Missing class, the attractiveness of what is forbidden for teenagers

Missing class or playing truant is one of the most attractive "traps" for a teenager, due to the feeling of rebellion and transgression of the norms that live in that age. Although, sometimes, these absences of class attendance can become a serious problem for the adolescent himself and his family.

What does it mean to play truant? It is to stop attending any place you have to go and especially refers to when students miss class simply for fun. They are absent from school without a legitimate cause and without the permission of their parents or teachers. But surely, if we remember more than one of us will remember having skipped a class on occasion during adolescence (like the first puff on a cigarette), by the emotion of the forbidden. These sporadic steers know that they have no importance, just as they left no permanent wound on us.

In the age of the new possibilities, the challenges and the influence of the gang, it is not uncommon for our children to fall into the temptation of not going to class to sit on the benches of the park, to play a game of basketball. or go to the exit of another school and see the boy or girl they like at that time. But this is very different from those other teenagers who, almost every week, find a way to escape from some classes, without their teachers ... nor their parents suspecting it.

Reasons for teens to skip class or play truant

Depending on the city in which we live, skipping class may receive different names: steers, pellas, toriles, smoking, pirarse or escaquearse the class, borota, etc. The student picaresque has always been prodigal in inventing names and synonyms about different school situations. And, why deny it, making bullies is a highly attractive behavior for a teenager. But have we considered the reason for this behavior? Why do certain students reject outright attendance at school and at the least occasion they make truants? If they were for them, they would cut through with that torment. The reasons they usually give are:

- "I do not like to study".
- "The class is very boring."
- "I'm not worth for that".
- "I do not have the explanations left."
- "The teacher does not pay attention to those who do not go well".
- "They make fun of me in class".
- "The teacher gives thanks so that my classmates laugh at me".
- "It's a bit of fun to put up with an hour by copying to dictation what the teacher says, instead of studying with the book directly."

In all cases we observe that there is a common denominator: the self-esteem of the student is on the floor. Something that, most likely, has its origin in the vision of the school or the institute as a place alien to the vital interests of the adolescent.

The continuous reproaches aggravate the situation

In general, 95% of the boys and girls who miss class are significantly below the average of most of their classmates; as much in reading, mathematics, language as in other basic subjects for his age. There is, therefore, a close relationship between the grades and the attitude of the student towards school. It is evident that a boy or girl who gets good grades enjoys more in school than a bad student. In addition, the latter does not receive more than constant reproaches from parents and teachers for their lack of effort, which contributes to aggravate the situation, as no student suspends on a whim.

Teens self-justify to defend themselves

Whoever feels a dislike of the school can show it by shouting their misery ("I hate this damn school"), grieving in silence, blaming the teacher ("I have a hobby"), himself ("I'm dumb"), finding a justification ("What they teach me is useless"), escape from class ... or do and say all these things at once.

When the young person observes that he is not capable of carrying out the work with the same facility that the other companions, he tries to protect to itself not to feel inept and null. He does this by showing disdain and disdain for school: postponing work, refusing to do homework, criticizing teachers or simply giving up and deciding to leave class, cheat or leave school.

There are students who only play truant on very special occasions: on the occasion of a very difficult test that is feared, or to escape from a threat from the teacher or from a punishment. But, like the "professional novilleros", that performance is born of the same error: to see the school as a place of suffering instead of a place to perform. These guys have to be offered some good reasons to study and make an effort.

They miss school when they have trouble concentrating in school

Nor should we forget that the study poses specific problems at all ages, but in adolescence they are more closely related to the personality of the boys.They live a series of deep and complex transformations in their way of being, which strongly influence their progress in school. It is a conflict phase in which the values of childhood, those of adults, are rethought ... All this has a decisive influence on the accomplishment of school work, as it prevents a full concentration in it.

On the other hand, the adolescent, especially in the first phase, that of puberty, feels invaded by laziness. There is a danger of considering lack of performance or absenteeism as a simple problem of vagrancy. Of course there are lazy adolescents, maybe you can even say that everyone is in a greater or lesser proportion, but you must also bear in mind that their organic changes lead to a certain inactivity.

Finally, we must add to all this a greater difficulty of the subjects, the nearness of the end of the period of compulsory schooling (with the necessary option between higher education, vocational training and work) and the greater vulnerability of the children before the negative influences of the environment.

Ana Aznar