Page 34 - Štremfel, Urška, and Maša Vidmar (eds.). 2018. Early School Leaving: Training Perspectives. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut.
P. 34
vers (ESLers) and those who already dropped out. Finding a teacher who
cared and was supportive made students feel acknowledged, which helped
in prolonging their stay at school. On the other hand, a sense of being al-
ienated from their teacher and escalated conflicts with teachers directly re-
sulted in pivotal moments in leaving school (Lessard et al., 2008). Similar
findings were reported by Tidwell (1988) and Murray and Mitchel (2013).
Clandinin et al. (2010) conducted interviews with 19 young people who had
already dropped out of high school. Some participants felt as if their teach-
ers did not care about or support them, resulting in negative relationships
while, on the other hand, support and understanding underpinned posi-
tive relationships. Similarly, the perceived care and support from teachers
in complex models of indirect effects (i.e. via identification with school, be-
havioural engagement, academic engagement, academic achievement) con-
tributed to lower ESL levels (Fall & Roberts, 2012). On the contrary, in an-
other study ESL boys reported no particularly negative experiences with
their schools, teachers or the way they were treated (Beekhoven & Dekkers,
2005).
We may conclude that in the case of ESL the teacher-student relation-
ship is an area worthwhile strengthening. Research by Wahlgren, Mariager-
Andersson and Hovmand Sørensen (2015) suggests that the development
of teachers’ socio-pedagogical competence has a positive effect on dropout
rates and is therefore a good starting point. In a 3-year development pro-
ject, teachers improved their ability to create networks among students, to
talk to students, to read the social interaction of a group and to give aca-
demically relevant feedback, which led to more positive relationships and
lower dropout rates.
What is the next step?
Given the fundamental role of educators’ SEC demonstrated above, it is
clear that these competencies need to (and can) be built, developed and
trained1. This is not to undermine the importance of substantive knowl-
edge and knowledge about teaching methods, class management and child
development, but to put it on an equal footing. However, there is a false
assumption that all educators naturally possess SEC; an assumption that
needs to be overcome (Jones et al., 2013). For example, in the USA analyses
of state-level teacher certification requirements reveal that the promotion
1 It is important to note that a supportive school culture is also very important for en-
hancing teachers’ SEC (Jones et al., 2013).
34
cared and was supportive made students feel acknowledged, which helped
in prolonging their stay at school. On the other hand, a sense of being al-
ienated from their teacher and escalated conflicts with teachers directly re-
sulted in pivotal moments in leaving school (Lessard et al., 2008). Similar
findings were reported by Tidwell (1988) and Murray and Mitchel (2013).
Clandinin et al. (2010) conducted interviews with 19 young people who had
already dropped out of high school. Some participants felt as if their teach-
ers did not care about or support them, resulting in negative relationships
while, on the other hand, support and understanding underpinned posi-
tive relationships. Similarly, the perceived care and support from teachers
in complex models of indirect effects (i.e. via identification with school, be-
havioural engagement, academic engagement, academic achievement) con-
tributed to lower ESL levels (Fall & Roberts, 2012). On the contrary, in an-
other study ESL boys reported no particularly negative experiences with
their schools, teachers or the way they were treated (Beekhoven & Dekkers,
2005).
We may conclude that in the case of ESL the teacher-student relation-
ship is an area worthwhile strengthening. Research by Wahlgren, Mariager-
Andersson and Hovmand Sørensen (2015) suggests that the development
of teachers’ socio-pedagogical competence has a positive effect on dropout
rates and is therefore a good starting point. In a 3-year development pro-
ject, teachers improved their ability to create networks among students, to
talk to students, to read the social interaction of a group and to give aca-
demically relevant feedback, which led to more positive relationships and
lower dropout rates.
What is the next step?
Given the fundamental role of educators’ SEC demonstrated above, it is
clear that these competencies need to (and can) be built, developed and
trained1. This is not to undermine the importance of substantive knowl-
edge and knowledge about teaching methods, class management and child
development, but to put it on an equal footing. However, there is a false
assumption that all educators naturally possess SEC; an assumption that
needs to be overcome (Jones et al., 2013). For example, in the USA analyses
of state-level teacher certification requirements reveal that the promotion
1 It is important to note that a supportive school culture is also very important for en-
hancing teachers’ SEC (Jones et al., 2013).
34
