The purpose of this study was to evaluate the teachers recognition on school-maladjusted students to address barriers to student learning and to promote healthy development. Based on the evaluation and an understanding of the limitations of the existi...
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the teachers recognition on school-maladjusted students to address barriers to student learning and to promote healthy development. Based on the evaluation and an understanding of the limitations of the existing approaches, I intend to propose new approaches to address these problems. With this aim, I have carried out a survey of the 438 high-school teachers in Daegu city. Based on the survey, I have delineated the factors responsible for barriers to student learning and healthy development, and also the different approaches employed by the teachers to address these barriers. I have obtained the following salient results from the survey.
First, the major barrier to affect student learning and healthy development arises from problems in the families of the students. Other factors which also have some influence, include, personal, school and social backgrounds.
Second, emotional problems are responsible for learning barriers in a number of students. These emotional problems may be related to gender, scholastic achievement, drug abuse or the immediate friend circle of the student.
Third, the guidance of students with problems is generally facilitated by the presence of educational counsel in school, efforts of local school staff, and efforts of representatives of family and local society. It is generally observed that the specialists are ineffective unless they work in active cooperation with the local authorities like school staff, representatives of family, etc.
Fourth, it is seen that the practices on problem solving and prevention are generally good on an individual basis. However, these practices are not effective when carried out at the group, family, social or local levels. In addition, individual practices fare better because they benefit from good education. On the other hand, a good education does not seem to have any effect on the practices in the group, family, social or local levels.
Fifth, the major bottlenecks to address the barriers to student learning are the lack of expertise, lack of confidence in the teachers, and the teachers heavy work schedule of teaching, research, study and training, etc.
Based on the above results from the survey, I propose the following new approaches to address the barriers to school-maladjusted students.
First, school social work should be an integral part of the school network at every level, elementary, middle and high school. These would enable teachers to take care of teaching and school social workers can take care of the problems related to student learning. Efforts should be made to bring the school social work scheme under the scope of the educational law, so that school administrators like principals, vice-principals, educational ministry officials, health and welfare officials, parents, students and local community members are brought together.
Second, every school should possess school social workers, who are trained and eligible to carry out social work in schools. The law should detail out the educational background and the Qualifications required before providing certificates of eligibility to deserving school social workers.
Third, a support system consisting of trained professionals with experience in psychological counseling and psychiatric therapy is essential to address some of the serious problems faced by the students. Such a support system should also include social programs devoted to juveniles.
Fourth, a close interaction between the educational and social-welfare departments of the school social work programs.
Fifth, in schools, practicing school social work, various new programs suited for the education in our country should be developed and applied. These programs should be developed after due consultations with professionals in the field and the local society. The views and resources of the local society should be utilized to the maximum in the development of such programs.
Finally, it is of vital interest to develop a curriculum incorporating school social work in our country in the near future. Such a curriculum should be developed taking into account the view and ideas of school social workers and school teachers. Periodic checks should be carried out to check and verify the effectiveness of the program.