Blog #5 By Dakota Amaral

 Reflection #5 

Reading: Troublemakers

So, I read these two articles, and they’ve got me thinking a lot about school and what it’s supposed to be. Both writers, one who’s all about education being this big human rights thing, and the other who’s telling this story about a kid named Anthony from their first year teaching—say that schools are kinda messed up. They’re not places where kids get to be free or figure out who they are. Instead, they’re more about keeping kids quiet and in line. The main point both of them are driving at is that the kids who don’t follow the rules, the “troublemakers,” aren’t the real problem. They’re actually showing us what’s wrong with school, and we should listen to them instead of just punishing them.

The author’s big idea is that school should be this place where kids learn to stand up for their freedom, like their right to be themselves and not get squashed by rules or adults who don’t care. So, when these kids act out, it’s not just them being bad; it’s a sign something’s toxic in school, like how it’s more about obeying than thinking. The writer’s mad that schools train kids for jobs and fitting in, not for asking questions or dreaming big. They even say the fancy schools for rich kids are the worst at this, teaching them to step on people instead of helping out. It’s wild to think how this sets up a world where some lives don’t even matter, especially for Black and brown kids who get kicked out way more.

The second writer’s all about Anthony, this tall, smart nine-year-old who drove them nuts as a new teacher. Their point is that school doesn’t match how kids actually are—like, little kids don’t wanna sit still or just do what they’re told, they wanna explore and say “no” a lot. But school’s set up to make them follow orders, and when they don’t, like Anthony didn’t, they get labeled as problems. hey talk about how punishments like suspensions push kids out, especially kids of color, and it’s like a domino effect that messes up their whole life. They’re not into fixing these kids—they wanna know what these kids can teach us about making school better.

Reflection: 

Reading this, I’m kinda blown away by how they flip the script. I always thought kids who got in trouble were just messing up, but now I’m like, maybe they’re the ones pointing out what’s broken. It’s weird to think of them as these canaries warning us, but it makes sense—school can feel suffocating sometimes. I wonder what it’d be like if teachers listened more instead of sending kids to the office. I also think as future educators it's important to not jump to conclusions and assume the worst. Get to know your students, you never know what is going on behind the sconces, behind closed doors. I am big on never judging a book by its cover, and I think a lot of educators have this issue.