An investigation of Illinois child welfare experts perceptions regarding curriculum and instructional strategies for dealing with potential students at risk

The purpose of this research study was to provide middle school and/or high school teachers and administrators with transformative curricular strategies that deal with middle school students at risk. The study focused on characteristics of an “at risk” student from a child welfare professional population. It was the intent of this study to provide thoughts and judgments about how to build upon, develop, and transform curricular, and instructional strategies, that would contribute to the evolving thinking of educators and administrators when dealing with “at risk” students in the middle and high school environments.; Although the literature provides a magnitude to information on the increase of violence in the classroom, there has been very limited research on interventions and helping educators evaluate and assess the behaviors of students who are volatile. This survey-based approach helps to provide information necessary to appropriately address these behaviors and how to intervene. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through use of a survey questionnaire sent to 253 child welfare professionals. The study's findings centered around three major research questions which asked survey participants perceptions regarding (1) What are the possible leading curriculum strategies that teachers could use when working with students at risk? (2) In what ways could teachers implement possible leading curriculum strategies when working with students at risk? and (3) In what ways could teachers use possible assessment strategies when making potential judgements about at risk student success in the classroom?; The results lead to a strong agreement that a curriculum specifically designed for at risk behaviors for at risk students is needed to help school personnel and their communities at large when dealing with these types of students in schools. Other findings included the need for potential policy formation and the development of instructional strategies centered around working relationships between teachers and child welfare professionals.