How Do We See & Study Youth?

 What are the visible and invisible rules/ codes of conduct that govern Marcus’s school and classroom?

 

I believe Marcus’s school and teacher did a great job with trying to support him. He acted out on various occasions which resulted in him not learning a lot in the classroom. There were many rules/codes of conduct that the school and Marcus’s teacher used. I also read many strategies that his teacher tried to implement for him in the classroom to see if his behavior would change. In the classroom, there is a table that his teacher calls “take a break.” The children would go to this table if they were having a difficult time during morning circle. It was basically a consequence for their actions. In addition, there was a “buddy room” which is another form of a break table. However, it was an intermediary step between the time-out desk and the principal’s office. Another rule in the classroom I noticed was to raise your hand before you speak out. This was a difficult task for Marcus because he would yell out things after told multiple times not to. Emily’s teaching strategy for this I thought was very powerful. When he yelled out an answer, she would still let him tell her what his answer to the question was. Her teaching strategy encouraged him to start a conversation and for his voice to be heard. Emily also gave him many opportunities for him to speak and be heard positively. She used words of encouragement such as “I believe in you, or I want to hear your ideas.” Marcus’s school was staffed with a full-time counselor that met with him regularly where he received in-school therapy, and lessons. Marcus also got support outside of school on the weekends. They worked closely with him and also supported his mom with different suggestions that could help his behavior get better. I believe the invisible rules/ code of conduct had to do with him and not being able to admit when he was wrong to authority. I like how specific tips were developed just for Marcus and his individual developmental plan. Many of the tips mentioned are ones that I currently use in my classroom when children need a little more support. “Let him be helpful” is so important because I know from experience that making a child feel like they are worthy only makes their behavior better.

How are they similar/ different to youth spaces that you know? 

These rules, codes of conduct, and teaching strategies in Marcus’s classroom are similar to my classroom in a couple of ways. In my classroom, I have community rules where my children helped me come up with together. One is similar to Marcus’s where you would have to raise your hand to speak out. I work with toddlers so doing that would be extremely difficult for them because everyone would be talking at once. A teaching strategy I use is a talking stick where I pass around an object around the room. The children know that when they receive it, it’s their time to talk and everyone else is listening. Another strategy in Marcus’s classroom that was similar to mine was the kind words given to children who just need extra encouragement to do well. One rule that was different from my classroom was the break table. I never saw this kind of rule/strategy be implemented in a classroom setting before. I thought it was a great way for children to go clear their head and collect their thoughts when frustrated.  

How might these rules connect to Ferri’s discussion of norms, normalcy and dis/ability? 

Ferri discusses societal norms that set the boundaries between ability and disability. The rules in Marcus's classroom could connect to Ferri's discussion because he talked about how schools develop different ways to assess children's ability. This is a way to teach children properly based on their academic level. Marcus needed more support and encouragement from his teacher and counselor because he had trouble paying attention and controlling his actions during class. His school came up with different strategies to try and correct his behavior. They saw the good and potential in him that he could turn around his behavior overtime. Marcus was looking for relationships in school that were similar to ones at home.