Identifying At-Risk Students: A Guide for Educators

1. Do you know a student who is struggling?An educational guide for teachers and professional staff to assist them in identifying/realizing if a student is at-risk, displaying self-destructive behaviors, and needs help or intervention. By: Mrs. Gregory School Guidance Counselor

2. Helping struggling students can provide necessary support and direction to help them heal or combat their negative behaviors and/or thoughts.

3. Does Student????? • Does student display frequent anger episodes or an inability to control his/her emotions? • Does student have a hard time getting along with others or does not apply conflict resolution skills to work out his/her problems? • Does student like to be in control and refuse to listen to others? • Does student react or respond in a hostile or aggressive manner? • Does student display a lack of concern for future, academic achievement, appearance, etc.? Are they capable of learning on grade level? • Does student seek attention frequently and go to desperate or inappropriate measures to gain attention from others? • Does student need or take medication to assist with focusing/mental issue? • Does the student have a poor home life that impacts learning? • Does student speak of harming him or herself, whether they appear serious or in a joking manner? Do they feel hopeless? • Does student have unexplained marks or bruises that strikes concern? • Does student act impulsively or act in a manner that may strike concern for drug/alcohol use? • Does student have a hard time with decision-making? • Does student hide that he/she is being bullied by others?

4. Key Indicators: • Research has shown again and again the high price society pays for not intervening and changing the downward spiral of at risk children. (Haan Foundation for Children) •  80% of students with learning challenges have reading disabilities. •  60% of adolescents in treatment for substance abuse are learning disabled •  35% of students with learning disabilities drop out of high school. •  50% of juvenile offenders have undetected learning disabilities. •  25% of the young-adult population lacks the basic literacy skills required for a typical job. •  Approximately 50% of criminal offenders have learning disabilities. • (Haan Foundation for Children: LD

5. Other Factors that Impact At-Risk or Struggling Students • Many times, at-risk students not only struggle in academics, but they lack energy, motivation, and self-confidence. If a student does not feel good about him or herself, they find difficulty in achieving success because they feel defeated from the beginning. Students may feel their situation is hopeless and feel there is no reason to even try to move forward in life.

6. Familial Relations • Coming from a poor living environment or having a lack of family support, can diminish a student’s ability to have confidence that their lives are purposeful and their futures can be bright. Poor family structure or the lack of a parent’s presence in the home can trigger emotional distress in students, which is often displayed in the school setting. • Students have to deal with living with or being raised by other family members to support them due to issues such as: child abuse, drug/alcoholic parents, DHR custody cases, unplanned pregnancies, financial burdens, and much more!!! The ideal family in the home becomes a desire or wish for many students.

7. What Can Educators Do? • Utilize Higher Academic Standards to Assist the Growth of Struggling Students Higher expectations can put pressure on low achieving students . . . Discover new ways to use standards to assist, not punish your students • Accelerate Achievement Across Your School Curriculum Learn practical methods for helping your struggling students transfer their skills and positive attributes to other content areas that can be applied to their strengths versus their weaknesses

8. Continue to Encourage No Matter What. There is HOPE!!!! • Often, educators are so focused on teaching and providing proper classroom instruction that they may not consider possible outside factors that can impact a student’s learning experience and why they may be struggling. In return, the student may have a difficult time in expressing his or her feelings in the appropriate manner and their behavior is considered to be unacceptable. Educators can provide tools for educational needs, life skills, and support during the school day. However, when students return home, their reality begins all over again. It is apparent there are many challenges a student face on a daily basis that cannot be fixed or changed, but if the student is shown that educators care about their well-being, they may want their lives to change for the better and work hard to achieve success despite the obstacles they face.

9. There is gold at the end of the rainbow if you just BELIEVE!! “Every Great Person Failed Many Times and Faced Many Obstacles Before Achieving Success”