Introduction to Students at Risk: Case Studies of Often Unheard Students

Students deemed at risk in mathematics, as chosen by their classroom teachers, were studied in this series of case studies of grades 7, 8 and 9 students. A researcher shadowed each student individually during several mathematics periods per week over a full semester, in order to allow a relationship with each participant to develop. A wide range of different student characteristics, as well as teacher behaviours, was observed across the cases. Not only was it found that many students were disenfranchised with mathematics, a broad range of other issues were observed. These included reading difficulties, attendance issues, home life challenges, low self-esteem, and extreme shyness. The relatively long duration of the study and the one-on-one nature of the intervention allowed the researcher to develop a relationship with the participants, which may have contributed to the willingness of the students to share their thoughts and feelings in a way that would not have been possible with the classroom teacher working alone. Differences in teacher style were also found, from more traditional, to a teacher who deeply believed in reform-based learning, but was highly challenged by the environment to the point of reverting at times to more traditional practices.