health

Students at risk of school failure need to be identified as early as possible
in their school careers if they are to receive the necessary help. This task
usually falls to the teacher, school counselor, or parents, because many
failing students are hostile to or disconnected from the educational system
and will not or do not know how to ask for help. Bringing failing
students back to school and fostering their success requires recognizing
and understanding the reasons for school failure. Parents, teachers, counselors,
and mental health professionals can offer help.

Parents can help by taking the following steps:

1. Taking a genuine interest in their child’s school life and attending
   school events
2. Listening to and understanding their child’s concerns about school
3. Taking seriously sudden changes in behavior, sleeping, or eating
4. Intervening for the student when unsafe situations are causing anxiety
   or school avoidance
5. Setting and enforcing appropriate standards of school behavior
6. Setting realistic goals for school attendance and academic
   improvement
7. Eliminating barriers to homework completion and school attendance
8. Working as a team with teachers and counselors to get children
   appropriate help
9. Helping children identify their strengths and pinpointing career
   options that involve these strengths

Getting help in recognizing the reasons for school failure Teachers can help by
taking the following steps:

1. Developing learning plans that support the student’s strengths
2. Referring the student for evaluations for possible learning disabilities
3. Providing referrals to programs that offer extra academic help or
   arranging peer tutoring
4. Teaching study skills and strategies to support learning
5. Encouraging students to participate in school activities, such as
   sports, plays, or clubs, so that they feel they are a part of the scho
6. Arranging a mentor for the student
7. Promoting a tolerant, violence-free school environment
8. Communicating concerns or changes in school performance to
   parents right away

Mental health professionals can help by taking the following steps:

1. Screening for emotional problems and offering appropriate treatment
2. Listening to the student’s concerns about family and school difficulties
3. Performing evaluations for learning disabilities or attention deficit
   hyperactivity disorder
4. Working with the school to formulate appropriate learning strategies
   for the student
5. Working with teachers and parents to help them eliminate barriers
   to school failure