“Individual case studies conducted with these youth indicated that factors such as strong goal orientations, a belief in the benefits of high school graduation, a willingness to follow school rules, and supportive relationships with teachers were protective factors that contributed to these students’ decision to stay in high school” (Murray, C. & Naranjo J., 146).

While reading this passage, I thought: what kind of steps can I, as an educator of adolescents take in my classes and school so that I can turn “risk factors” into “protective factors”?

As the reading pointed out, it is imperative that we make sure we provide our students with the necessary tools to develop their resiliency attributes since their first day of freshman year. Even if we are not guidance counselors, all teachers must be able to establish a caring and supportive relationship with their students; have high expectations for them, encourage them to have meaningful participation, and teach them to use the available resources to develop protective factors in their lives. Families should also be involved in this process, we should work together with them and the community to show and educate the students (those at risk and those who are not) about the benefits of staying in school. Although this sounds like a lot of work for a teacher, considering she/he has to plan lessons, attend meetings and has a personal life, if all the teachers in a school dedicated at least some class time to talk about the protective factors that exist in their students’ lives and how to use them to their advantage, we would see a lot of more of these “at risk” students graduating.