Elements of Writing and Supportive Evidence

Thesis statement: From my perspective, the best approach to motivate high school students is to promote flunking of students, implement mentorship programs and incorporating visual elements and group discussions during learning.

Introduction

Research has shown that currently high school students are graduating while they are still semiliterate (Sherry, 1991). Most students just go through the class and graduate without comprehending why were in school in the first place. Employers in several companies have made numerous complaints concerning high school graduates. To make matters worse this trend gets worse year after year. This has been revealed in several statistics. Currently, most high school students have no personal priorities to complete high school. A few even prefer to drop out. In light of this revelation, it is important for parents, teachers and the government to initiate plans to change this pattern. This is because children reflect the value of the society. If they do not show any concern about their education, it implies that the society is also not concerned. The rate of high-school dropout has been blamed on family background, family conflicts, drugs and other issues. The society has hidden behind these scapegoats for a long time. It is time for the society to stand behind the education system and motivate students to value education and he future that they represent. From my perspective, the best approach to motivate high school students is to promote flunking of students, implement mentorship programs and incorporating visual elements during learning.

Discussion

Flunking student is one approach that teachers can use to inspire high school students. This method has been implemented in the past and it proved to be successful (Sherry, 1991). In high school, most students care about what people think about them. They get delighted when people think they are bright and hardworking. For this reason, they feel threatened when a teacher suggests flunking. This is because there reputation is in jeopardy. Another reason why students fear flunking is that they do not want to be left behind after graduation. The last year of high school is filled with excitement. Every student dreams and makes plans about college. A feeling of maturing hangs around them. No student wants to be left behind while the rest of their classmates pursue their dreams. The reaction at home will additionally inspire students to work hard. Every one desires the acceptance of their parents and family members. Excelling in school is one way in which the children seek the approval of their family. Students view flunking as letting down their parents. Flunking triggers students to think about their priorities and set their goals towards working for a better future. It ignites a healthy fright of failure.

One of the reasons students get discouraged and dropout of high school is because they lack mentors to inspire them to aim higher. There are students whose background is terrible. For some of them, no family member has even graduated from high school. So for them high school is not so important. In such families, any attempt to graduate from high school can attract mockery from the family. Their ignorance can oppress students and hinder them from graduation. Some students have probably seen people who succeeded without going through school. For example, a gang that sells drugs and lives well. Because of the negative influences, students may develop a negative attitude towards education. Strong students can overcome these obstacles but weak students may end up dropping out of school. The reason why it is important to implement mentorship programs is to introduce students to people who have made it in life using appropriate means. Each student may be assigned a mentor. The mentor should be one who has taken a professional course that interests them. These mentors can provide inspiration and hope to students who lack a role model.

Incorporating visual learning and group discussions can further motivate students. Not all students can learn through the traditional audio method where they have to listen to the teacher. Other students prefer visual elements such as graphs and tables. These tools can help the students to gain more understanding about a topic in class. The visual tools in addition help students concentrate on the subject at hand. This approach makes learning simpler. Similarly, students are able to remember what they learnt in class. On the other hand, implementing group discussions inspires students. Students work better in groups as opposed to individually. Students in a group, gain a sense of belonging. Acceptance is important for students in high school. This feeling alone can motivate students to work hard in school. Teachers can increase the effectiveness of group discussion by creating rewards for good performance. Competition will stimulate the students to work harder. Another aspect of group discussion is the additional information that the students gain from each other. Groups also offer support. If one of the group members feels discouraged, the other members can support them emotionally, physically and even spiritually. When group members graduate together, they gain a sense of accomplishment.

Conclusion

            Education is important for the society. This is because ignorance comes with its costs and consequences. Currently, the standard of education is deteriorating. High school students are graduating with certificates but they have no knowledge gained from school (Sherry, 1991). Others have left school and later realized the importance. Because of this, they struggle to go to school at night just to receive the knowledge they once threw away. It is importance for the society to finds ways of raising the standard of the education system. In my opinion, promoting flunking, implementing mentorship programs and incorporating visual elements and group discussions during learning are good methods to encourage high school students.

References

Sherry, M. (1991). In praise of the F Word. Newsweek. 117(8), 114

Stroll, C. (2000). High-tech heretic: reflections of a computer contrarian. New York, NY: Anchor Books