Explore Teen Pregnancy and Academic Success

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to explore teen pregnancy and academic success. If education can be a geared towards teen parent success, students will have the opportunity to feel supported through their pregnancy journey and complete their education. The significance of this study is to explore the necessity of continued educational support for teen parents. When a teen mother continues to pursue her education its beneficial to her family(children) and community “”Improving outcomes for young mothers can often improve outcomes for their children.

””(Jennifer Manlove). My interest in researching this topic is to explore the opportunities available to teen parents. Also, to study how teachers can actively support teen parents and help them to feel encouraged to continue their education. According to research teen parent graduation rates are as challenging as special needs students graduating from high school(Barshay). Teen mothers who graduate from high school provides an opportunity of success for their children, ending a cycle in poverty.

My goal is to examine current academic practices experienced by teen mothers. Can sex education prepare teen students for then responsibilities of pregnancy? Students should be exposed to the realities of pregnancy before entering into such responsabilitiy. In my experience as a teen parent and student I first hand became aware of how educators react to and support students who are expecting a child. My biggest concern with the approach that education takes towards teen parents is how these young students can be disregarded in their process to adulthood. I stayed in school until I was 6 months pregnant and not once was I addressed by counseling, administration or teachers in regard to my goals or emotions. Although a student who is expecting may have greater challenges to graduate high school or to continue in attending college they should not be disregarded or labeled as incapable.

Jennifer Manlove(2018) published a report titled “”Improving outcomes for young mothers can often improve outcomes for their children.”” Manlove (2018) highlights the urgency to focus on teen mothers and their education. The national rates for high school graduations have been increasing, while the teen pregnancy rates are declining. The show how America is doing progress in overall graduation. Still, teen pregnancy has long term ramifications, like a cycle of poverty, if teen mothers do not receive educational support during and after their pregnancy. According to an article by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, “Preventing Teen Pregnancy is Critical to School Completion,” (Washington, D.C. 2010) less than 50 of teen mothers complete their high school diploma. Even fewer go on to received their Bachelors. 2 percent of women who were teen mothers attain a Bachelor’s degree before the age of 30. This statistic is important because if a teen has a child between the ages of 15-19 that on average they will spend the next 10-15 years of their and their child’s life struggling financially while overcoming the challenges brought in order to receive a college degree.

Pursuing an education without a child is challenging alone. In the study “Preventing Pregnancy is Critical to School Completion the researchers note how “Young women who give birth while attending a community college are 65 percent less likely to complete their degree than women who do not have children during that time.” Being aware of the hardships adult women face when becoming pregnant students in college notes how much more difficult the same situation would be for a teen who has to become an adult during development.

There is a down hill cycle that affects communities if pregnant teens are not given the guidance and support that is necessary. Through my research I am exploring the contributing factors to teen pregnancy which are out of educators hands, like family and cultural influence. Along with the influence they can control, like interactions, motivation and the importance of open conversations between educators and students.

Literature Review

In the following section of this paper I will explore four areas of research related to my research question, “Can education be geared towards teen parent success?” Other elements of education I will explore are Do middle class teen parents receive the same academic support as impoverished students? What psychological change to teen parents experience? Why do teen parents drop out of high school? How does the education system push teen parents out instead of retain and support? Does a GED hold an equivalent value as a high school diploma? What is the purpose of education? How can public education ensure teen mothers receive a high school diploma?

Gabby Rodriguez was a 17 year old student who faked her pregnancy so she can experience what a teen mother goes through in her pregnancy journey. I can use her research project to highlight the general response that educators, families and communities have towards teen mothers. Often teen pregnancy is seen as a detrimental situation that excludes teen mothers from continuing their education. In her research Gaby Rodriguez shares the response of her teachers which were disheartening to hear, because prior to her fake pregnancy news, Gaby was regarded as a young girl defeating the odds and with a bright future. However with news of her pregnancy educators respond with comments suggesting that she had destroyed her potential in becoming a Social Worker.

Teens are at a very high of teen pregnancy naturally. For some the risks are higher. Young girls born to teen mothers are “66% more likely to become teen parents themselves.”(Harrison)

http://teachersinstitute.yale.edu/curriculum/units/1982/6/82.06.01.x.html

Theoretical Framework

In this area of my study I will explain to the reader my position in the research. As a teen mother myself I experienced first hand the educational default which some teen mothers experience. I did not live in a heavily impoverished community. Most girls in my high school were not getting pregnant. In my four years of high school I saw or heard of less than ten girls pregnant. Because of the low numbers in pregnancy in the area I attended high school, programs or support to continue my education were very scarce.

At the same time, I still managed to succeed in my plans to obtain a college degree. However, the summation of all my experiences and will to power through challenges were are contributions to my success. There were a few educators who by their own personal philosophies which they shared with me, encouraged me. Also, who I am as an individual had just as large of an impact. Some of the challenges I encountered were anxiety, which was extremely overwhelming during my undergrad. I was constantly faced with the urge to quit. On the other hand, my need to succeed and not fall into being a statistical teen mom who becomes part of the fifty percent who do not attain a college degree was greater.

Data Collection and Analysis

For my project I will collect data through three interviews. All interviews will be conducted with teen mothers who come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Through the interviews I hope to gain insight concerning opportunities available to them during their pregnancies, educational environments, personal environments. Interviewing teen mothers from different socioeconomic backgrounds will give insight to how environments and educational programs contribute to their academic success. By academic success I refer to the attainment of a high school diploma which is better accepted by employers or the pursuance of undergraduate studies.

I used the findings from all three interviews to identify personal and academic factors that may have contributed to teen pregnancy. I analyze current programs in place by the educational sector. I also take a deeper look to each interviewees personal home life. I will use the information from the interviews to find correlations or differences within cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, and education. Only about 50% of teen mothers receive a high school diploma by 22 years of age, whereas approximately 90% of women who do not give birth during adolescence graduate from high school.

Findings

Following are the results of the interviews conducted with three women who personally experienced teen pregnancy, The data was analyzed and compared to highlight the differences and similarities in each person’s experience and educational outcome due to teen pregnancy. An important finding from the interviews was the lack of influence sex education had on these women as teenagers. Sex education is implemented in schools across the nation. Yet, only one of the three women I interved stated they actually received sex education. Although two out of the three women I interviewed did not plan their pregnancy, they believed they were practicing safe sex. Even Though they were participating in sexual activity without using birth control methods. When asked why they thought they wouldn’t become pregnant the same response was given, “we were careful”. The response I received demonstrates the lack in informing and receiving sexual education for teen students.

Another insight I came across was the influence the women felt their educators had or could have had on their education and pregnancy. One of the women felt very strongly when she said, “ I feel that they[teachers] could have been outspoken about teen pregnancy, how to prevent it, how to protect yourself from pregnancy.” Her response seemed evident of the lack in communication between educators and students. Her statement was carried with a desire to have known what she was actually going to experience as a teen mother. Another woman answering the question in regard to being better prepared for her pregnancy during high school stated “ I believe some schools and educators are closed minded and don’t realize how impactful teen pregnancies really are on teens…” She continued to touch on how common teen pregnancies were in here are, still there weren’t any teachers openly conversing with students about the expectations or experience. The third interviewee shared how she was a high performing student at school prior and during her pregnancy, still was negatively spoken about by her teachers. She shares, “ just because I became pregnant my potential seemed to go out the window”. On the contrary, the same young lady was motivated by another teacher who told her “ being a young mother doesn’t mean you can’t continue to be a good student”. Hearing how her teacher believed she can reach her goals despite her pregnancy was a very important factor in her academic success.

The last claim made by the interviewees was the influence from their families which strongly contributed to their pregnancy. One of the women stated how she actually had plans to go to college and become a teacher. However, her lifestyle did not reflect her goals. She was living with her grandparents in high school because her mother moved out of state. She stated, “ my mom was pretty strict but she got married and moved … my grandparents gave me lots of freedom.” Living with grandparents she had gained much more freedom which she attributes it as being the main factor to her pregnancy, “ i think that’s what led me to all the partying and being sexually active.”

She also shares another common variable, “ I never had consequences”. Another woman shared she also had strict parents, but was allowed to date. This interviewee did not receive any support during her pregnancy she simply knew that pregnancy meant she had to dropout of school and support her child on her own. She didn’t receive any encouragement from educators or her parents in regards to continuing her education.

Discussion

Viewed from Aristotle’s philosophy on education the importance of educators interacting with students continued to be supported. He viewed education as a vehicle for societies to be informed citizens. In Aristotle’s view he felt the state(community) was obligated to assure their people were educated. In present day, his philosophy still stands. Teachers are essential in the course of learning, “ as the context is misleading, and he is there to expound meaning”(Aristotle). His statement is just as applicable to the interaction of pregnant teens and their teachers. Instead pregnant teens are faced with being stigmatized and pushed out during one of the most critical experiences which will predict future outcomes. There are various outside factors which can not be taught against in schools. A students private life can and usually has a greater contributing factor to sexual activity and career planning. “Interpersonal relationships are indispensable in helping adolescents cope with stressors”

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