The Preface and Introduction of Troublemakers

 The Preface and Introduction of Troublemakers 

Author: Shalaby 

Reflection: This piece allowed me to look through a new lens through the use of comparisons. In particular, punishing troublemaking students to a minor’s canary. The little bird would be used to indicate if the air was toxic in a coal mine, because they die before a human would. The poisonous air at school represents the lack of freedom and the strict rules. At the end of the introduction, I wish that the author would provide more ways for educators to clean the toxic air. After all, it could be difficult when teachers are held to teach the curriculum at a specific pace. Therefore, the question I pose is, “how can teachers encourage freedom, and embrace behavioral problems when they are held to a curriculum?” Moving forward, another comparison that changed my perspective regarded our history of preventing blacks from reading and suspension of primarily black students. I would have never thought that implicit racism could take place in the form of suspension and detention. This really goes to show that history can repeat itself in different situations. It is disappointing to see our system fail the students because they need to be in school to learn. Not being taken out, hence demonstrating to them that they are the problem. This brings me to my next topic that inspired me from this reading- the troublemaker. In my Inspiring Minds classroom, the teacher informed me on which students that “gives her a hard time.” The last time I went, there was a student and she thought he was the one making a sound. When she found out it was a peer of his, she says “usually you are the problem, but this time you are not” in front of the whole class.She is isolating him from the class, most likely making him feel like an outcast or inferior. In our class, we have spoken about how shame and humiliation can be a harmful tactic to learning. The preface mentioned how teachers should treat their students as free human beings. In some elementary schools, including the one I went to, they made students who were talking line up against the wall for the whole cafeteria to see. It is normalized for teachers to do this and to assert their dominance over their students. As future educators, we need to remember that the primary goal is to respect and see progress in our students.  

Comment: In the reading, I liked how it mentioned that behavior issues are the number one driving cause for them to quit. After watching many teachers on social media quit for the same reason, behavioral issues have become worrisome to me. Following this it says that teachers who are more empathetic and deeply care about their students are happier in the long run, which alleviated a lot of my anxiety. I am a psychology oriented person so understanding certain situations and reasons for behavior comes more naturally than most people. As someone who challenged authority with my history teacher, I know what it is like for the perspective of a student. Without a doubt, I will always love each and everyone of my students. Happily receive constructive criticism, while making the necessary adjustments that I need to. I take my students seriously and not treat them as inferior to me. Afterall, I believe how you treat your students is how they are going to treat you back.