As the name suggests, an at-Risk student is a student who is at a higher risk of failing or dropping out of class. Such students drop out before completing their studies for several reasons. Some of the contributing factors for a child to become an at-risk student are poverty, emotional distress, unsafe environment, family issues, etc.
Students sometimes divert from the academic structure of school and engage in wrong or unlawful activities. It leads to interest loss in studies and in such cases, the students either fail or drop out of school.
It becomes vital that a counselor, educator, or parents intervene in such situations. At-Risk students lose their childhood due to these incidents.
To protect a child’s future and give them a sense of the right direction, early intervention is very important. They act as a preventive measure for the students who are at risk. These measures might protect the child and create a positive outlook for them.
Characteristics of such students were first defined by McCann and Austin in 1988. They explained the existence of various factors based on the research behind the at-risk student. The factors responsible for a child to become an at-risk student are related to the individual, family, and the social environment. Every student is unique and teachers have to adopt different teaching methods to cater to students. There are different types of learners in the class and that has to be kept in mind.
These students must be identified and helped before it becomes too late. Some of the factors that help identify it are socio-economic status, neglect, abuse, and involvement in the wrong circle, to name a few.
Such students can be individually tutored, put into remediation programs, medical care, mentorship, career counseling, or employment training. Academic advisors can help with the same.
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