Who are the ones who have dropped-out? Visit some schools in your locality and prepare a list on the drop-out children at the elementary level in your District. Enlist the reasons for the same? What can you do, as a teacher, to ensure that students retention in school?
Answers
The reasons why children drop out of schools are:
1. The classrooms do not have sufficient furniture. Three or four students have to share the same bench. Some of them even sit on the floor.
2. Environment is not child friendly.
3. The students are from poorer sections of society so the fees and indirect school related costs like uniform, books and study materials, transport are very high for them.
4. Lack of teachers.
5. Teachers are not trained suitably.
6. There is no blackboard.
7. Teachers do not use any teaching aids to enhance learning.
Some steps which a teacher can take for retention of students in
schools are:
1. Teach in a simple and interesting manner - The content should be appropriate for the age group and abilities of the students. It should be presented in a simple way which is easy to understand. Interactive activities should be taken up in which all can participate.
2. Set up a friendly and congenial environment in the classroom - There should be no form of violence or fear. The children should feel comfortable and safe. The atmosphere in the classroom should not be stressful.
3. Use suitable teaching methods - Teaching and learning should
not involve only memorizing. There should be practical work which gives an
opportunity to the students to express their different talents and skills.
4. Use appropriate teaching and learning materials - Use of visual, audio, and audio-visual teaching aids to suit the needs of all the children.
5. Give equal attention to all the children - The teachers should be suitably trained so that they can impart knowledge keeping in mind the needs of all the children.