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Every year, more than a million children leave high school before obtaining their diploma. Exiting school without a diploma can result in poorer health, lower-paying jobs, and long-term poverty. If you’re an educator or faculty member, there are several ways you can inspire your students to remain in school and guide them toward academic success.
Ways to Engage with Parents Beyond School
Establish connections with parents outside of the school environment.
Encourage parental involvement to motivate their children. Arrange home visits with at-risk students and their parents, or organize parent-teacher conferences for initial interactions. Additionally, grant parents access to their children’s online grades to monitor their progress throughout the academic year. However, in cases where parental support is lacking, focus on supporting the students within the school premises instead of relying on parental involvement.
Establish meaningful connections with your students who may be at risk.
Develop a bond founded on trust and transparency. Engage in open discussions with your students, attentively listening to their concerns. Offer honesty while instilling optimism about their future prospects.
Encourage student participation in extracurricular pursuits.
Encourage involvement in sports or clubs to integrate students into the school community. Engaging in sports has been correlated with higher college attendance rates and improved academic performance. Respect students' decisions if they choose not to participate in extracurricular activities, allowing them to prioritize their studies.
Facilitate student access to mentors or advisors.
Implement regular check-ins with academic advisors throughout the academic year.
Establish connections between classroom lessons and real-world applications.
Inspire students by highlighting the significance of education and its relevance to real-life scenarios.
Offer challenges to students who may be experiencing boredom.
Provide opportunities for intellectually advanced students to pursue more stimulating academic paths, such as honors or AP classes, and potentially even college-level coursework while still in high school.
Introduce flexibility into the school timetable.
Enhance accessibility to education for students with additional responsibilities.
Implement measures to alleviate the financial burden of education.
Provide essential educational resources, such as textbooks and materials, at no cost to students.
Extend support for mental health and well-being within the school community.
Direct children to available support systems during times of struggle, such as school counselors, online counseling services, and self-care practices.
Educate children about career and salary realities.
Inspire students by illustrating how education paves the way to careers. Discuss the correlation between degrees and lucrative professions, while also highlighting alternative educational paths like trade schools and two-year programs.
Implement a mentoring or tutoring initiative.
Provide children with emotional and academic assistance through mentorship or tutoring programs. Explore mentorship opportunities at local community centers such as the Boys and Girls Club, or establish your own mentorship program within the school. Consider utilizing older students as tutors, pairing 9th graders with 12th graders to offer support in subjects like English, math, or science.
Offer community resources.
Engage students in constructive activities to prevent negative influences. Inform them about volunteer opportunities, community centers, classes at community colleges, and faith-based organizations.
Instruct children in effective study habits for college readiness.
Equip students with college-preparation skills during their school years. Teach them effective study techniques to prevent academic frustration or failure.
Provide focused support for at-risk students.
Be vigilant for signs indicating a child may be at risk of dropping out of school. Signs include failing grades in core subjects like English or math, excessive absenteeism of more than 20 days in a school year, or earning fewer than 2 credits annually. Intervene by connecting these students with a mentor or advisor to discuss strategies for progress. Consider implementing accelerated credit programs to help students catch up with their required coursework.
Provide personalized attention to each student.
Recognize that every student is unique, and strive to offer individualized support whenever possible.
