2. STUDENTS ISSUES IN SCHOOL
School Problems are issues that a teenager may be experiencing that affects
his/her performance in school. Without intervention, the issues can escalate to
dropping out of school, lack of self esteem, engaging in inappropriate or risky
activities and trouble with the law.
Example:
1. Emotional Disturbances (ED).
2. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
3. Bullying – aggressor or victim.
4. Learning Disabilities (LD).
5. Drug or alcohol abuse.
6. Mental health disorders, such as anxiety or depression
3. CAUSES OF SCHOOL PROBLEMS
Some of the more common causes of school problems are underlying learning
difficulties or learning disabilities – like dyslexia – or behavioural or emotional
issues. But there are many other reasons why a young person might not be
achieving academically.
Personal factors might include:
1. Chronic illness
2. Mental health issues like depression or anxiety
3. Experiences of trauma
4. Difficulties with self-esteem, communication skills or social skills.
5. Difficulties with listening, concentrating or sitting still.
4. School factors might include:
1. Disliking, or not feeling connected to, the school culture or
environment
2. Disliking school subjects, not liking the choice of subjects, or not
feeling challenged by the work.
3.Poor school or academic support, especially in relation to heavy
workloads
4. Not getting along with teachers or other students at school
5. Skipping school
6. Having trouble with managing time for things like extracurricular
activities
7. Being bullied.
5. Children with Special Needs:
Some children and teenagers with attention problems, high levels of anxiety, or impulsive
or aggressive behaviour are at greater risk of problems at school. This is because they
might find it harder to adapt to the demands of the classroom setting, or they might find
it hard to concentrate during tasks and teacher instructions.
**Academic performance might be influenced by reduced self-esteem or changes in
peer relationships that are linked to children’s additional needs.
** Establishing a strong relationship with your child’s school early and regularly
monitoring your child’s progress throughout schooling can help you pick up on early
signs of problems.
6. Picking up school problems early on:
Why it’s important
If school problems aren’t picked up and addressed early, they can be bad for
children in the long term.
1. School problems might contribute to poor self-esteem. In the longer term, they
can affect child’s mental health.
2. It can also lead to an increased risk of dropping out.
3. Another consequence of school problems is that children can get tagged with
unhelpful labels like ‘uninterested’, ‘easily distracted’, ‘lazy’ or ‘doesn’t try hard
enough’.
** Young people often start to believe these labels and think that they’re
‘troublemakers’ or ‘misfits’. All these labels suggest that children are to blame for
school problems. But school problems are often a sign that children aren’t getting
enough support.
7. Diagnosis and Treatment
In general, adolescents with significant school problems should undergo a complete
learning evaluation and a mental health evaluation.
Specific problems are treated as needed, and general support and encouragement are
provided. Changes in the learning environment and sometimes drug therapy can also be
of great help to struggling adolescents. Federal education law requires that schools
evaluate and provide appropriate services for students with learning disabilities and
others who are not living up to their academic potential by providing individualized
education plans.
