How to understand and help children in difficulty?

September 25 will mark the 17th day of Refusal of School Failure, organized by the AFEV association. An opportunity to take stock of the issue of school dropout.

In France, around 100,000 young people leave the education system each year without a diploma or qualification, or nearly 8% of young people aged 18 to 24, a figure which is still worrying, despite an improvement in recent years. The 17th day of Refusal of School Failure, on September 25, will provide an opportunity to revisit the difficulties that can lead a student to academic failure.

Failure is characterized by leaving the school system without qualifications, but it is not only academic failure that needs to be addressed; difficulties at school, too, which can lead to failure, are a subject in their own right. PISA, the Programme for International Student Assessment, measures the reading, science and mathematics skills of 15-year-old students in 85 countries. The latest figures are worrying, particularly for France, with an unprecedented drop in results, a drop also observed in most of the countries surveyed.

Academic difficulties can have various origins. Cognitive disorders, such as specific learning disorders or neurodevelopmental disorders, can complicate academic success. In addition, the family environment plays a fundamental role: children who benefit from the support of their parents often have better chances of success.

However, one of the major causes of school dropout remains social origin. Educational inequalities are flagrant in France. According to the Observatory of Inequalities, in mathematics for example, 91% of young people from privileged backgrounds achieve satisfactory or very good mastery, compared to only 50% of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Dropping out of school can be a deeply painful experience for the students involved. Writer Daniel Pennac, in his book School Sorrowdescribes with emotion his own difficulties at school. This author, now translated into more than 30 languages, recounts how he was a “very bad student” for a long time. He remembers the anxiety that followed him every evening when he returned home, and the decisive encounters that helped him overcome these trials.

“Every night of my childhood, I came home chased by school.”

Daniel Pennac

author of “School Sorrow”

Beyond traditional academic support, it is essential to value the qualities of students in difficulty. It is important to remember that grades do not reflect a child’s intelligence or personal qualities, nor do they predict their future.

Émilie Hanrot, kindergarten teacher and author of the book Love schoolillustrates this point in a touching anecdote. She recounts writing this encouraging comment on the report card of a struggling student: : “Céline is a ray of sunshine for the class, keep up the good work, your smile lights up our CP.” Years later, this student thanked the teacher, telling her that this simple sentence had boosted her self-confidence.

Technology can also play an important role for students who are dropping out of school. For example, 2nd Chance Schoolswhich welcomes more than 15,000 young people at risk of dropping out each year, uses a ‘serious game’ (educational video game), to help these students define their path and understand the skills needed for their future. More broadly, digital technology, when properly supervised, can provide valuable support for students in difficulty.

However, let us also remember the importance of books. Many studies show that reading, from a very young age, can effectively prevent school dropout.

In summary, it is essential to continue to believe in each child, in their abilities and their potential. A smile, a word of encouragement or a kind gesture can be of inestimable value.