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Currently, over 22 states require that high school students pass an exit exam before graduating. Part of this trend towards exit exams is due to legislation and mandates, such as those influenced by the educational act “No Child Left Behind.” The intent of these exams is to ensure that students are being held accountable for their own learning while in school. To extend on this accountability, however, some states and schools are now requiring that students complete a graduation project, often either to replace or supplement an exit exam.

What is a Graduation Project?

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To help students learn different strategies of research and writing, many graduation projects focus on a study of inquiry, where students can research a topic, theory, or question for which they find personal interest. Some of these projects require that students write and cite an essay correctly, present their ideas and theories to a panel, prove that they can write an essay cohesively and using an organized sequence, while also showing their overall ability to speak and write convincingly. In this sense, it can be compared to a high school version of defending one’s master’s thesis.

One of the benefits of a graduation project is that students are actually engaging in work that is intended to prepare them for the “real world” after graduation. As students engage in projects of inquiry, they are able to explore different modes of support while also learning how to articulate their own thoughts

As teens transition through middle and high school, many parents witness their children exhibiting problematic behaviors as students try to assert more freedom and independence. Behaviors such as lying, stealing, not performing well in school, skipping class, or exhibiting general disruptive actions are common among teens.

Despite these issues, however, the vast majority of students struggling with troubling behaviors can improve and advance within one year if they receive early intervention. Early intervention strategies may be the key to solving issues and problems exhibited by teens. Public schools have developed action plans to improve teen behavior to achieve this early intervention. Paired with this, parents can implement specific strategies to help their teens work through some common issues and struggles during the middle and high school years.

Teens and Troubling Behavior

The Common Behavioral Issues

While many teens in middle and high school fall prey to the temptations of peer pressure, fitting in, and the lure of popularity, these pressures can often pull teens towards disruptive and negative behaviors that are evident both in and outside of school.

According to Parenting Teens, “Struggling t"ens (and even those not struggling) tend to project their smoke screens for various reasons. You may see them behaving with studied indifference to virtually everything. They may prefer not to be seen with the family. They may be withdrawn, irritable, difficult, and downright unpleasant.”

Often, "these attitudes are simply a developmental “phase” that "teens "exhibit as they move through puberty; however, schools and

As young children are introduced to new academic environments, they often exhibit problematic behaviors. These behaviors may appear as a child struggles to focus, exhibits negative attitudes, begins touching or hitting others inappropriately, and disrespects adults. Addressing and supporting behavioral issues in elementary school is a multi-faceted and collaborative process. By creating a positive and supportive classroom environment, implementing personalized behavior management strategies, teaching self-regulation skills, and fostering strong partnerships with parents and caregivers, educators can help students develop positive behavioral patterns, overcome challenges, and thrive academically and socially. By recognizing the unique needs of each child and providing the necessary support, we can nurture young minds and set them on a path to success.

Parental involvement is important in encouraging a child to act appropriately. Frequently, behavioral problems witnessed at home will manifest at school; therefore, only a joint collaboration between the parents and the teachers can help the student.

To teach students better modes of conduct and behavior, public schools have adopted specific early-intervention programs to help support both students and parents through the developmental process

Why Children Act Out

According to Diana Browning Wright of the , specific negative behaviors may be exhibited as a result of a child’s specific learning disability, such as ADHD, autism, or other learning issues; however, many children without learning disabilities also exhibit problematic modes of conduct, as “success in school involves being able to complete work, stay organized, get along with kids and adults,

Whether high school students are seeking extra help for coursework or for students who are looking for ways to become more involved in their school or community, tutoring programs are widely available for high school students in public schools.

Benefits of Students Becoming a Tutor

Programs to Foster Positive Tutoring Experiences

For students interested in volunteering to serve as a tutor, such academic involvement can prove to be beneficial both socially and academically. As the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) explains, “Cross-age tutoring can have benefits for both the tutee and the tutor. Using high school students to tutor students in elementary school has the potential to be a win-win situation.” While there are opportunities for high school students to assist their peers, many tutoring programs focus solely on utilizing high school students as mentors for younger children.

As the CNCS further explores, one local Seattle school district paired high school and elementary students in academic tutoring programs, which resulted in beneficial learning opportunities for both age groups. As CNCS explains, the local high school and elementary school “partnered to create a service-learning program where high-school students enrolled in a home/family life class also tutored elementary students during the week. The high-school tutors worked in teams and were coached by an on-site reading specialist.” Three to five days a week, tutors would meet with their assigned elementary students, focusing on the lowest-scoring and achieving students so as to provide strong support early on.

As CNCS