Teach Potential Dropouts Find Out Now What You'll Learn Later

Write the following sentence on the board: "Bila kuangalia hili hadi mahali popote, kama unaweza kutafsiri sentensi hii kwa usahihi, Mimi nitakupa $ 20" then ask students to tell you what it means. When students get frustrated, point out that this is what life is often like for dropouts because they learn less than everyone else who stays in school long enough to graduate. Discuss with the class that dropping out now leaves you vulnerable later. The sentence says in Swahili: "Without looking this up anywhere, if you can translate this sentence correctly, I will give you $20." After sharing the translation, ask students what else people can miss when they lack basic survival tools. For an effective, additional follow-up, use the next intervention, shown below.

Teach Potential Dropouts Can You Speak the Language of High Tech Planet?

This activity is the perfect follow-up for the preceding intervention, shown directly above. This strategy tests students ability to speak the language they will need on our high tech planet. Ask students to translate these high tech terms that will be needed for employment and daily life: ISM, SSL, spoofing, protocol, PDF. After discussing the answers with students, help your participants determine if they are ready now to speak the language on our high tech planet, or if they need to stay in school longer. Here are the answers: ISM is an Information Systems Manager, and a very fast-growing job, as well as the person you need to help you with problems with your computer and internet connection. SSL is the abbreviation used to denote a secure internet connection that protects your credit card number from being stolen. Spoofing means being tricked on the internet, usually by a bogus email that appears to be from your bank or credit card company. Protocol is the specific set of communication rules that govern computer use, like FTP for uploading files, and http for creating websites. PDF is an abbreviation for the type of file that is the most common way to share documents on the internet, including resumes and job applications.

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Strategy #4 Hey, It's Me Plus 25

If you work with youngsters so apathetic or discouraged that they can't really imagine ever having a positive future, or any future at all, ask them to write an email or letter to you as though 25 years have elapsed. In the letter, students can describe what happened to them since they last saw you. For non-writers, they can draw or make a video or audio recording instead of writing, or, you can write for them. Students can make blog entries if they prefer that to a simple letter or email. Here's a variation for students who really resist this strategy: Have them make the letter be about someone else, perhaps a friend or someone they admire or feel neutral about. Once the letter is complete, you will have indirectly learned a lot about the letter's creator, even though the document is ostensibly about a third party. For students, who say "they don't care," ask them to complete the task as if they did care (even though they say they don't care).

Strategy #5 You Choose

Put the following phrase on the board and ask students to discuss: "The same power you have to destroy yourself, you have to save yourself." This strategy is especially useful for children and youth who hurt themselves, abuse substances, are in gangs, or self-endanger. For younger students and for some other youngsters, you may wish to change the phrase to be a bit gentler. You can use this phrasing instead: "The same power you have to hurt yourself, you have to help yourself." Emotions fuel behaviors. The more you can help students manage their emotions, the less those emotions will interfere with school and education.

Strategy #6 When Crime Doesn't Pay

For kids who plan to use illegal activities as their source of future income, you can have a lot of impact by pointing out some surprising realities of your local, state and federal laws. For example, depending on which laws they break, offenders can lose not only the money gained by illegal actions, but also their home, possessions, and vehicles. Under some federal laws, the homes and possessions of relatives and friends may be seized even if these items weren't directly involved in the commission of the crime. It's important to stay aware that illegal activities are not near as lucrative as your kids tell you. Auto theft generates about $18,000 per year, for example, less than what a typical high school grad earns. Even worse, the authorities can take anything related to the auto theft while no one can just take away the graduate's money.

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