"Hearing their voices:" perceptions of high-school students who evidence resistance to schooling

Abstract

Although researchers have acknowledged the existence of resistant students— students who seem to have the ability to succeed but who choose not to achieve in school—for years, very few studies have been done in this field that focus primarily on resistant students’ own reports and explanations. This study investigated factors which influence students’ participation in school through the use of phenomenological interviews, teacher questionnaires, and a self-concept scale. Results indicate that resistance is indeed a slippery concept, and none of the participants was resistant to education in general. All had at least one subject that they enjoyed and in which they succeeded. However, several commonalities among participants suggest potential causes of student resistance to schooling: personal and family issues, extracurricular activities, the school environment, and teacher characteristics.