Troubled Students

For many students getting up and coming to school on a daily basis is a huge accomplishment due to their circumstances at home. As a teacher how do you deal with students who have a hard life outside of school, whose parents do not take much interest in their education, and are often alone at home. How do we get these students to do their work when it is not one of their main priorities? How do we get these students excited about learning when they have so much to worry about outside of the classroom?

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Permalink Reply by Christina on April 13, 2011 at 11:42am

Unfortunately there are so many students who struggle with problems like this. However, I think there are some ways that you can help them. Make sure you let them know that you value them and their education. Let them know that education is important and you know they are capable of completing the work. You may also have to work extra with them. They may need to stay after school for extra help a couple days out of the week. Just be sure to let them know that you are there for them. They need to know that someone does care and they shouldn’t give up.

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Permalink Reply by Jazmin Hayes on April 14, 2011 at 7:25pm

Is there anything you would suggest for trying to get parents more involved in the educataing of their children? Is there a such thing as being too involved? How much is too much?

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Permalink Reply by Briana Hernandez on April 16, 2011 at 11:04pm

Its sad to know that there are so many students that have to go threw days like this. I also think that its is a great way to get teachers to lend a helping hand to let the students know that they are important and that we are willing to help in any way possible. Also that we value them and their work, and that we just want to see them succeed. I think that encouragement of the students can also take place. Students are always willing to help their classmates and often times this is more acceptable of the student that needs a little extra help.

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Permalink Reply by Hattie Delgado on April 17, 2011 at 7:44pm

It is a difficult thing to deal with when you see that parents are not as involved with their child's life as they should be. Unfortunately there is only so much you can do. You can be there for you students as a teacher and let them know about the resources that the school has to offer. You can let your students know that they matter and try and help them out as much as you can.

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Permalink Reply by wendy watson on April 17, 2011 at 9:25pm

I agree with the other replies. I went to school during the 80s when busing students from out of neighborhood schools was a common practice, so you would end up in classes where some students came from middle class neighborhoods and the other half would be high poverty. Looking back, a 6th grade class had several students who were neglected, but the one thing that I came away with was something a teacher said often "No matter if your parent is a drug addict, a prostitute, or you don't have enough to eat...or if your parent gives you everything but never spends time with you...you are old enough to realize your goal is college. The only way to get to college is to be responsible for what you do and realize that you are the one who decides your future...no matter what ... no excuses...and everyday your decisions get you closer to a better life" I know his words helped the middle class students in his class, and I often wonder if his words assisted students from the high poverty area. I know he didn't take excuses, but he also gave us tools to assist us not to fail.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Franklin on April 22, 2011 at 6:04pm

I think compassion and understanding is the start. The realization that there are impediments is the start. Then you have to assist the student in understanding that the acquisition of education presents opportunities to improve upon their situation.

There are many obstacles in life that we must overcome and navigate. However, we have to look at the big picture and not focus so much on the obstacles and to how we can improve upon it to get to the next step. An example is the three young men who make a pact to become doctors. http://www.threedoctors.com/ourstory.php

The looked beyond their circumstance to see how can we improve our lives for the future. They set their goal, pursued it, and obtained it. It make take sharing examples such as this or an instance in your life to get them to see.

The circumstances of our life should not become a crutch to not do but a motivator to improve our circumstance over time.