To intervene or not? Professionals' relation to early school leaving in Finnish general upper secondary education

Abstract

This study aims to understand intervening in early school leaving-related problems at general upper secondary schools in a large Finnish municipality. Sometimes intervening causes a paradoxical situation because professionals follow legislation by providing guidance and support to promote students' progress in their studies but, at the same time, try to strengthen students' wellbeing, which may not always mean continuing their studies in upper secondary school. We focus on professionals’ action and experience which are studied utilising concepts and methodological principles of subject-scientific psychology. The main material of the study consists of recorded and transcribed group discussions with 32 professionals who encounter the phenomenon of early school leaving in their everyday work. The material is analysed qualitatively 1) to identify how professionals perceive the phenomenon as a reason for intervening, and 2) to identify common contradictions they encounter in their everyday work related to early school leaving. The results suggest that professionals understood students' rocky conduct of everyday school life as consisting of 1) choosing the school without thorough consideration, 2) a mismatch of expectations and reality, 3) learning difficulties, 4) problems in social relationships, and 5) difficulties in other life scenes. Further, we identified six common contradictions which related to 1) students' conduct of everyday life, 2) students' broader life trajectories, and 3) professionals' conduct of their professional everyday lives. We argue that it is essential to consider early school leaving situationally, from the standpoint of the subject, instead of specifying risks or statistical probabilities.