Just drop out of high school and get your GED. That's what a lot of 16-year-olds hear from family, friends, and even from their high school counselors. Sometimes this advice makes sense. There are students with poor attendance due to health problems, pregnancy, parenting, and moving from town to town. There are students with such serious social problems that the ensuing stress and mental anguish of getting along with their peers are not worth staying in school. But for these students to pass the GED test, the advice makes sense only if their reading and math assessment levels are at the high school level.

Strategies
First, counselors should ask many questions at intake to assess whether the GED program is appropriate for a particular student who has dropped out of school. Perhaps a visit to the class is necessary. Students must understand that both reading and math must be at high school levels in order to pass the GED test.

In addition, the learning support specialist (counselor) and the teacher should work on establishing short-term goals withthe students and not even discuss the GED at first. For instance, a goal might be to learn the multiplication tables up to 10 in two weeks, or to find a solution to his transportation problem by Friday. These small, attainable goals set a base for student success, and the student can then build on his or her strengths. Further, it's important for teenage students to know that our classrooms are safe environments, and that high school issues are from another place and time. Students need to be respected, and journal writing and discussion comments should be private, unless they reveal harm to self or others.

The Need for Reality
Pre-GED classes are not always a feeder to GED classes. Some of these students might never be able to pass all the GED tests. Perhaps ABE counselors need to visit high school guidance offices to explain what our pre-GED classes can and cannot accomplish.

The academic skills enhancement we offer in ABE programs may meet the needs of older working adults, but may be insufficient for teens with limited experience and multiple challenges. When we read "I am a teenager committed to DYS trying to do what's right in my life," or even "I can't deal with coming here every day because it drives me nuts," we know that we're dealing with youth's special problems. And then when we read "I wish I never dropped out of high school. That was my biggest mistake I could ever go and do. If I didn't drop out, I could have been out of school already with my diploma, but stuff happens I guess."

Are we ready for the "stuff"?

Beverly Hobbs is the site coordinator for Gardner, one of the ABE sites in the Mount Wachusett Community College program. She has 14 years of experience working with GED programs and young adults. She can be reached at: B_Hobbs@mwcc.mass.edu