Post 9: Troublemakers

 

Troublemakers by Carla Shalaby

Quotes:

“Understanding supposedly broken children as miners’ canaries focuses our attention on the toxic social and cultural conditions of schools that threaten and imperil the hope of freedom” (xxiii). 

The author is using the miners' canary as an analogy in connection to student behavior. Like the canaries, Shalaby believes that students most sensitive to the toxic school enviorment have the greatest negative reaction to it, often resulting in challenging behaviors that label them as “troublemakers”. As educators, we must seek to understand the environmental factors causing these behaviors and focus our efforts towards removing the toxin rather than training kids to tolerate it. 

“In short, the policies and practices that we use to discipline children–starting in the earliest grades—have the potential to set off the first in a long line of falling dominoes that might end in a young person facing the direst of circumstances” (xxix).

Many schools have a zero-tolerance policy for misconduct that rely heavilty on punishment in the form of isolation or exclusion. As a result, often already struggling students are forced to miss school during formative years. According to the author, children without reading proficiency by the end of the 3rd grade are four times as likely to drop out of High School. Shalaby refers to this as a withholding of education and points out its political ties to maintaining an economic and social underclass. Similar to what Patrick J. Finn discussed in Literacy with an Attitude, many schools are training students to tolerate this oppressive environment to create the perfect workers, ones that keep their heads down, mouths shut, and follow orders. Those who are defiant are pushed out. 

“Every time a child breaks a rule, never mind the purposefulness or lack thereof, she exercises her human right not to comply, and she signals something about the demand she refuses to meet. Maybe she can’t meet the demand. Maybe she doesn't want to. Whatever the case, her noncompliance marks the need to evaluate the demand, not just the child” (xxxiii).

Shalaby acknowledges that most children are not intentional in their fight for freedom, but that does not mean their rebellion should go unnoticed. 46 percent of kindergarten teachers report that more than half their class has trouble following directions. Such a large-scale struggle, and yet, it's hardly ever questioned if this strict obedience is reasonable to ask of a five-year-old in the first place. As educators, we must take a step back and evaluate what we hope to shape our students into and if the environment and policies in place are supporting this goal.

Comment: 

During one of my observations in an elementary school, a second-grade student asked to use clay, and the teacher told him no and explained that it was not today's lesson. She saw he was upset and validated these feelings, but asked that he act responsibly. In response, the student got angry and threw the supplies he was given at the wall. The teacher sent this student to the classroom next door, where that teacher would seat the student off to the side, talk with him about his behavior, and set a timer. Initially, I was surprised, as this felt very similar to a “time out,” which these kids seemed a bit too old for. Though when I placed myself in her shoes, I’m not sure what I would have done. She's alone in a classroom of 30 kids, with a student throwing things because she said no. She's an elective teacher who sees each group every three weeks, which is not ideal for building those relationships consistently. Even if she had the budget to give out clay whenever a student requested it, would it not reinforce the unsafe behavior? At the end of class, she pulled the student to the side and had a one-on-one conversation with him. It ended with him telling her that he hates art and her saying, that's okay and that she hopes someday he comes around to enjoy art.

For an article on increasing choice in the classroom:

https://www.nwea.org/blog/2025/how-to-engage-students-by-providing-more-freedom-of-choice/

Post 8: Literacy with an Attitude

 

Literacy with an Attitude by Patrick J. Finn

Argument:

Patrick J. Finn is arguing that in the United States, there are two kinds of education: empowering education, which teaches high literacy proficiency that prepares students for a life of power and authority, and domesticating education, which teaches functional literacy, preparing students to be society's workers, productive and dependable. Of course, like many aspects of our world, socioeconomic status determines which kind of education is available, with a system designed to ensure power remains in the hands of those who have it.

Finn supports this claim in chapter two, referring to a study performed by Jean Anyon, who studied fifth-grade classes in public elementary schools from both wealthy and non-wealthy areas throughout northern New Jersey. In this study, Anyon groups schools by the predominant socioeconomic class of their students. Executive elite refer to families within the top 1 percent, affluent professionals are in the top 10 percent, the middle class is above average but below 10 percent, and the working class has below-average incomes. Through this study, Anyon noted that despite having similar demographics, each majority white, following the same state requirements, utilizing the same arithmetic books and language arts course of study, students walked away with very different educations. 

What Finn would refer to as domesticating education were the working and middle-class schools from Anyon’s research. In working-class schools, students learned what to do rather than why, utilizing low-demand tasks that relied on memorization and discipline rather than creative thinking and problem solving, preparing students for wage labor, consisting of mechanical and routine tasks. In the middle-class schools, students held the belief that hard work would pay off, with a focus on textbook learning, finding information, understanding it, and using it to get the right answer, skills often valued by middle-class professions.

In comparison, Finn’s empowering education would comprise Anyon’s, affluent professionals, and executive elite schools. In affluent professional schools, students learned through discovery and experience, focusing on creative ideas rather than learning the right answer, preparing students for careers that demand creative thinking and inventiveness. In executive elite schools, learning is rigorous and challenging, focusing on logic, reason, problem solving, analytics, and self-discipline, preparing students for elite jobs that expect the highest quality performances. 

Comment: 

Having been in a middle-class public education my whole life, my experience aligns closely with Anyon's description. I remember getting so frustrated by the constant praise I would receive from teachers for my creativity, as I struggled to even keep up in school. I felt it was a skill without value, like they had nothing else worthwhile to say. We were never graded on our creativity, so what good is this “skill” if it did nothing to help my performance? I wonder how differently my experience could have been had I gone to a school centered around creative thinking. 

For ways to inspire creative thinking in the classroom:

​​https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/teacher-resources/inspire-creativity-in-the-classroom/

Post 7: What to Look for in a Classroom

 

Alfie Kohn, What to Look for in a Classroom.

Learning for Justice, Introduction to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy.

Connection:

The chart, originally from Alfie Kohn’s What to Look for in a Classroom, and revised in The Schools Our Children Deserve, outlines the positive and negative signs to look for in a classroom space that may inform how the educator operates and their dynamic with students. Kohn notes a number of areas to analyze, such as the use/organization of classroom/school space, teacher disposition, students' demeanor, and task/discussion management. The positive signs for these areas generally consist of a classroom following an asset-based, student-centered approach to teaching that focuses on engagement, collaboration, and active learning. The negative classroom signs consist of an overly regimented space focused on direct teaching and silent independent work. In connection to this week's video, Introduction to Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, this discussion shows an area that could be expanded on in Alfie Kohn’s chart. This video features educators who discuss culturally relevant pedagogy, which consists in part of teachers building connections between what students' lived cultural experiences to what they are being taught. This idea aligns with the asset-based and student-centered approach Kohn is highlighting in his positive signs, as educators take a personal interest in students, adapting their teaching to align with the individual needs and backgrounds. However, Kohn does not explicitly discuss cultural diversity, focusing more on what environment is generally positive for most students. This chart could benefit from noting signs for culturally inclusive classroom environments, such as having culturally diverse examples in lessons or around the classroom. Another connection that could diversify Kohn’s chart is from Lisa Delpit’s The Silenced Dialogue. Like the educators from the video, Delpit discusses how cultural differences between teachers and students can impact learning when not considered. For example, she discusses how direct instruction, explicit expectations, and displays of authority may feel overly controlling for teachers but can benefit students from different cultural backgrounds. In both connections, educators are emphasising the importance of recognizing that one size will not fit all, so teachers must consider the individuality of their students. This is an element I feel may be missing from Kohn’s chart, which could benefit from including a cultural lens for assessing the classroom environment.

Comment:

One thing I’m very excited about when I become a teacher is setting up my classroom space. Through my observations in schools, it became very clear how important the management of this enviorment can be as you enter several classrooms, some of which immediately feel overwhelming, while others underwhelming. I recall feeling most inspired by classrooms that found a middle ground, being well decorated (not too much, not too little) and organized to allow for a nice flow. These teachers used fun methods such as call/response or classroom incentives to ensure appropriate management over the class without being overbearing.

For tips on arranging a classroom space to promote engagement:

https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/classroom-spaces-that-work/

Post 6: The Silenced Dialogue

Lisa Delpit, The Silenced Dialogue: Power and Pedagogy in Educating Other People’s Children

Argument:

Lisa Delpit argues that there are codes or rules for participating in power, based on the culture of those in power, that must be explicitly taught in schools to those outside this culture of power, to ensure students from all cultural backgrounds have the opportunity to succeed. These codes refer to ways of talking, writing, dressing, and interacting. 

She demonstrates how issues related to power start in the classroom as the current framework in schools puts those from different cultural backgrounds at a disadvantage, failing to prepare them for success and ultimately limiting their power. Often well-intended, educators may be unintentionally tailoring their teaching for students who are already integrated in the culture of power and familiar with its codes by following a middle-class framework. An example Delpit provides is that often the fundamentals are taught at a speed suitable for students who have had some introduction and practice at home, typical of middle-class households. However, children outside this culture may not have the same introduction at home, making this speed more difficult to follow. The author also demonstrates how communication can follow cultural norms that negatively impact those unfamiliar with them. Teachers often resist exhibiting power in the classroom, as in middle-class culture, authority is attributed to position, and as such, teachers provide direction in a friendly, indirect way. However, working-class culture views authority as someone authoritative, meaning these children respond best to direct, explicit instructions. This often leads to misunderstanding or kids not listening, as children don't recognize their teachers as an authority figure. This is why Delpit advocates for educators and schools to listen to those inside these communities on how education can support those outside their culture.

Comments:

I found this reading to be very eye-opening, as the provided examples of cultural differences impacting student learning are some that I had never considered. I recently watched a TED Talk discussing the value of human connection in education that reminded me of the conversations we’ve been having over the last couple of weeks. The speaker provides some great excerpts from her educational career that demonstrate the positive long-term impact of asset-based teaching, connecting, and understanding students as unique individuals. Some quotes that stood out to me from this TED Talk include:

“Seek first to understand as opposed to being understood.”

“Every kid deserves a championship, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.”

Every Kid Needs a Champion | Rita Pierson | TED.

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFnMTHhKdkw&t=38s

Post 5: Shifting the Paradigm

 

Throughout my reading of Renkly and Bertolini’s Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit-Oriented Schools to Asset-Based Models, I could not help but connect aspects to my experience. The reading mentions the 40 student assets that support success. The authors explain that assets are categorized as external, referring to “...support, empowerment, boundaries, and expectations, and constructive use of time, rely on the relationships formed by adults in their lives”, or internal, consisting of “...skills that students develop to guide themselves…include commitment to learning, positive values, social competencies, and positive identity” (25). As I’ve mentioned in other posts, I struggled in elementary school, falling below grade level in my reading and writing. I was placed on an IEP for a learning disability, receiving extra practice each day with a reading teacher as well as tutoring over the summers. During this time, my success was heavily dependent on my abundance of external assets. I had support both from my family and my reading teacher, who provided consistent and structured resources, enabling me to build my academic skills both in and out of school. Spending these years playing catch-up to my classmates, I had little time to develop the internal assets necessary for the independence required in middle school. As the reading mentions, middle school is a pivotal time in a student's academic career, marking the start of a decline in asset-building resources. This means if a child lacks student assets entering middle school, they are mostly on their own to build these assets or find alternative means of overcoming this gap before entering high school, where they will be left completely on their own. The authors explain that this is why success in middle school is highly correlated with success/graduation in high school. The same was true for me as I entered middle school and quickly began to struggle when left on my own. Without external factors forcing my educational commitment, motivation, and responsibility, I lacked a sense of purpose in school, often not caring about or making light of my failures. I believe this attitude was developed in part as a coping mechanism, dealing with low self-esteem/efficacy. I found that failure felt much better when you don't try vs when you do. Entering high school, this struggle continued, as well as my poor performance; however, I discovered my love for art and developed a close bond with my art teacher. For the first time, I had a teacher noting my strength (creativity) in a class where it actually seemed to matter. This passion became my sense of purpose and provided me with an outlook towards the future. This shift created the spark of motivation necessary to begin putting in the work of developing my study/academic skills. Without this discovery, I’m not sure what my academic outcome would have been.

Comments: I believe this reading is one that resonated with most of us. One of my biggest concerns regarding becoming an educator is finding ways to foster that internal drive that motivates students to care about school and take pride in their academic accomplishments. The asset-based model seems like it could be very useful for this; however, it must go beyond identifying a student's strengths. Throughout my school life, I was always noted for my creativity, but it never seemed to improve my academic success, which, in my mind, diminished the value of this strength. Teachers must not only help students identify their strengths but also help them apply their strengths to support their success and asset-development. 

For more information on how to apply the asset-based approach:

https://asm.org/articles/2023/december/the-asset-model-an-approach-to-teaching-and-educat

Post 4: The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies

 

Christine E. Sleeter, The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies.

Connection:

In The Academic and Social Value of Ethnic Studies, Christine E. Sleeter discusses the importance of Ethnic Studies for all students, but especially those of color. She explains how the traditional curriculum in the U.S. teaches history from a biased Euro-American perspective, lacking diversity of representation. She also points out a lack of connection being made between past systems of oppression and contemporary race relations. This harms students of color, whose awareness of this bias often contributes to their disengagement and even distrust of their education. Sleeter proposes Ethnic Studies as a solution to this issue, offering students a deeper look into history from a multicultural perspective. This reading connects to Khan’s The Broken Model in which he discusses how the education system was designed to stifle deeper inquiry and independent thought, as “...order trumped curiosity; regimentation took precedence over personal initiative.” This is related to Sleeter's discussion on the Euro-American bias in the current education system, which presents history as disconnected, following one perspective that glosses over the harsh realities of the past and avoids relevant discussion on their connection to today. In doing this, students lose engagement as it fosters no deeper inquiry or connection for students to research and explore, unlike Ethnic Studies, which encourages students to take a more critical look at the perspectives of history, its systems, and societal impacts, both past and present. This encourages active engagement from students, now relating to and understanding the relevance of what they are learning. This also connects to Shifting the Paradigm from Deficit-Oriented Schools to Asset-Based Models by Shannon Renkly and Katherine Bertolini. In this reading, the authors discuss how students lose assets for success as they progress through the grades, as they are provided with fewer resources and asset-building opportunities to grow. They stress the importance of personalized instruction to support students' learning by identifying individual skills, talents, and interests and using them to support their growth, academically, socially, and emotionally. This is related to the reading on Ethnic Studies, as when surveyed, many students expressed an interest in learning the history surrounding their own and others' cultures. Appealing to this interest, courses in Ethnic Studies are successful, with classrooms of highly motivated and engaged students.

Comments:

One quote that stood out to me was “At the secondary level, 79 percent of the named people were White, mostly either U.S. presidents or famous artists and authors”. Growing up with an interest in art, I was always baffled that all the biggest artists throughout history were men. Every household name, dominating every medium, style, and movement, across the board, was men. I struggled to understand why this was, as the implication that men were somehow inherently ‘better’ or more creative than women never sat right with me. Now, as an art education major, I have taken many art history courses, which have opened my eyes to the historical context that limited the opportunities and diminished the value of women artists and their work due to societal bias, perceptions, and gender roles. This context affirmed what I had initially suspected: artistic ability was not connected to gender, but at the time, success was, resulting in the disparity of representation.

For anyone interested in reading more about how this topic relates to art history:

https://www.artnews.com/art-news/retrospective/why-have-there-been-no-great-women-artists-4201/

Post 3: What Counts as Education Policy?

 

Jean Anyon, What Counts as Education Policy?

Quotes:

Jean Anyon writes about research on the need for educational reform, highlighting the connection between academic performance and socio-economic status, with a disproportionately negative effect on racial minority groups in concentrated areas of poverty. 

When comparing the educational policy and resulting achievements in urban students, from the beginning of the twentieth century to now, Anyon notes:

“Although achievement is higher now in that larger percentages of students remain in school past the elementary years than in 1900, I would argue that the improvement is relative and illusory. That is, while in the early twentieth century, relatively few urban poor students went beyond fifth grade, the vast majority did not require further education to find employment in industries that could lead to middle-class income.” (Anyo, 69)

I believe this quote is very relevant to the text, as conversations pushing continued reform are often dismissed under this “illusion” of improvement. As the author points out, these broad comparisons lack the relevant context that informs the gravity of the outcome. In the past, education for poor urban students was minimal, in comparison to what's available today. However, just as relevant to note is that, in the past, that was enough education to receive employment providing a middle-class income. Today, the current educational achievement in urban poor areas appears as an improvement, but really presents the same obstacles for life-long success, as proper education is increasingly required for employment that provides a living-wage. This point establishes greater urgency in the author's call for reform.     

The author continues discussing the perpetuation of poverty in specific communities, linking current federal and metropolitan policies that have resulted in segregated, low-income areas that lack accessible jobs, resources, funding, and quality education. These policies place barriers on low-income families and have devastating effects on their children, disproptrioanly effecting minority groups in America.

 In discussing the effects of poverty on children, the author states:

“As I will report, a recent national study of young children confirms the potential of impoverished circumstances to prevent students’ full cognitive growth before they enroll in kindergarten. Of countervailing power, however, is research demonstrating that when parents obtain better financial resources or better living conditions, the educational achievement of the children typically improves significantly.” (Anyo, 74)

This quote demonstrates just how quickly poverty negatively impacts a child's life, often creating an unideal household environment with increased parental stress and a lack of time/resources spent on richer learning, due to economic pressure and low-income. As a result, poor urban students start school at a disadvantage, with lower cognitive development. However, research has demonstrated that changing the income level or living conditions for these families results in significant educational improvement for children. This serves as significant evidence supporting the author's connection between socio-economic status and educational achievement.

By narrowing down the primary barrier for poor urban students, the author is hopeful for change, stating:

“A new paradigm of education policy is possible—one that promotes equity-seeking school change and that includes strategies to create conditions that will allow the educational improvements to take root, grow, and bear fruit in students’ lives.” (Anyo, 84)

The author discusses potential solutions, including higher living wages, increased jobs/preparation in cities, increased income/corporate tax for the wealthy, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and better public transit routes. These measures would help to increase the area's funding, with which more schools can be created with smaller classroom sizes, offering greater resources such as vocational classes, and greater community outreach/input can be established.  

Reflection:

I remember feeling jealous as a kid that my cousins received a private education while I went to public school. It wasnt until I was older that I understood this wasnt the privilege I thought it was when compared to my situation. Living in a middle-income town, I was able to receive a good education for free. My cousins, living in a lower-middle-income city, had fewer public options for quality education, which pushed them into taking on the financial burden of private K-12 schooling. Fortunately, with budgeting, they were able to afford private education, but for many others, public education is the only option. This is why it is so important to improve public education universally, ensuring every student has a proper start and a fair chance of success in life. 

List of organizations that help low-income students attend college:

https://www.collegeraptor.com/getting-in/articles/college-admissions/8-awesome-organizations-that-help-low-income-students-get-to-college/