ATATURK TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

 Education refers to overall processes that help individuals to develop their behaviour, attitudes and abilities.  Dropout reasons can be categorized into four sub themes as individual, school, family and neighborhood based.  Students state the individual reasons of dropout as absenteeism, grade repetition, intensive curriculum and reluctance.

 According to the report prepared by European Commission, in Turkey 44.3 percent of the age group have left school without completing it. That means about half of the age group do not have the necessary competences for living in better standarts. And it also means long term loses that affect individuals and society.

 Most of them think their present lives are better and free than the school life.  Some of them are happy because they contribute to their family by working and earning money so they haven’t time to attend the course.  Some of them decided to attend our open high school because they were regretful for dropping out.  Some of them attended our course and get a certificate.

Study Group  The goal of this study is to motivate the students who didn’t find it necessary to talk with psychological guidance or counseling service while they are painting out of the class.  The study group consists of 10 students who have had tendency of dropout.  As we know that attitudes and behaviours of teachers have major effects on students who are dropout risk.

Positive effect of arts The arts can have a positive effect on young people

Increases in self confidence, self-esteem, self- efficacy, academic achievement, social acceptance and positive behaviours are only some of the benefits. The arts are thought to increase student attendance and aid in dropout prevention. The arts help motivate students in a psychological sense as well as in a personal one.

This study had a complex process. It took four months.

The questions like ; I.Do you like your school? II.Are you good at math or biology? III.Why don’t you like this lesson or teacher?

Their answers ;  They don’t like the school. So they don’t want to be in the school.  Lessons are boring.  They think that they are’nt good at lessons.  They don’t care their exams.

Results during the groupwork The findings of the study are as follows ; 1.The tendency of dropout depens on individual factors. These factors are stated as absenteeism, intensive curriculum, grade repetition and reluctance.

2.Students were motivated when teachers gave them some power or responsibility. 3.If you can first get to the root of the problem you can start to cultivate a solution that may work to help keep him or her in school.

Results after the group-work 1.We have found out that the students attend their classes regularly. We have reduced the students’ drop-out rate. 2.Another finding is related to the improvement of school performance. Students are motivated by enjoyment.

3.Another finding of this study is related to good relationships in the work-group 4.A concerned teacher or trusted adult can make the difference between a student’s staying in school or dropping-out

5.The most important one is the feeling of belonging when they look at their works, they feel they are part of the school.

It is our hope that the students will be able to convey the difference that they have witnessed in themselves, their motivation, self efficacy and creativity through their participation in art disciplines.