Subject: Modeling the school dropout phenomenon

Posted by Sharon Villines on 12/18/2009
In Reply To:Modeling the school dropout phenomenon Posted by Zachary Lawrence on 12/18/2009

Message:

Another factor is the type of classroom. As long as the teaching environment is standardized, only certain students will fit into it.

I was having an conversation recently with a 10th grader who has been refusing to go to school. I saw him coming home one day looking dejected. Since I know he is dyslexic, I asked if it was the reading and writing that made school too laborious. He said, "No. It's sitting in classrooms all day. Four walls. All day."

A second child, in 7th grade, has been in 5 schools in two years, and home schooled for one. Social services was closing in when the family finally found a school that is working. He has freedom of movement within the classroom plus being able to move at will to different learning lab rooms.

Perhaps this goes under environmental stimulation but I think not. That would seem to be environmental encouragement and support.

This problem is more physical environment. Interestingly, neither child is athletic or particularly active physically. Both prefer computer games to soccer. It's the enclosed spaces. Like being locked in.

Sharon