The System’s Problem Becomes the Victim’s Problem & Problem Solving With The Child At The Helm

Part One:

The System’s Problem Becomes the Victim’s Problem

Herbert Kohl’s Argument on I Won’t Learn From You! Thoughts on the Role of Assent in Learning

In this piece Herbert Kohl argues here that that teachers and school systems are misinterpreting bad or removed behavior in the classroom as the student’s failing to engage or understand. If they are acting out or not participating, most of the time it isn’t because they have had bad teachers or don’t want to learn. Instead it is because they feel they are not being heard (in the case of bad behaviour) or attacked in some way. In Barry’s case, he actually didn’t know how to read but the stereotypical image he was seen in as a non-literate student was enough for him to throw tantrums when he was put on public display. This non-learning, as Kohl refers to it, could be because the feel a social loyalty to their culture or because they are being treated as a minority is a racist way. Either way, they are fighting against assimilation. By “turning willed refusal to learn into failure to learn we are not giving the students the support they need to speak out, allowing them a right to the “tree of life.” (pg. 1/pg.5)

In my eyes, Grandpa Wilfredo, Barry and Akmir’s concerns, feelings and behaviors are justified. The feel their survival rests in refusing to assimilate in order to preserve their identity. They fight authority in order to protect their rights. Instead of digging deeper, past our assumptions, into why Barry and Akmir have an aversion to learning, we instead look to who we should blame in the system or their homes. People have every right to their opinion; this is after all a democracy, so our students must be able to speak their minds. If they are radical ideas or racist ideals, then the discussion becomes even more important to have. “Learning cannot take place without respect for everybody’s voice.” (pg. 3) By allowing the students to say what they think and to share how they feel they begin to participate more and more in the classroom and perhaps outside of the classroom as well. And so “the only sane alternative to not-learning is the acknowledgement and direct confrontation of oppression-social, sexual, and economic-both in school and in society.” (pg. 5)

Part Two:

Problem Solving With The Child At The Helm

Alfie Kohn’s Argument on Five Reasons to Stop Saying “Good Job!”

            In this piece Alfie Kohn argues here that we can’t help by praise our students and children because we are conditioned to do so. Isn’t the right way to encourage good behaviour by giving the child an “atta-boy”?  Kohn says no because by doing so we are reflecting upon them our opinions of what is right and wrong instead of allowing them to navigate their own feelings. What’s worse, is by bribing them to do things with such praise, we are supplying them with vast amounts of conditional love. So how can we steer them into the direction of finding their own “good job” feeling? Simply by stating what they have done and asking them what they think about it. “That card you made Zane had lots of animals on it and he smiled when you gave it to him!” That way the observation and the praise rest in the child’s own hands. This technique keeps the child from seeking our praise instead of their own.   

I was very concerned why I read this article for two reasons. The first was how could I support students and children in a way that “good job” without actually saying the words of praise? The second being how to actually break the conditioning of complementing. I am not exaggerating when I say I dole out the compliments like smiles. This was going to be a difficult idea to grasp. However, Kohn relived a bit of my uneasiness with his suggestions. I had always had an aversion to using the word “no “ too often because it lessens confidence (All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum talks more about this) , which is probably one reason I want to be an English teacher, but I didn’t realize that positive words were just as damaging. Children craving approval do so because we have given them conditional love; you do this and I will say good things. I had no idea that telling students and children what was right and wrong was me reflecting my opinions on them. I can’t help but find myself saying duh! By praising the work is then connected to the praise they want to receive, they may not even be interested in the material. By continuing to reach for the praise the proverbial bar gets raised higher and higher as they strive to keep up the “good job” they have been doing. These reasons are why we must become a mirror for our students and children instead of a window “helping a child learn how to solve problems and teaching that their

Questions For Class:

·         How do we allow our students to share their opinions without causing other students to feel offended?

·         What other ways can we encourage students without using verbal exclamation points or stickers with said exclamation points?

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