“People think they know who we are…but they don’t!” “They think dropouts are all the same,...

“People think they know who we are…but they don’t!”

“They think dropouts are all the same, but we are

not!  We leave school for all different kinds of

reasons; sometimes we leave because we just

have to.”

-Magdalena, age 18, who left school at 17 to work and to care for a child

Washington Student Oral Histories Project: Listening to & Learning From Disconnected Youth [www.wsohp.org]

Antony SmithUniversity of Washington, BothellBarbara WaxmanParagon Education NetworkDeborah FeldmanParagon Education Network

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Purpose Today

• Briefly tell you about our research study

• Share interesting/surprising findings

• Draw some implications from the research

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Research Questions• What can we learn from youth voice about

the dropping out process?

• What institutional characteristics do youth perceive to have encouraged or discouraged their engagement in school?

• What actions can schools and teachers take to divert paths toward disengagement and dropping out?

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Unusual Research Approach

Context

• In-depth interviews – 45-70 min.

• Unique focus on history

• 5 sites in Western WA

• Diversified sample

Participants

• 53 participants

• Ages16-22

• Dropped out or serious truancy

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My School Rating Form

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Surprise #1

Almost everyone really enjoyed elementary school!

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My School Rating Form

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Percent of Participants Who Rated School Favorably (N=29)

K-2 3-5 6-8 9-10 11-120%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Grade Levels Rated

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Positive Themes from Elementary

• The teacher cared

• School supported me academically

• I had good friends

• I loved music, art, hands-on projects and recess! Learning was “fun.”

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Surprise #2

Long disengagement

“Slow Faders”

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Surprise #3

Interventions (or lack thereof) didn’t work… (for many reasons)

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Kids’ Perceptions of Interventions

• Silly interventions

• Under the radar for long periods

• Focus on compliance

• Kid embraces a “skipping identity.”

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Surprise #4

Negative social experiences:

• Bullying• Student Mobility/Isolation

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Excerpts:Getting picked on every day was what actually caused me to leave the high school. Like I’d be walking to go to my locker and someone would just put their foot out and trip me.

-Lyle, dropped out at 16 I’d try to act like [the girls’ teasing] didn't bug me… But, really, I did care, it's just I didn't want to show everyone else. I'd go home at night and bury my head in a pillow and scream.

-Angela, dropped out at 17 

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The beginning of the school year …was horrible. I hated middle school… And at lunch I hated it [the most]. I would [sit] by myself, and …I don’t know. It was kinda sad. --Sandra

Yeah. We moved to a different area and so, yeah. I wasn't really used to [the new middle school]. It was like [being] an outcast, really. -Shelley

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Surprise #5

The Math Tripwire:

“I hated math.”

“I’m no good in math.”

“I couldn’t do the homework.”

“I started skipping math.”

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Reported Academic Difficulties

Math Reading0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

68%

51%

(N=53)

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Learning Difficulties: Girls vs. Boys

Reading/Writing Math0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100% N=53

Girls Boys

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The Downward Spiral

Poor

Outcomes

“I failed again”

Withdrawal of Effort

“Why bother”

Academic

Mindset

“I’m no good

Avoidance / Skipping

“I’m out of here.”

Negative Learning Experiences

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Final Thoughts…

• Focus on positive relationships

•Develop safe & nurturing learning environments

•Make instruction engaging, interactive, and purposeful

•Diagnose and address learning issues

•Foster growth mindset and self-efficacy, esp. around math

•Rethink math instruction and curriculum

WASHINGTON STUDENT ORAL HISTORIES PROJECT

www.wsohp.org

THANK YOU!