Summer Reading: TroubleMakers by Charla Shalaby
One of the books I was asked to read multiple times, and by multiple different professors during my studies in education was Trouble Makers, by Carla Shalaby. Im sure many educators out there have also read this powerful book, but if chance you haven’t, I highly recommend it. I have read, and re-read this book, and every time, it causes me to deeply reflect on my practice. I chose to re-read it again this summer and like always, it has renewed my patience, my perspective and my sense of compassion both in and out of the classroom.
So many aspects of this book stand out to me. With each read I circle and highlight new passages that are relevant to me now; I must have over ten pages of notes tucked inside the cover. I can confidently say that Zora, Lucas, Sean and Marcus will forever have a place in my heart. Though more importantly, I will always see my students through the lens of this book. Troublemakers has caused me to look at myself, my students, my classroom and my own management style in a much more in-depth and critical way.
There is a concept that comes up again and again in the book, and in interviews with Carla Shalaby, this summer it really made me sit down and think. The concept centers around the idea of ‘policing’ in the classroom. The author defines classroom ‘policing’ as students who take it upon themselves to reprimand their classmates and exert their authority over others who may have been labeled as ‘Troublemakers’. The author says that when students see a teacher consistently reprimand a single student that teachers are reinforcing a negative identity of the so-called ‘Troublemaker’. Shalaby says that teachers very often model, and then reward, this ‘policing’ behavior. She believes that students are learning how to treat their peers based on how we manage these situations in our classrooms. This really made me analyze my own behavior and the ways in which I manage discipline in my classroom.
Shalaby says that students see themselves as their peers do. That the opinions of their peers are so much more important than the opinions of teachers and school faculty. This understanding always forces me to stop and ask myself, am I reinforcing, or even creating, negative identities for certain students? Have I inadvertently affected someone’s opinion of themselves? If so, this absolutely breaks my heart, and I need to do some work in this area to correct my own behavior. The author explores the idea of classroom healing, and believes that students deserve an opportunity to re-define themselves, that reputations as ‘Troublemakers’ should not follow a student from year to year. I was so relieved to read about how we as teachers can facilitate a student’s healing and play a key role in helping students re-define themselves by modeling behaviors in class. If we as educators are consistent in our efforts to provide opportunities for growth for the so-called ‘Troublemakers’ other students are witness to our actions. The classroom becomes a space of growth and collective effort, as opposed to an opportunity for ‘policing’ by others. Before reading Shalaby’s book, I was always worried that the large amount of time spent with ‘Troublemakers’ was taking away from the learning of the other students, but now I see that this time is an important learning opportunity for the whole class. The other students are witnessing first-hand a figure of authority giving the ‘Troublemaker’ a chance, and allowing the student to start fresh.
I absolutely love how Shalaby is able to re-frame the narrative surrounding ‘policing’ in our classrooms in the book. The question for students is no longer, how can I correct this naughty student's behavior? But, how can I support my classmate? How can I show love for my classroom community? In the past I have been guilty of having students create a set of classroom rules in the first weeks of school, then enforcing them throughout the year, however, after reading Troublemakers I have rethought this common practice. She suggests instead of a class set of rules, which often lead to the ‘policing’ behavior of students, we should create a list of ways that we can ‘protect the potential of others’. I adore this concept. Shalaby talks about how all students have the right to their own potential and how it is our collective duty to protect the potential of our classmates. This prevents students from ‘policing’ others, and does away with the power dynamic.
Shalaby goes on to explain throughout the book the difference between ‘policing’ and loving and supporting others in our classroom community. It really made me think when she said, it's all in how the receiving individual feels. The relationship students have with one another will determine whether the behavior of ‘policing’ is interpreted as loving and supporting, or as aggressive and critical. I always think of Carla’s Shabaly’s words when I have to intervene between two students who are having conflict due to one ‘policing’ the other. She suggests explaining to the students that two individuals can say the exact same thing to another student, and it would be received differently depending on the relationship those children have. She suggests being honest, and explaining to the students that, “perhaps you can't call this child out on their behavior, because you don't have the relationship to sustain that dynamic''. This is so important, and it just clicks for me. It's always about loving and supporting, and protecting the potential of others, and when you feel that collective responsibility for your classmates, any correction will be well received if it comes from a place of love.
After reading this book yet again this summer, I am reminded how it's about holding space for all students, creating an atmosphere where healing can take place, modeling the behavior you desire to see in others and teaching the vocabulary that allows students to express how they want to be ‘corrected’. It's only when we operate from a place of love and support that the aggressive ‘policing’ and struggles for power will end in our classrooms.
A link to the Audible version of the book if you are interested:
https://www.audible.com/pd/
For further information from the author, have a listen:
https://www.
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