At-Risk Students Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

At-Risk Students - Assignment Example Some factors are predetermined to be causes of risks for dropping out of high school among the youth. Most of these are but not limited to: having divorced parents or undergoing divorce; lack educational support at home; financial instability; lack ties to community, school, and peers; high rates of mobility; little or no extra-curricular activities; has a long history of being unsuccessful academically; being emotionally unstable; sufferers of physical, emotional or sexual abuse; have psychological and/or addiction problems; have no health care plans; juvenile law-offenders or gang-members; or have not finished the grieving process for the loss of important loved ones (McGee, 2001). The presence of one or a combination of any of these risk factors increases the stress levels of students, which makes them lose focus on studying and instead lets them dwell more on such problems. In addition, the lack of a proper support groups or guidance counselors would leave these youths unable to cope with the strains both in the home and in the self, which could prevent them from properly learning, and would ultimately lead them to self-pitying, hopelessness, and eventually dropping out from school or pursuing their chosen careers. Most students recognize the need to graduate in order to improve their lives, so it would be absurd to think that they chose to drop out for no sound reason (Pillow, 1997). They would even show signs to teachers or advisers that they want to finish school but they might not know how to do this effectively. These indicators would show up in behaviors such as showing up in class despite having low grades, submitting half-done homework and taking or retaking exams despite previous scores. However, it  does not get enough support and encouragement from their teachers in being pushed forward to graduate, or if they feel that they do not receive any help, these students would feel discouraged and even think that it is not worth doing anymore since help is not available anyway.