Abstract

This thesis presents the results of a case study based on the School of Outliers, an alternative school in Québec established for at-risk students at the high school level. The author has been a student of the School of Outliers and currently teaches at the same school. Based on a self-study and personal narrative, questions were developed for guided journal writing for a group of eight graduates from the same school who volunteered to participate in the study. Two of the participants also agreed to be interviewed to further examine the issues identified in their journal entries.
Analysis of the data generated through the collection of the narratives and interviews produced a few themes that are important to keep in mind in helping at-risk students who have distanced themselves from the school culture. The two most important themes for the engagement process are teacher-student connection and raising critical consciousness. Of course not all students benefit to the same extent from their experience at the school. If we are to understand and engage in dialogue regarding the experience of at-risk students, we must acknowledge all facets of their experience. The role of teacher-student connection in developing critical consciousness in at-risk students can only achieve so much. The power of this connection battles against a myriad of factors lying in wait for at-risk students after the bell rings at the end of each school day. This study is a step towards a better understanding of the lived experience of at-risk students.