Every fall, millions of children return to school eager and excited to begin another school year. But in each school there is likely to be a handful of kids who greet the new year with fear and apprehension. Unaddressed, this anxiety may prevent them from bonding with their teachers and classmates, impact academic achievement, and even lead to physical symptoms or depression.
Before school adjustment issues can be properly managed, it is necessary for parents and professionals to identify the root causes of the student’s reluctance to attend school.
Fear of a New School Environment
A transfer to another school district, or simply graduating to middle school or high school can cause insecurity as the child wonders how he will manage the change. He may be unfamiliar with the building and routines, and this uncertainly causes stress and anxiety. Kids who have had problems at a previous school, either academically or socially, or who need structure and stability to feel secure, may be at increased risk for this kind of adjustment problem.
Trouble Separating from Parent
More common with young children, these students are unable to transition from the home environment to the school environment due to being highly attached to one or both parents. This may be indicative of a more serious family issue, or it may simply be that a child is not quite emotionally ready for the demands of the school environment. He feels safer at home, where the pressures of school don’t exist and his parents are there to reassure and comfort him.
Social Stressors
Kids who have difficulty making friends may find a new school year, full of new routines and strange faces, excruciating. They worry about who will talk to them in class, where they will sit at lunch, and who might make fun of them. These kids may lack the social skills or experiences that allow other kids to greet the new school year with a healthy anticipation of new experiences. Socially isolated kids, on the other hand, face the new academic year with a dread that may escalate to school avoidance.
Fear of Bullying
Students who have a history of being bullied or threatened may avoid school because they simply don’t feel safe. The idea of going to school and facing constant harassment and torment produces an anxiety that is unbearable. Additionally, a bullied child who has gone to the authorities for help in the past, only to have the problem continue or perhaps worse, may feel that staying home from school is the only option.
Academic Problems
Students who have struggled academically are at higher risk of school avoidance, and ultimately dropping out, than those who are successful. Ideally, school is a place that makes students feel competent and successful, which breeds motivation and self-confidence. For the struggling student, however, school is often a place that only serves to reinforce his already low self-esteem. He does not see himself as a “good student,” nor does he believe it is possible for him to ever become a good student, especially if he has participated in past interventions that have only proven to be frustrating and unsuccessful. The student attempts to avoid these feelings of failure by staying home.
A skilled school counselor should be able to pinpoint what issues are at the root of a child’s school avoidance. Then, working with the parents, student, and the students teachers, she can develop help develop an action plan that addresses the child’s anxieties and paves the way for a successful home to school transition.
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