Troublemakers

                                                                     Troublemakers 

Reflection: 

While reading Troublemakers by Carla Shalaby I was making many connections to past readings we have done over the course of the semester. Shalaby was discussing how students who are typically seen as “troublemakers” need to be looked at from a different angle. Instead of believing that it is the students who are the problem we should look deeper into the system and the environment that they are being seen as a “troublemaker”. Shalaby is claiming that if we were to look deeper into the child's home life you will find that they typically are a good individual once they are somewhere their culture is embraced, they are explicitly told the instructions and expectations, and they feel accepted. As we previously discussed in class schools are catered to those that fit the SCWAAMP (Straight, Christian, White, American, Able-bodied, Male, Property owner) characteristics. As a result students who do not fit these characteristics are typically excluded in their school system. In addition to this it leads to students not knowing the rules and expectations that most schools have due to them not being explicitly told as they are just assumed to know them. This then leads to students not knowing how they are expected to act in school since it is different from what they are learning at home making them be seen as a “troublemaker”. If we look at these students in all aspects and teach in culturally responsive ways then it will reduce the amount of students that are viewed as being “troublemakers”. Overall, students will then be more excited to come to school each day and will be more successful in school. 

Reflection/Questions/Comments to share: 

What are ways we can ensure as future teachers that we will look into the students deeper and not judge students based on how they are acting in school.