Troubled Teens Resources

The world if full of wonderful and charitable people who would give in a heartbeat. Charity isn’t always monetary. It can be giving of ourselves. For example we could give of our time to tutor troubled teens who need extra help in school, so they don’t get frustrated and drop out. Education is often the best charity.

Four years ago Shelly (age 15) found herself pregnant and in an emotionally abusive relationship with her 18 year old boyfriend.  To make matters worse, she was kicked out of her home when her family found out about the pregnancy. To avoid public humiliation, she also dropped out of school once she could no longer hide it.  No one in the school knew what happened to her, so they didn’t know to even offer help or educate her about her options. Little did she realize at the time, the local area had a school specifically for teenage parents. She didn’t know what to ask or who to ask about her options, as it had never come up with anyone she knew. She eventually had the baby and her boyfriend took off (a good thing as it turns out). She was temporarily able to keep a roof over their head via handouts from people but unfortunately she became very unmotivated and increasingly depressed. Eventually the handouts ended and she soon discovered getting a decent paying job was impossible with not even a high school diploma or any experience.

A stranger heard about her situation and immediately knew he wanted to help. He knew a free handout would only make the problem worse.  Education was the answer in Shelly’s case. This Good Samaritan gave her the information and resources available that she needed to make a step forward. He didn’t do it for her however. Once the information was in her hands it was up to her to make the phone calls and she did. She was willing to put in the effort, she just needed to be pointed in the right direction. 

There are many schools for troubled teens that offer strict rules and regulations that some teens need , but some teens need something different. There are new types of schools that are not only giving teens an education but teaching them new skills and helping them gain a new out look on life and the world. These new schools use different kinds of ways to help teens at risk that some other schools don’t offer.

“Outback feels it is critical for students to continue their education during their expedition, rather than taking a break from school altogether. Outback, in conjunction with Woodland Hills School, has designed a unique academic program that helps students continue their education while receiving intense clinical support, treatment, and development. We find that students rediscover a joy of learning while in the Outback program - so they are inspired to succeed in school when they return home.”

“Kids relate to symbols - clothes, name brands, hot gadgets, and celebrity icons.Outback’s use of metaphors and experiential education to effect a symbolic rite of passage have more impact and are more effective than talk-therapy traditionally used for adults. Students begin a transformational journey against the backdrop of mountains and blue sky.”

“In an independent research study by Keith C. Russell, PH. D., of the University of Idaho’s Wilderness Research Center, various outdoor education programs for adolescents — including three Aspen programs — participated. The study concluded that participation in such outdoor programs resulted in clinically significant reductions in severity of behavioral and emotional symptoms. More than 83% of participants made such improvement. Almost half (46%) of participants returned to a normal range as a result of treatment. After an 18-month study, researchers concluded that the participants not only maintained their outcomes, but continued to improve after treatment.”

If sending your teen away to a boarding school full time is something you feel is too extreme for your teen , there are many other programs to consider. These programs will still let your teen get the credits that they need for there education , but they will get treatment at the same time in a much different way.
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Troubled teenagers inspire differing schools of thought when considering what is the most effective ways for educators to circumvent teen age drug abuse, gang participation,irresponsible and destructive behavior. One side advocates a type of coddling approach, positioning out-of-control teens as victims who needs to be understood, not disciplined or punished. The other side advocates for accountability,responsibility,excellence and the discipline required to achieve success in all of those categories.

These two disparate approaches to youth is amply demonstrated in this debate (linked below) between two teachers. DO follow the link and read a very well thought out rebuttal from a teacher advocating education as a discipline to the argument of a teacher who sees schools as a type of nanny. An excerpt of the former view follows.

It’s a tad long for a post but it speaks to the notion that public schools are for education, not rehabilitation and that teachers are to teach, not provide therapy.

“It is precisely a teacher’s love of his subject and his or her earnest enthusiasm, dedication and skill in passing on his or her knowledge of it that is The Life Lesson we take from education.

Mr. Davis: the gruff biology teacher who discerned my interest in biology and spent time teaching me how to set up an aquarium and what to do when my fish had little fishies. He was a biology teacher. He taught biology. I learned about biology from him. We didn’t talk about who he was sleeping with at the time or what he ate for breakfast on any given day.

We were bound by our curiosity, by my desire to learn what he could teach me, and his to teach what he knew. That process, and its outcome, is powerful, Coach. I think–I hope–you know that. When an adult takes the time to share his knowledge with a child who is receptive, what he is showing is respect. What the child learns from this is that when he gives respect, he gets it, and the form that respect takes is sacred: it’s the passing on of knowledge.

I don’t really know what you think is going on when you talk about teaching, Coach, but that’s what I think.”

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