Special Resource Material Developed by the Center
Title: Concerns = Opportunities: Addressing Student Disengagement, Acting Out, and Dropouts by Moving in New Directions (Newsletter)
Description: Effective instruction is, of course, fundamental to a school?s mission. None of us want to send our children to a school where teachers do not have high standards, expectations, and competence. At the same time, the reality is that many factors can interfere with learning and teaching.
Teachers in low performing schools point to how few students appear motivationally ready and able to learn what the daily lesson plan prescribes. Teachers in the upper grades report that a significant percentage of their students have become actively disengaged and alienated from classroom learning. And, ?acting out? behavior, especially bullying and disrespect for others, is rampant. (So is passivity, but ?hypoactivity? attracts less attention.) One result of all this is seen in the increasing number of students misdiagnosed as having learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorders (ADHD). Another result is the number of dropouts (students and teachers) ? often referred to as ?pushouts.?
Teachers need and want considerable help in addressing barriers to student and school success. Unfortunately, the sparse help they currently receive is grossly inadequate.Access at: http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/newsletter/spring06.pdf 255kb; 13pp
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