Identification of High Risk Students

Identification of High Risk Students • A high risk student is usually a student that is experiencing possibly severe emotional, social, environmental or academic stress.

Identification of High Risk Students • Symptoms versus Problems

Symptomatic Behavior • While many symptoms may indicate the presence of a problem, several guidelines can be used to determine the seriousness of the problem/s:

Symptomatic Behavior • 1) FREQUENCY OF SYMPTOMS--Consider how often the symptoms occur. The more serious the problem the greater amount of tension generated. The greater amount of tension the more frequent will be the need to release this tension. As a result the greater the frequency of the symptom, the greater chance that the problem/s are serious.

Symptomatic Behavior • 2) DURATION OF SYMPTOMS--Consider how long the symptoms last. The more serious the problem the greater the degree of tension generated. The greater the degree the longer it will take to release the tension and therefore, the longer the duration of the symptoms the more serious the problem.

Symptomatic Behavior • 3) INTENSITY OF SYMPTOMS--Consider how serious the reactions are at the time of occurrence. The more serious the problem the more intense the level of tension coming off the problem will be. This level of tension will require a more intense release and as a result, the more intense the symptom, the more serious the problem.

Identification of High Risk Students Some of the more common patterns that can be exhibited by either elementary or secondary students while in school are: 1--A history of adequate or high first quarter grades followed by a downward trend leading to failures in the final quarter.

Identification of High Risk Students • 2--A history of excessive absences.

Identification of High Risk Students • 3--A history of excessive lateness.

Identification of High Risk Students • 4--Frequently cannot separate from parent at the start of the school day. While this can be normal behavior in very young children, it becomes a more serious symptom after age 6 or 7.

Identification of High Risk Students • 5--High achievement scores and high school abilities index (SAI) with a history of low academic performance.

Identification of High Risk Students • 6--Consistent failure in two or more quarters of at least two subjects.

Identification of High Risk Students • 7--A history of parent "coverage" for inappropriate behavior, poor work performance, poor attitude, failures, or absences.

Identification of High Risk Students • 8--Students wandering the halls after school with no direction or purpose.

Identification of High Risk Students • 9--A history of constant projection onto others as a reason for a lack of performance, handing in work, failures, or cutting.

Identification of High Risk Students • 10--A history of feeling powerless in the student's approach to problems.

Identification of High Risk Students • Rotter-Locus of Control • External locus of control-the feeling that whatever happens is the result of fate, luck or chance • Internal locus of control-the belief by individuals that their choices and behavior have a direct impact on the outcome of their goals

Identification of High Risk Students • 11--Recent stress related experiences i.e. divorce, separation, death of a parent or parent's loss of employment.

Identification of High Risk Students • 12--A history of constant visits to the nurse.

Identification of High Risk Students • 13--Social withdrawal from peers with an emphasis on developing relationships with adults.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns • Avoidance behavior patterns may first be observed by parents. However some of these may show up in school and it is imperative that you learn to identify these symptoms so that some type of intervention can take place immediately.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns Selective forgetting • This is a symptom in which the child knows the batting averages of all baseball players, the words from most songs on the radio, the times of most TV shows , but "forgets" to bring home his/her math book etc. The selectivity of the forgetfulness usually centers on areas of learning that may be creating frustration.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns Forgets to write down assignments day after day • This symptom may continue even after repeated requests or threats. The avoidance of a perceived failure experience is accomplished through the use of this behavior.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns Takes hours to complete homework • In this particular case, the child seems to labor or procrastinate over the work. Frequent trips to the kitchen for food, or to the bathroom, or to get a drink, or sharpen a pencil, will delay the possibility of perceived failure. • This symptom also occurs if a child is under tension and cannot concentrate for long periods of time. He/she will tend to "burn out "quickly and day dream the night away.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns Finishes homework very quickly • In this type of symptom the child's major objective is to get the ego threatening situation (homework) over as quickly as possible. • Every attempt is made to "rush” through the assignments with little if any care or patience. Getting it over as quickly as possible almost makes it seem as if it never existed.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns Can't seem to get started with homework • When a child’s anxiety level is very high it makes it very difficult to "start the engine." Like a cold engine on a winter day, you can turn the key and it revs but never turns over. This type of child acts in the same way. • They may spend a great deal of time getting "ready " for the homework by arranging their books, sharpening pencils , getting the paper out, opening the textbooks, getting a glass of water, going to the bathroom and so on , but never really starting their assignments.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns Frequently brings home unfinished class work • This symptom is frequently exhibited by students for several reasons. One reason is a low energy level and therefore problems dealing with tasks involving sustained concentration.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns • The second reason may involve the concept of learned helplessness and may arise when a parent constantly sits next to a child when he/she is doing homework.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns • The third reason may involve the child's need for attention. Bringing home unfinished class work necessitates some parent's need to sit with them and complete the work.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns Consistently leaves long term assignments until the last minute • Avoidance of school related tasks, especially long-term ones, is a frequent symptom of children with low energy levels. It would be like avoiding paying a big bill when you have very little money. You may "hide” the bill or forget it exists. Magical thinking is a frequent dynamic mechanism of children who are highly anxious.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns Complains of headaches, stomachaches, etc before or after school • Very high tension levels over an extended period of time may result in somatic (bodily) complaints. These complaints, while real to the child, may indicate an avoidance of an uncomfortable or ego deflating situation. When a child has a pattern of these types of complaints, then the teacher needs to see this "signal" as a symptom of a more serious problem.

Avoidance Behavior Patterns Exhibits "spot light "behaviors • "Spot light” behaviors are any behaviors that bring the focus of attention to the child i.e. calling out, laughing out loud, and getting up out of seat, annoying other children. When this occurs it is usually a release of tension.

Energy Drain and its Effect on Behavior and Learning • Everyone possesses a certain amount of psychic energy to use in dealing with the everyday demands and stresses of life. • In normal development there is a certain amount of stress but because of an absence of major conflicts which tend to drain energy, the individual has more than enough to keep things in perspective.

Energy Drain and its Effect on Behavior and Learning • Consequently, the division of energy usually results in what we call positive behavior symptoms. These result (more often than not) when a child is relatively "conflict free" and may take on a certain pattern

Energy Drain and its Effect on Behavior and Learning • However, when serious conflicts arise, the available energy must be "drained away” to deal with the conflicts like white blood cells to an infection. • Since energy must be drained away there is less available energy to keep things in perspective. In this case the resulting negative behavior patterns

Identification of High Risk Students