1. What is your topic?
My topic is school dropout rates and the reasons/consequences of that. I'm going to focus mainly on why teenage students decide to drop out and what we can do to help solve this problem. I think that if we all were to communicate with the kids, we'd be able to effectively help them. I plan to delve deeper into the subject by finding first-hand stories of kids' lives and the results of their choices. By figuring out what made the kids drop out, we can make changes to prevent the rates from increasing.
2. Describe what you know about the topic.
I know about some of the reasons people drop out of school. I've heard about stories where family members die, and they have to help take care of the family. I've also heard about how students found school boring and irrelevant, so they dropped out. I know that school can be tedious at times, but dropping out isn't the answer. School drop-out rates continue to grow because it's a topic most don't pay attention to or try to fix.
3. Tell what you want to learn about.
I want to learn about the real reasons people drop out. I want to know about real-life situations where people though dropping out was the only solution. Without knowing these stories, we can never truly know how to solve the situation. I also want to see how these peoples' lives have changed since dropping out. I want to see how their lives have been affected and see how/if the quality of their lives differ from the average high school graduate.
I want to find out some statistics as well. It'd be interesting to see the gradual increase of drop-out rates. I want to learn about how drop-outs have affected society economically. I have a feeling a certain group of people are stereotyped as drop-outs, and I want to show everyone how that assumption is wrong. I also want to see the public views on drop-outs and how those views have changed over time.
4. Describe the origins of your research. What sparked your interest in the topic? Why do you want to know more about it?
I started researching about school drop-outs while I was looking for pictures for my header. I found some interesting statistics as well as discussion topics. The topic sparked my interest by being relevant. Dropping out of school has been around for ages, but it still applies to today's society. I have felt like giving up at points, and I'd like to learn about what would have possibly happened if I'd went the whole way.
I personally want to know more about it to help fix it. It's become a major problem in schools, not just locally, but nationally. I want to study what's wrong with schools and what we can do to find a remedy. A person's education is one of the most important aspects of their lives. Without it, no matter what the reason, you can't be as successful in professional careers.
5. Why do people drop out? What are some major reasons for dropping out? What effect does dropping out have on society? What are career options for a dropout? What can be done to lower the drop-out rate?
6. Describe your plan for collecting information about your topic.
I plan on finding government websites that give statistics on school drop-out rates. I also plan on finding credible sources about real-life stories. I could find some books that discuss the topic as well. I want to read articles, whether they're in newspapers or online, and find out what society thinks of dropouts. I also want to find pictures, cartoons, or other media pertaining to the subject too.
7. Provide a preliminary bibliography.
"Archived: High School Dropout Rates." U.S. Department of Education. Web. 17 May 2010.
Coster, By Helen. "Millionaire High School Dropouts - ABC News." ABCNews.com - Breaking News, Politics, Online News, World News, Feature Stories, Celebrity Interviews and More - ABC News. Web. 17 May 2010.
"Dropout Prevention." Solutions for America. Web. 17 May 2010.
"Focus Adolescent Services: Youth Who Drop Out." Focus Adolescent Services: Help Your Teen and Heal Your Family. Web. 17 May 2010.
Zeleny, Jeff. "Obama Takes Aim at School Dropout Rates - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com." Politics and Government - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com. Web. 17 May 2010.
I agree that communicating with students can help change their minds about dropping out. An education is necessary, and people should do whatever they can to help students achieve a higher education.
ReplyDeleteTalking with people who did drop out or are planning to drop out will help you learn both sides of the story. You'll know what made them think dropping out was an option, and you can create a unibiased opinion.
This is a good topic to choose because you'll find a lot of statistics, stories, and personal opinions not only on the Internet but also in the school.
I definitely feel that a lack of communication plays a pretty major role in the drop-out rate. Communication is key; if teachers/parents vs. students are unclear with each others, then I think the students would feel less motivated to do their best. (question 1)
ReplyDeleteI think a big part of the problem would be no motivation from the student. I understand that some students have more serious reasons to drop out (i.e. a death in the family--new responsibilities), but I feel that many of the "drop-outs" are just lazy and unmotivated. (question 5, parts 1&2)
I think real-life stories would be very effective in your project. I think you could gain more credibility by having them, and by having government statistics. (question 6)
I'm pretty excited to follow your updates as well :-P
50/50 :)
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