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It’s becoming more and more
apparent with the growing global economy that being a middle class participant in the 21st
century is going to require more job training and more self discipline than ever
before. We are a
A Permanent Underclass:
If we don’t act aggressively to redirect the emotional development of our
most at-risk students, we’re going to see a permanent "underclass," a large
segment of society undereducated, undertrained, psychologically dysfunctional, not
understanding why things are so tough for them and look so good for the rest of us. Not
only does this set the stage for "class struggle" (i.e. violence against the
"haves") it is a breeding ground for drug abuse and crime.
Undeveloped Human, Personal Capital:
From another viewpoint, our existing undereducated, undertrained citizens
(and any succeeding generation of undertrained citizens) are a tragedy of lost health,
lost talents, lost skills, lost opportunities and lost joys, lives that should have been
productive and satisfying reduced to a daily struggle.
Enormous Financial Cost:
The cost of social services for the "underachievers" and the cost of
prisons continues to rise. We’re spending billions of dollars, not
millions, but billions, that’s nine zeros, on the back end of failed lives. We can
prevent most of that failure with a tiny fraction of the cost if we’re willing to
make the investment on the front end of lives, when kids are little. We need to set up the
plans now, and do the training of adults who work with kids.
Another Extremely Important Element:
A variety of preschool (from birth to age five) experience (as well as good
prenatal care) is vital for optimum brain development. Please see www.iamyourchild.org/
for information regarding actions to take that set the stage for a successful school
experience.
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Students who are at-risk of failing in school, being involved in drugs, having
babies, etc. all fit a similar "profile." The plan to move students from
"at-risk" status to "moving-toward-success" is designed around the
following list of vulnerability factors (vulnerable for life failure).
Please look at column 3. We cannot change the conditions that some students face
in their community.* But if we do a thorough job of working with the students regarding
columns one and two, we can reduce the negative effects that may be coming from their
environment.
We cannot change a disability or limitation that a student has (column 4)
but if we do a good job of correcting the wrongs in columns one and two, we will have
taught respect, consideration and acceptance for those in column four—so that their
"limitation" is not compounded by being teased, humiliated and rejected by the
group. Students with limitations will be able to achieve, too, and find a productive place
in society.
*If we see signs of egregious actions, we must call in authorities.
The Profile of the At-Risk Student
Each of the items (at risk factors) in the first two columns can be addressed
in the school setting.
Skills/
knowledge |
Attitude/ feelings |
Home/ environment |
Limitations |
| Does not know right from wrong, or the language
of respect and responsibility. |
Feels hostility, rejection and coldness from
parents (does not feel loved). |
Is disharmonious with emotional dysfunction
which may or may not involve drugs, alcohol. |
Is hearing disabled. |
| Has low verbal skills. |
Cannot maintain hope. |
Education is not
valued. |
Is vision restricted. |
| Cannot identify
specific feelings or emotions. (Everything is mad or sad.) |
Feels inordinate
amount of anger, humiliation, loss, guilt, shame, etc. |
Overindulgent, does
not hold student responsible for his actions. |
Is learning
disabled. |
| Has inadequate skills
to manage moods. |
Feels excluded, not
part of the community. |
Financial pressures
prevent student support. |
Has speech disability. |
| Misreads the emotions
of others (sees hostility where none exists). |
Feels no self value,
no inherent self worth. |
Student receives
discipline directed at behavior, not intention. |
Has physical
disability. |
| Has inadequate skills
to manage jealousy, loss, frustration, impatience, discouragement, anger. |
Has developed shallow
values and interests centered on excitement/auto- nomy. |
Student has suffered
trauma, death, serious illness, divorce, abuse. |
Is physically
different from other students (obese, tiny, disfigured, another skin color. etc.) |
| Does not control
impulses. |
Feels lonely, has no
close relationships. |
Moves frequently. |
Receives prescription
drugs. |
| Does not have skills
to self motivate. |
Feels no sense of
power over his own life. |
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| Does not delay
gratification. |
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| Does not know how to
empathize with or deliver courtesy and respect to others. |
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(These at risk factors have been collected from multiple sources
in education, law enforcement, sociology and psychology.)
Moving kids from at-risk status to "I can succeed" is doable.
Please explore the rest of this web site for workable answers on how to do it.
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