Troublemakers

Quote: "Understanding supposedly broken children as miner's canaries focus our attention on the toxic social and cultural conditions of schools that threaten and imperil the hope of freedom." 

Explain: When reading the preface, I liked and better understood the reading by the author using this example. When reading this passage, I think the use of a canary to describe children and their learning environment is very impactful and helps me to better understand the reading. The canary was an incredibly good way to show off how schools can be the problem when it comes to such a delinquent new learner such as an elementary student. These young students are creative thinkers and are very impressionable so when schools try to force them to certain thinkings this can hurt them similarly to the delicate canary. The children who are “acting out” like the canary are indicators that something is off within the school.  

 

Quote: “I chose these four children carefully. In school we generally identify the most pleasant, most complaint as our leaders. But if being a leader means doing exactly what one is told, we should wonder what it means to be a follower.”  

Explain: This quote stood out to me when I was reading. This quote is very interesting in the way it provokes many thoughts. I found myself questioning what schools are here to teach students. Not to be leaders themselves but to show that following rules and being obedient is what makes a good person instead of challenging various aspects of society. It makes students compliant to authority and instead of challenging thinkings, students see the “good” students just do exactly what they are told, and this aspect of school produces even more followers than true leaders.  

Here is another article talking about the need for true leadership within schools.