clusions may indicate to parents that the youngster has a reading problem, has ADD or needs to take Ritalin. My belief is that caution needs to be taken by those in the classroom in order to prevent assumptions being made by the student and family. More than one student has said to me, “My first grade teacher told me I would never learn to read, therefore, I never tried.”The students I am referring to were in high school, and had believed that they could never learn to read since their early years in school. Classroom teachers also see the emotional baggage that some students may be carrying and can be very helpful to the families by raising questions and expressing concerns. Once again, my refrain here is prevention preferred rather than treatment.
College Arena Once students enter college or pursue other post-secondary options they are very much on their own and must seek assistance for themselves. Many resources are available, but college students are usually hesitant to request assistance, resulting in many students failing as they take their first steps after high school. Issues of young adulthood could have been addressed earlier in their lives and could have prevented conflicts with college curriculum, training programs, employers or even a spouse. In addition to academic challenges, today’s youth are faced with societal issues regarding drugs, technology, divorce and so forth.These may also be the reasons for students having difficulty at home and at school. Prevention includes being prepared to take charge of your life and becoming independent. In the past several years, programs have developed throughout the country
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for those age 18-25, who cannot cope with their independence. Many have never had a job or had to be accountable to anyone. This does say something about fostering dependence and not promoting independence. One of my favorite quotes is the following:“The goal of parents is to give wings to allow children to fly.” My message is clear to parents and educators.Try to arrive at answers early in order to prevent later failures or perhaps disasters. Having counseled hundreds of children provides the basis for my conviction. Jean Hague offers counsel to families seeking educational recommendations for their children. Her focus is on middle school through college, and she bases this as a former teacher, counselor, and college and school administrator. Jean holds an M.A. degree and Specialist Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Columbia University, and has been in private practice for 30 years. She is an active member of several professional organizations including IECA, SSATB, SACAC, NACAC, and is an Emeritus Trustee of the IECA Foundation.
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