The Habitual Absentee

Behavior

• Misses class and school for countless reasons, from illness to the excuse that parents need him/her at home.  
• May be uneasy about his/her absence. More often than not, however, does not believe his/her absence should cause teacher any problems or upset.  
• Thinks he/she shouldn't have to make up work and feels persecuted if teacher thinks differently.
• When present, often so far behind that he/she can't do class work.
• Doesn't know what's going on in class.
• One of the hardest students for both teachers and administrators to deal with. That's because this student is likely to be doing nothing even when he/she does come to school. In a sense, this student is absent even when he/she is present.
• Likely to act bored by school. May be either bright or dull intellectually, and thus may be bored for either of two completely opposite reasons.  
• Usually defensive. Therefore, refuses to look at him/herself as the problem.

Effects

• How behavior affects teachers, classmates, and parents in the school learning environment and the home family situation.
• Teacher may be upset if this student is achieving far below his/her potential. 
• Teacher is continually subjected to the inconvenience of bringing this student up to date academically. Because the student may be so far behind, this can seem insurmountable. 
• Classmates may ignore, reject, or make fun of this student. 
• Class may recognize this student only as a "partial" member. 

• Unfortunately, teacher may choose to be happy or relieved when this student doesn't show up for class, and "half mad" when he/she does. Therefore, teacher mood and disposition may be altered.

Action

Primary Causes of Misbehavior

• Power 
• Being absent continually may be an act of open dissent against the school.

• Self-Confidence 
• This student escapes from school because of a feeling that he/she can't do the work.

Primary Needs Being Revealed

• Escape from Pain 
• This child could be a poor student and might find it too painful to attend class. By being absent, he/she gains an excuse for being behind.

Secondary Needs Being Revealed

• Aggression 
• This student needs to be involved in school in some way that makes him/her feel a part of the school. Absenteeism may be a negative form of assertion.

• Achievement 
• This student must experience some little successes.

• Power 
• The habitual absentee is demonstrating his/her power through the school's inability to keep him/her in school. Somehow the power need must be met by giving this student authority of some kind.

• Status 
• Every effort should be made to make this person feel his/her importance in being present in class. 

Actions to take

• The first goal should be to get the student to make a steady attendance in class.
• Make it about TODAY, not yesterday or tomorrow.
• Check with other staff/administrators to see if there are any special problems.
• Do not compare the student with their classmates.
• Schedule some kind of make up work for the student to get back on track. 

Mistakes

• Forming our own opinions of the validity of this student's reason for absence-regardless of the formal excuse he/she brings to class.  
• Giving the student a "disbelieving look" after reading his/her excuse.
• Getting angry and withholding information regarding academic make-up work. 
• Showing that we dislike the student as well as what he/she is doing. 
• Saying such things as "You're worthless" or "You'll never amount to anything." 
• Failing to welcome the student to class when he/she comes. 
• Allowing the student's nonattendance to be our reason to judge him/her a discipline problem.