As many students pointed out in the class discussions/journals, although high school student motivation is influenced by many factors, the students themselves should take the most responsibility for it because “in the end, it is up to the individual to seek a higher education.” (Grace, Jan 30, 2008, EDCI 4322-01). A high school student should ask himself these questions before he decides to drop out of school: How much is it worth to me? Will finishing high school make me happy? Can I be happy being a mechanic or a mom? Do I want to better my life? Or I wan to make more money than my parents? (Hilda, Jan 28, 2008, EDCI 4322-01)
So what are the individual reasons that cause high school students to lose motivation and drop out. Some students propose that this might have something to do with the age characteristics of being an adolescent such as 1) being unrealistic such as feeling invincible and not need education, 2) being rebellious such as intentionally do the “wrong” thing, 3) easy to get distracted and too many stimulations outside (games, internet), 4) confused and uncertain about one’s future, 5) over-value friendship, de-value school, and 6) sense of lonely and not being understood. Other individual reasons include pregnancy, family obligation, or drugs.
Being adolescence: unrealistic
I think students are not motivated at this age because changes are happening in their lives. They start having interest in things other then school. Some students start feeling invincible and think they don't need an education.—Mike, Jan 29, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Being adolescence: rebellious
I believe that there are many high school dropping out rates because kids are just rebelling at this age. They want to impress other students by breaking the rules. And peer pressure seems to kick in.—Grace, Jan 30, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Being adolescence: easy to get distracted
I believe that the drop out rate is so high at this level because of the different things that start happening to the students at this age. They start going through so many changes and it affects them in school. A lot of the time they are distracted by other issues outside of school. Sometimes where they come from has to do a lot with their decision making. —Daniel, Jan 29, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Being adolescence: uncertain about future
I think that middle/high school students are not motivated because many factors influence in their education, some of them are the age, and they are in the adolescence where they suppose they are old enough to decide their future.—Nanynka, Jan 24, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
I believe middle school and high school students are lacking in motivation, because they are not quite sure what motivation is. I believe parents grant their child's every wish; therefore, the child has no need to want anything. For a child to be motivated they must actually have the desire for something.—Irina, Jan 26, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Drop out rates are high because some students don't see the point or understand the importance of getting an education. Most drop outs realize the mistake they made later in life and regret what they did and therefore have to deal with different issues.—Mike, Jan 28, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Some students are unmotivated and simply don't care about their lot in life. There are many of us that can testify to certain things we have seen in the past to our high school years where some of our friends or acquaintances paid little or no attention to school.—Lucy, Jan 29, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Like I mentioned before, work brings money and students get a fascination for the money. Mentality wise they believe that they get out of school they can work more hours without thinking of the long term situations.-- Melody Barrera February 3, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Being adolescence: over-value friendship, under-value education
The motivation of high school students differs greatly from elementary and middle school students because some do not set high, long-term goals for themselves. They lose interest in school and only attend because they get to see their friends, girlfriends/ boyfriends, or are not old enough to drop-out yet. They look forward to the weekends and hanging out with friends, instead of focusing on obtaining good grades and graduating from high school. They are one dimensional and put all their concentration and effort on friends, parties, significant others and their popularity status instead of the reason for attending school in the first place, which is to pass and graduate.-- Juanita Torres, Jan 29, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
The other guy dropped out because he lost all of his friends. No one wanted to speak to him anymore. The drama was so much he just quit.—Hilda, Jan 28, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Unfortunately also many of the Hispanic community does not consider going to college as a priority. I think that is where the motivation starts to sink.-- Melody Barrera February 3, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Being adolescence: feeling being misunderstood and lonely
I think that middle/high school students are not motivated because they do not have somebody who can talk to them and understand them. Yes, there are counselors in school that they can talk to but some are to busy making schedules for other students that they might not want to deal with students that might just want to talk. I think that they need someone young to talk to that maybe could understand them and give them advice. I am not talking about another student of the same age but someone who is about 10 to 15 years older than them like for example a 14 year old might fell comfortable to share with a 24 year old things that she cannot share with her/his friends.—Janette, Jan 24, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
I believe that the main key to motivation has to come from within our soul and integrity. Two very significant factors are educational support, not only economically but also, emotionally. Having parents or just having someone that cares for you and loves you is very important for having the motivation to succeed and continue with higher education.—Jacky, Jan 24, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
I believe that the students in middle/high school that loose motivation is due to lack of support. I think that most of these students probably feel lost in the material that they are covering or don’t understand. They are too embarrassed to ask for help and they do not have any moral support or their parents do not show interest in their studies. The lack of moral support can cause the student to loose the motivation of learning and they only go to school so that they do not get in trouble with their parents.—Kristy, Jan 29, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Others might lose interest in school because their teachers and administrators do not listen to them and find motivation in other places in school such as gangs or friends.—Cavin, Jan 30, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Pregnancy
When teenagers get pregnant sometimes they feel that their only choice is to drop out not realizing that now days there are many options available.-- Nina, Jan 30, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
…The third reason is that the student gets pregnant for the female perspective and for the males perspective is that they have a child and need to support his family at such a young age. From a females point of view is that they feel over whelmed with so much responsibility and at times might feel guilty for not spending time with he child so they drop out in order to be a full time house wife. Now the male, may feel the need to provide for his child feels that he has more important obligations to address too.—Ally, Jan 30, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Also, a lot of drop outs occur because there are many pregnant girls who feel it is better to quit than to continue. The boyfriends drop out so they can get a job and pay for the baby’s necessities. Mainly, these students lack guidance.—Shirley, Jan 28, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Family obligation
It all basically comes down to who has the better opportunity to obtain an education. Unfortunately we have more drop out rates within minorities because the opportunity for a higher education is not an option to many who need to help support themselves and their families—Homer, Feb 1, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Many students drop out to start working in order to help support their families as well, especially minorities. Some parents do not put much emphasis on graduating; some female students get pregnant; and others feel like they are wasting time at school when they could be out working and making money. All these facts contribute to the high drop out rate in the United States.-- Juanita Torres, Jan 29, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Students many times have to help out in the home and that means getting a job to help support the family. Living is expensive nowadays and unfortunately here in the Rio Grande valley most families are low income families that work for minimum wage. The students like the idea of earning money and start thinking that the job is more important than the school.-- Melody Barrera February 3, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
When I was in high school I remember hearing other students saying that they were going to help out their families and that's why they were dropping. Others were actually starting a new family and dropping school seemed like their only choice.—Nina, Feb 1, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
In the Hispanic culture students drop-out because their families need money in order to survive and few students are able to work and go to school at the same time.—Cassi, Feb 4, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
Other reasons
Some have disciplinary problems or don't like the school they are attending. Others drop because they have drug or alcohol problems and some either get married or get pregnant, and others find a job and think that education is no longer important.-- Rose, Jan 25, 2008, EDCI 4322-01
Students also start to drop out at an early age because they are starting to work to help pay for the bills. They start liking the money flowing in and forget about there school work and eventually they drop out of school this happens to about 75% of the kids here in Brownsville.—Ice, Feb 3, 2008, EDCI 4322-60
To learn more about Low Motivation, High Dropping Out
Low Motivation, High Dropping Out-- Understanding ...
Demotivator 1: The Individual
Demotivator 2: The Teachers
Demotivator 3: The Parents
Demotivator 4: Education System
Demotivator 5: The Environment
Motivation Solution: Pay them?
Motivation Solution 1 & 2: The Individual & Parent...
Motivation Solution 3: The Teachers
Motivation Solution 4: Education Policy
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