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Willing to Play the Game: How At-Risk Students Persist in School


File number :
CS-DSC-23e

Bibliographic reference :
Knesting, K., & Waldron, N. (2006) Willing to Play the Game: How At-Risk Students Persist in School. Psychology in the Schools, 43(5), 599-611.

Abstract :

Study Topic
While a great deal of research on dropout focuses more on the reasons that cause students to quit school, the authors looked at the factors that encourage students to stay in school. The researchers sought to determine how support services provided at school enhanced the school motivation of students at risk of dropping out.

Methodology
This qualitative research was conducted in an American school where students exhibited higher achievement rates than students in all the district schools on average. The students surveyed, between 15 and 19 years old (9th to 12th high school grades) were selected with the help of teachers.

Seventeen participants were interviewed individually. The purpose of these interviews was to collect information on what students liked and disliked about their school and the recommendations and advice they would give to students wishing to drop out of this school. One of the researchers also conducted observations in more than twenty classes during students’ passing periods and in the hallways. Several staff members at the school (principal, counsellors, teachers, etc.) were interviewed to better define the context of this educational institution.

Main Results
Results revealed that three factors appeared critical to the persistence of students at risk of dropping out.

The first factor was goal orientation, which involved the importance of students’ belief in future benefits drawn from graduation. Four general goals defined these students’ vision: the better life a diploma would bring, financial independence, the desire to continue their education beyond high school and avoiding the consequences of school dropout. This last goal was explained by the fact that these students had the opportunity to realize the outcomes of dropout, often through family and friends’ experiences and teachers who discussed the effect of dropout in their classes.

The second factor emphasized that to persist, students had to be willing to play the game. This meant that they had to change their behaviour to meet school demands. This factor was defined by the fact that students figured out which rules they needed to follow most, took responsibility for their behaviour and focused on their own objectives, which helped them to resist the influence of others who could sidetrack them from their goals.

The third factor highlighted the beneficial effect of meaningful relationships on persistence in school, with teachers being the support people most cited by the students. This factor referred to these students’ self-esteem in class and teachers’ unconditional support and non-judgmental attitude, among others. However, certain conditions had to be met for this relationship to be favourable: 1) students being open to teachers’ support and guidance, 2) teachers conveying their care for students, 3) teachers being aware of how these students’ lives outside school influenced their performance, 4) teachers holding high expectations of students, and 5) students having access to safe havens (e.g., classes in which they felt respected and considered as participants in their learning).

Lastly, other ways to help students in their efforts to graduate were suggested to teachers: 1) Emphasizing interpersonal relationships above programs, 2) Encouraging and supporting at-risk students to offset their negative views of themselves, 3) Conveying their belief in the ability of their students to succeed, 4) Talking with students in order to better understand the reasons for their difficulties and show interest in them, 5) Paying attention to small details, such as making eye contact, actively listening or asking for students’ opinions.



Links :
This journal is also available in electronic format

Key Words :
Support Services, Graduation, Motivation, Persistence in School, Outcomes of Dropout, Beliefs, Interpersonal Relationships, Communication, Qualitative Analysis, School Environment, Secondary/High School, Newsletter2

Monitored Countries :
United States