define at-risk. who is at risk?
Questioning the meaning behind the term at-risk has been continuously done in the education world. At-risk is a term that is used to describe children in the area of education. However at-risk can mean many different things and some would argue that at-risk is specifically for students in the inner city. Others will include students with low-self esteem or a disability in this definition. The term at-risk is fluid and that is why it is hard to provide a specific definition. At-risk youth may include youth or children who are homeless or transient, involved in drugs or alcohol, may have been abused, are mentally ill, have experienced neglect at home or have a stressful home life, they may be lacking social or emotional supports or involved in gangs. Any of these may result in a variety of negative behaviours in the classroom. Youth-at risk may run away from home or school, skip school, drink under age, be involved in bullying, vandalize, engage in sex premature or display disruptive behaviour in the classroom. This list is not inclusive but provides a base to understanding which students in your classroom may be at-risk. An area that seems to be agreed on is that at-risk youth are unlikely to graduate on schedule. Professor Arthur Pearl's definition is quoted in an article by Richard Sagor (2004) which states that at-risk includes "any child who is unlikely to graduate, on schedule, with both the skills and self-esteem necessary to exercise meaningful options in the areas of work, leisure, culture, civic affairs, and inter/intra personal relationships". This is a good place to start because it describes what most people would define as key qualities for leading a successful life.
what are they at risk of?
According to Pearl's definition students are at risk of not graduating and more generally not having the qualities to lead a successful life. In other words these students are at risk for poor life outcomes. In school the first thing a students may be at risk for is an unexcused absence in your class. This may cause them to fall behind in their school work and behind the rest of their peers. This can be a struggle for a teacher who is continually helping students 'catch up' to where the rest of the class is, instead of helping them improve in a specific mastery area. When students do not get to feel this sense of mastery and they miss a number of days of school disengagement occurs. This is what can lead to some of the behaviours that were listed previously. Long term some of the poor life outcomes that they may experience is school failure, death, being dependent on the welfare system, or spending time in jail. In the school system misbehaviours are often met with a school suspension. This does not help an at-risk student because they are still missing out on opportunities to build community in their classes, school work, and developing a sense of belonging.
programs to help the at-risk
In Winnipeg there are numerous programs that aid in creating success for at-risk students. The Circle of Courage is an excellent model to implement in your classroom to engage and reach out to every students in your class whether they are at-risk or not. After school programs are also essential for keeping at-risk students out of delinquent behaviour and to teach them skills they are not being taught by their parents or other adults in their lives. The advantage of the broad definition is that programs can define at-risk in different ways according to the needs of the youth around them. In Winnipeg intergenerational poverty has been a factor causing at-risk students for a number of years. It is because of this that the majority of the programs that run all include an aspect of food or eating in order to meet the basic needs of the youth.
One specific point to remember is that these possible outcomes that are associated with being at-risk are just possible outcomes. The concept of being at-risk implies possible outcomes but that does not mean every student will have the same result. As teachers we need to do our part in the classroom and then get familiar with the after school programs that run in the community to aid in helping at-risk students succeed.
One specific point to remember is that these possible outcomes that are associated with being at-risk are just possible outcomes. The concept of being at-risk implies possible outcomes but that does not mean every student will have the same result. As teachers we need to do our part in the classroom and then get familiar with the after school programs that run in the community to aid in helping at-risk students succeed.
references
Moore, K.A. (2006). Defining the term "At-Risk" Research-to-Results. Retrieved from http://www.childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2006/01/DefiningAtRisk1.pdf
National Centre for School Engagement. (2004). At Risk Youth Retrieved from http://www.schoolengagement.org/index.cfm/index.cfm/index.cfm/At-risk%20Youth
Sagor, R. (2004) At-Risk Students: Who are These Kids and Why Do They Behave The Way They Do? Retrieved from http://www.lookstein.org/online_journal.php?id=195
National Centre for School Engagement. (2004). At Risk Youth Retrieved from http://www.schoolengagement.org/index.cfm/index.cfm/index.cfm/At-risk%20Youth
Sagor, R. (2004) At-Risk Students: Who are These Kids and Why Do They Behave The Way They Do? Retrieved from http://www.lookstein.org/online_journal.php?id=195
