be a viable option. This after-school opportunity includes summer enhancement programs that nourish the students and develops the interest of the students in both the short and the long run. Besides these strategies, certain factors like professional development, active learning, and educational technology can also affect the dropout rates. Through new and innovative methods of teaching the instructors can help the students and in this manner, the dropout rates can be minimized (Pope).
Thus, in a nutshell, it can be said that different alternatives can help the students in both the short and the long run. Among all the alternative approaches mentoring and one-to-one interaction can be considered as the most viable strategy. Through this approach, students can share their problems with their mentors and can sort their issues in a friendly environment. The problem of dropping out especially in schools is becoming a menace for our society and this problem must be addressed seriously because teenagers are the ones that foster the growth of a country. That is the reason why powerful and realistic strategies must be developed for both the short and the long run to reduce the dropping out of students.
Works Cited
- Goldentyer, D. Dropping Out of School. Raintree Steck-Vaughn Publishers, 1994.
- Pope, D. Doing School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed-Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students. Yale University Press , 2003.
- Roderick, M. The Path to Dropping Out – Evidence for Intervention. Auburn House , 1993